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Forum presentations now available
May 3, 2012
Please visit the 2012 Forum page to view the guest presentations from this year's Forum.
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Nebraska Sales of Ethanol Fuel Blends Top Ten Billion Gallons
January 19, 2012
Late in 2011, a Nebraska motorist stopped at a service station to fill up with ethanol blended fuel. One of the gallons going into that tank was the ten billionth sold in the state. The milestone was reached after thirty-four years and two hundred billion miles traveled on the state’s roads.
Sale of the second ten billion gallons of home grown fuel is likely to occur more quickly. In 1979, 60,000 gallons were sold. In 2012, projections show Nebraska drivers will purchase nearly seven hundred million gallons.
Last year, production from the state’s twenty-five ethanol plants topped 1.9 billion gallons according to preliminary data from the Nebraska Ethanol Board. 91% of the state’s production goes to U.S. domestic markets, 5% is shipped overseas. 4% goes in Nebraska fuel tanks and, because of lower costs at the pump, saves motorists some $55 million dollars annually.
According to the Energy Information Administration, 2011 U.S. ethanol production was 14.4 billion gallons. The country’s total annual motor fuel usage is around 134 billion gallons. Ethanol accounts for 10.7% of total U.S supply.
Loran Schmit, a former member of the Nebraska Legislature who laid the ground work for the development of Nebraska’s industry, is gratified to see continued growth of the ethanol industry.
“Our persistence paid off. Ethanol is a major boost to our economy. Continued expansion of the ethanol industry will provide greater benefits for agriculture and energy security,” said Schmit.
See past news releases from the Nebraska Ethanol Board on the “News & Opinion” page.
New ethanol blender pump open in Arcadia
December 27, 2011
A new E85 pump offering the high-ethanol blend is available in the Arcadia area at Trotter Service, 135 E Bridge Street.
The Arcadia pump is one of more than 60 in Nebraska to offer higher ethanol blends. The location will have regular gasoline, E10 unleaded, and E85 available. Find a current list of Nebraska E85 pumps in Nebraska at the Nebraska Ethanol Board website at
www.ne-ethanol.org/e85.
Over 100,000 Nebraska motorists currently own Flexible Fuel Vehicles, which can run on any blend of ethanol and gasoline, including E85. Drivers can confirm if their car is a FFV by checking their owner’s manual or visiting the Nebraska Ethanol Board website at
www.ne-ethanol.org/ffv.
"E85 and other ethanol fuels burn cleaner than gasoline and the ethanol is produced here in Nebraska. As manufacturers produce more Flex Fuel Vehicles each year, there is an opportunity to expand the use of high level ethanol blends,” said Todd Sneller, Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator.
“When FFV drivers fill up on E85 and other ethanol blends, they’re strengthening Nebraska’s economy, making our country more energy independent and going easier on the environment,” Sneller said.
Sign up for the Nebraska Ethanol Board’s FFV club for updates of new E85 locations and other announcements. Go to www.ne-ethanol.org/ffv to sign up now.
View a list and map of E85 and ethanol blender pump locations at the Nebraska Ethanol Board website.
See past news releases from the Nebraska Ethanol Board on the “News & Opinion” page.
Save the Date: 2012 Ethanol Forum April 19-20
11/28/2011
Mark your calendar: The Ethanol 2012: Emerging Issues Forum is scheduled for April 19-20 at the Magnolia Hotel in Omaha. Bookmark the forum home page www.ne-ethanol.org/forum. We'll post more details as they are set.
Thursday, April 19 - Friday, April 20 | Magnolia Hotel, Omaha
Nebraska Ethanol Industry Coalition teams with FFV Awareness Campaign for grant project
11/9/2011
Lincoln, NE- November 10, 2011: A new grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will be used to promote flex fuel vehicles, flex fuel pumps, and driver education. The grant was announced at a meeting of the Nebraska Ethanol Board today.
The Nebraska Ethanol Industry Coalition (NEIC), a non-profit educational organization, will be working with the FlexFuel Vehicle Awareness Campaign to institute a wide range of activities aimed at increasing ethanol use in order to meet the national renewable fuel standard. Project partners include the Nebraska Ethanol Board, the Nebraska Corn Board, the Clean Fuels Foundation, ICM, Poet Ethanol Products, Monsanto, Green Plains Renewable Energy, and Phibro Ethanol Performance Group.
While the FFV Awareness Campaign is an ongoing national effort, this project will concentrate on six states: Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Georgia and Florida. Key elements of the project include working with state motor vehicle departments to inform drivers that they may already have a flex fuel vehicle and how FFV drivers can easily find fueling sites offering high-level ethanol blends. The campaign will also provide an opportunity to educate all drivers on ethanol with respect to performance, emissions, and advantages it provides over gasoline and imported oil.
Todd Sneller, Chairman of the Clean Fuels Development Coalition and Administrator of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, said the project reflects a unique “virtual pipeline” that targets production states like Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas and links them with key markets like Maryland, Georgia, and Florida. “Clearly we are near the saturation point in terms of ethanol blends in conventional vehicles,” said Sneller. “To maintain the renewable fuel standard and move to the next level we need to take advantage of the 9 million FFVs on the road today that can use high level ethanol blends, ranging up to E85. For that to happen drivers need to know their vehicles have this capability and where to find the fuel,” he said.
According to project participants, consumers can check their owners’ manual, gas caps, and check their vehicle identification numbers at several websites to find out if they have a FFV. Even for those who do not, the inquiry often leads to interest in the subject and an increase in FFV inquiries to auto dealers. FFV Awareness Campaign officials are currently in discussions with several state motor vehicle administrators. They say that reaching drivers through current state communication channels like emission notices and registration renewals would be an extremely efficient means of reaching both current and prospective FFV owners.
The USDA grant was issued under the Rural Business Opportunity Grant program. The project will also focus on rural areas that can adopt ethanol as a business opportunity through flex fuel pumps and retail outlets. “The importance of ethanol production to rural America cannot be overstated,” said Sneller. “Distributing and using the fuel in smaller communities adds to the total value of this important domestic product.”
Sneller added, “This is a significant project in scope and size and has the potential to yield substantial results. We look forward to working with all the project partners who have provided financial and human resources to this effort and we anticipate adding more partners as the project progresses.”
Additional partners include the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board, Protec Fuels, Bosselman Energy Services, and Lampert Consulting.
For further information on the project contact:
Douglas Durante , Clean Fuels Development Coalition, 301-718-0077
Burl Haigwood, FFV Awareness Campaign Burl.haigwood@cleanfuelsdc.org
Download a PDF of this press release.
November Ethanol Board Meeting Announced
10/31/2011
Our November board meeting is scheduled for November 10 at 8:30 am. The meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Downtown, 141 North 9th St, Lincoln.
Our featured guest speaker will be Bill Roddy, Director of Environmental Compliance at ERI Solutions. Roddy's presentation will cover carbon modeling and compliance issues for ethanol producers.
Congratulations to our $50 fuel winners!
9/28/2011
Congratulations to Brad Bolton of Omaha, Dan Van Bibber of Waverly, Debra Jean Hansen of Cedar Creek, Laura Daily of Curtis, Rick Stava of Columbus, Katie Knievel of West Point, Jeannie Armendariz of Bellevue, George Wolff of Council Bluffs, Doug Brand of Seward, and Chrissy Sparks of Omaha. Each won a $50 gift card to spend on ethanol fuels. Thanks to everyone who entered!
Win $50 in free ethanol fuels!
9/12/2011
The Nebraska Ethanol Board is teaming with the Nebraska Corn Board for a fuel giveaway.
Answer a few questions about ethanol, and you'll be entered to win a $50 gift card good for ETHANOL-BLENDED FUEL. Winners will be chosen at random on Monday, September 26, 2011 and will be notified by email and phone. No purchase necessary.
Click here or click the picture above to register for your chance to win!
Husker Ticket winners announced
Congratulations to Angie Scheideler of Ayr and Leslie Pittman of Pawnee City, the winners of our Husker Football ticket giveaway.
Angie won two tickets to watch the Huskers face off against Fresno State on September 10, and Leslie will see the Huskers play Washington on September 17.
Thanks to everyone who entered the contest!
New E85 pump in St. Paul - Grand Opening Thursday, Sept. 8
A new E85 pump is offering 85 cents off E85 fuel this Thursday, September 8.
Aurora Cooperative at 614 2nd Street in St. Paul is offering 85 cents off the first 30 gallons of E85 per vehicle this Thursday from 11 am - 1 pm.
See all E85 and blender bumps in Nebraska here, or register for the FFV Club here.
Ethanol workers earn higher than average
Growth in wages in the ethanol sector outpaced all industry wage growth in the past decade, increasing by more than 58%.
Source: Nebraska Department of Labor.
Click for a large version.
According to the Nebraska Department of Labor, average pay in the ethanol sector has increased from $35,479 in 2000 to $56,158 in 2010. Meanwhile, the statewide average pay for all industries in Nebraska was $37,319 in 2010.
While the recession of has caused stagnating pay or job reductions in some industries, the ethanol industry has helped keep the Midwest’s economy robust, said Nebraska Ethanol Board Administrator Todd Sneller.
“Ethanol is vital to Nebraska’s economy,” said Sneller. “The ethanol industry has created thousands of jobs while saving drivers money and burning more cleanly than gasoline.”
Another study from NPPD has found that Nebraska’s ethanol industry has directly created over 1,300 jobs, saved drivers $200 million through lower fuel prices, and created $3.5 billion in total economic output. State and local governments have collected over $30 million in new tax revenues created by the ethanol industry.
Catherine Lang, the Nebraska Commissioner of Labor, said the ethanol industry has been a boon for the state’s economic development.
“A vibrant rural economy is vital for the economic success of Nebraska. The ethanol industry provides high skill, high wage jobs for citizens across Nebraska. The Industry has been a strong partner along with our educational institutions, assuring that there are education and training programs to develop the skilled workforce to support and maintain this important industry in Nebraska,” Lang said.
Sneller said the ethanol industry has had an especially positive economic impact in rural areas.
“The ethanol industry has indirectly created over 3,000 jobs, many of these in rural areas where higher than average wages have an even great impact,” Sneller said.