July 9, 2015
BY Susanne Retka Schill
Nine more ethanol plants have achieved the U.S. EPA’s efficient producer status, bringing the total to 40. The agency posted the newly completed pathway assessments on its website in early July.
The efficient ethanol producers have successfully petitioned the EPA to recognize their ethanol yields and energy efficiencies are resulting in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are at least 20 percent less than the baseline gasoline value set in the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The designation allows the ethanol producers to generate renewable identification numbers (RINS) on additional gallons above the volume that was grandfathered in under the RFS, as long as they can document ongoing GHG reductions. Plants are required to collect data on a daily basis showing the bushels of feedstock ground, the consumption of electricity and natural gas and the gallons of ethanol produced. The data is used to calculate a rolling daily average GHG value using an EPA spreadsheet.
The nine new entrants to the efficient producers club include two Valero Renewable Energy plants. Valero’s 120 MMgy plant at Charles City, Iowa, has achieved a GHG reduction of 26.7 percent, according to the EPA’s approval letter, and its
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120 MMgy Aurora, South Dakota, plant achieves a 22.1 percent GHG reduction.
Other corn ethanol plants on the list include One Earth Energy LLC’s 115 MMgy plant at Gibson City, Illinois, achieving a 21.8 percent GHG reduction; Iroquois Bio-Energy Co. LLC, Rensselaer, Indiana, 40 MMgy, 21.4 percent GHG reduction; and Adkins Energy LLC, Lena, Illinois, 50 MMgy, 23.6 percent GHG reduction.
Three other plants on the most recent list use both corn and grain sorghum for ethanol production. The modeling for the GHG reduction was done for corn only, but their letters state they can report the amounts of corn and sorghum consumed. They include East Kansas Agri-Energy LLC, Garnett, Kansas, 43 MMgy, 27.2 percent GHG reduction; Nugen Energy, Marion, South Dakota, 115 MMgy, 20.9 percent GHG reduction; and, Poet Biorefining Laddonia, Laddonia, Missouri, 50 MMgy, 28.2 percent GHG reduction.
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The last of the nine approved in late June is Ring-Neck Energy & Feed LLC, a proposed 70 MMgy plant at Onida, South Dakota, 23.0 percent GHG reduction. Getting the EPA letter puts the proposed project one step closer to realization.
The 40 plants achieving efficient ethanol producer status have been named in four batches. The first nine were announced in December, the next 10 in late January another five in March and eight in late May.
For an in-depth article describing the EPA’s efficient producer petition process, read “Efficient Producers Up the Ante.”
BWC Terminals on April 22 celebrated the official completion of its expanded renewable fuels terminal at the Port of Stockton. The facility is designed to safely and efficiently transfer renewable diesel and biodiesel from marine vessels.
Repsol and Bunge on April 25 announced plans to incorporate the use of camelina and safflower feedstocks in the production of renewable fuels, including renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Renewable Fuels Month highlights the importance of renewable biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. The month of May marks the beginning of the summer driving season, making it an ideal time to fuel up on clean and cost-saving biofuels.
PBF Energy on May 1 announced that its St. Bernard Renewables facility produced approximately 10,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel during Q1, down from 17,000 barrels per day during the Q4 2024.
Germany-based Mabanaft on April 17 announced it started to supply SAF to airlines at Frankfurt Airport in January. The company said it will deliver more than 1,000 metric tons of SAF to the airport this year under the European SAF mandate.