www.mnbiofuels.org

EDITOR'S NOTE

As some of you may have already noticed, we recently revamped our website. The new Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association website features a cleaner and more organized look while we've included loads of new features too. One feature in particular is our interactive biofuel station map. Just go here, share your location and search for the station closest to you. You can filter the results according to distance and the type of fuel (E85 or E15) that you want. Once you've found your station, click on it and you instantly get directions to that station from your location.

Another new feature is MBA's very own blog, titled "Blogging For Biofuels," that's embedded in the website. We've even listed the latest blog postings for your reference below in this month's newsletter.

In June, we also held our first ever Business Case For E15 & E85 seminar for prospective retailers. You can read more about it in Tim's column for this month right below.

Have a great Fourth of July everyone!

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S COLUMN:

Momentum Continues To Grow For E15 & E85

The business case for E15 is compelling. On June 18, the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association hosted a seminar on the business case for E15 and E85. A diverse group of fuel supply chain stakeholders participated in the seminar. Included among the participants were retailers, service and equipment suppliers and State officials from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Commerce Weights and Measures Division. A major take away from the seminar was the strong evidence that supports the growing move by fuel retailers to offer their customers E15.

Read more here

IN THE NEWS

EPA's Ethanol Mandate For 2014 Behind Schedule

Des Moines Register, June 27 - The EPA's final decision for the renewable volume obligations for 2014 has not been announced and won't be for another several weeks.

Read more here

Response To CBO Study - Renewable Fuel Standard : Issues For 2014 And Beyond

Renewable Fuels Association, June 27 - The Renewable Fuels Association finds a new congressional budget office study that concluded the RFS would lead to higher gas prices as misleading, using unrealistic assumptions and erroneous.

Read more here

May RIN Data Shows Increased Biofuel Production

Ethanol Producer Magazine, June 23 - RIN generation reached 1.48 billion in May compared to 1.45 billion in April.

Read more here

U.S. Ethanol Output Surges To Record High As Gasoline Costs Rise

Reuters, June 18 - U.S. ethanol production increased for the sixth week in a row to a record high as rising gasoline prices helped boost demand for biofuels.

Read more here

Government And University Experts Blast EWG Report

Renewable Fuels Association, June 12 - Lifecycle analysis experts and economists from Argonne National Laboratory and three leading universities blasted a recent Environmental Working Group (EWG) report that made audacious claims and arrived at "erroneous conclusions" about corn ethanol's greenhouse gas impacts.

Read more here

Ag Census Data Shows EWG Is Full Of Hot Air

Renewable Fuels Association, June 2 - The Renewable Fuels Association takes down the Environmental Working Group's controversial and misleading study on ethanol's greenhouse gas impacts.

Read more here

BLOGGING FOR BIOFUELS

Introducing Blogging For Biofuels, a new blog by the Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association dedicated to bringing you the latest issues and insights in the biofuels industry. The blog can viewed at our website mnbiofuels.org. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest blog entries by subscribing to the blog's RSS feeds.Here were the most popular blog posts in June.

New Ad Argues For More Ethanol To Mitigate High Gas Prices

June 27 - A new advertisement from Americans United For Change ties high pump prices to the current turmoil in Iraq and argues for ethanol production levels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) to be maintained.

Read more here

E85 Sales Up In Minnesota And Iowa In Q1

June 26 - Sales of E85 in both Minnesota and Iowa were both up in the first quarter of 2014. Sales in Minnesota, in particular, grew 49 percent to 2.52 million gallons.

Read more here

Shale Oil Boom Leads To Oil Exports Not Lower Prices

June 25 - The shale oil boom is now leading to crude oil exports from the US for the first time since the 1970s as there isn't enough infrastructure to refine ultra-light shale oil domestically.

Read more here

Higher Crude Builds Case For More Ethanol

June 20 - With the EPA's decision on 2014's Renewable Volume Obligations (RVO) for ethanol production expected to be announced in the near future, the agency may want to take a closer look at current crude oil prices which have been trending upwards.

Read more here

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Willis Of Minnesota, Inc

This month, we spotlight Willis of Minnesota, Inc, which is a unit of Willis Group Holdings, a leading global risk advisor, insurance and reinsurance broker. We interviewed Brad Frankenstein, senior vice president of risk management at Willis of Minnesota, Inc.

Read the interview here

MBA ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Biofuel Station Locator Map

As mentioned in this month's editor's note, we have a new biofuel station locator map in our website. Just share your location, filter your results according to distance and fuel type and the map shows you the stations nearest to you. Click here and give it a spin!

More Facts About Ethanol

The newly revamped Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association website now contains more facts about ethanol and countering the various myths out there. Ever wondered how ethanol contributes to the economy? Or how it has reduced our dependency on foreign oil? Find out the answers here and many more.

Biofuels As Renewable Energy DVD For Students

MBA recently teamed up with the Minnesota Agriculture In The Classroom to produce a series of educational videos for high school students on biofuels. In total, we produced six videos which explained the process of producing ethanol from corn and crop residue, biodiesel from soybean, biomass energy from plant matter, finding new biofuel sources and the impact of renewable energy on engine performance.

View all the videos here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

MBA is proud to announce that we are one of the supporting organizations for the National Advanced Biofuels Conference and Expo.

National Advanced Biofuels Conference : Oct 13-15, Minneapolis, MN

Produced by BBI International, this national event will feature the world of advanced biofuels and biobased chemicals - technology scale-up, project finance, policy, national markets and more - with a core focus on the industrial, petroleum and agribusiness alliances defining the national advanced biofuels industry.

With a vertically integrated program and audience, the National Advanced Biofuels Conference & Expo is tailored for industry professionals engaged in producing, developing and deploying advanced biofuels, biobased platform chemicals, polymers and other renewable molecules that have the potential to meet or exceed the performance of petroleum-derived products.

www.mnbiofuels.org