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RFA CEO says biofuels seem to be turning corner after year of COVID disruptions

The CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association says it was this time last year when the pandemic pulled the rug out from underneath the ethanol industry.

And 12 months later, Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield plants seem to be turning the corner.

“It was at this time a year ago when we were sort of at the top of the rollercoaster and just starting down, wondering where in the world the bottom was.”

He says domestic ethanol blending rates have returned to pre-pandemic levels and the outlook is bright.

“We’ve still got strong export demand, we’ve got analysts talking about sort of returning to pre-pandemic gasoline demand this summer. So all of that bodes well and serves as bullish factors when we look at the outlook for ethanol supply and demand.”

Archer Daniels Midland recently signaled another sign of recovery by announcing its Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Columbus, Nebraska ethanol plants, both idled for about a year, will be resuming production soon.