For the past three years, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) have held a scholarship competition for higher education students to enter for a chance to win a free registration to the annual National Ethanol Conference (NEC). Attending the conference provides the students a chance to meet and network with ethanol leaders, policy makers and industry experts to see what opportunities there are for them in the ethanol industry. The level of interest students show in attending the NEC continues to prevail year after year.
Applicants were asked to explain how this scholarship will assist them in achieving their academic and/or career goals in 500 words or less. They were also asked to include two letters of recommendation, a current resume and an official school transcript.
Each year, numerous students apply for this scholarship, and while all the recipients demonstrate an interest in moving forward in the industry, there are some that stand out above the rest. This year, two exemplary essays were submitted, and we would like to showcase them. You can find the other essay here.
Ted Elverson is majoring in Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering at South Dakota State University.  He grew up on a farm and has strong roots in agriculture.  Ethanol is a large part of agriculture and has affected him for most of his life.  This has led him into an internship with POET and a career focus in the biofuels.
“The National Ethanol Conference is a great opportunity for advancing my career in the ethanol industry.  Policy has a huge impact on the industry.  Governmental mandates and funding has been a hot topic this last year with the debt ceiling and budget reform.  I would like to learn from the industry leaders how these policies will affect the industry and what can be done to benefit the industry.  Networking with leaders and experts will allow me to make an impact within the industry as I pursue a career in ethanol.
My interest in the ethanol industry stemmed from my agricultural background.  I grew up on a farm and have worked alongside my father and grandfather from childhood.  We invested in an ethanol plant, Dakota Ethanol in Wentworth, South Dakota who is attending the conference, and have hauled corn there for years.
I am in the Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering program at South Dakota State University.  Within my major, I am pursuing an emphasis in Biomaterials Processing.  This emphasis focuses on ethanol and bio-fuel production.  My curriculum pertains to the production of ethanol.  I took the Principles of Biomaterial Processing course offered by the department last fall.  In the lab, we compared different properties of biological materials which are applicable to the preparation of feedstock to be used to create ethanol.  The Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering department is very supportive and has offered to pay for airfare to get to the conference.
Last summer I was an engineering intern at POET.  I worked in the corporate office under the Plant Management division and was introduced to the ethanol production process.  I was able to spend time at plants and become familiar with different processes.  I worked with improving plant efficiency and troubleshooting issues.  During the internship, I was exposed to the advantages of bio-fuels and the opposition the ethanol industry faces.
I want to be a part of the future of ethanol.  The ethanol industry has become a viable industry and I would like to see it expand.  It has established itself as a real alternative to fossil fuels.  Lately, it has become a target with opposition from the food, petroleum and environmental interests.  I recently attended a presentation from the Department of the Navy which has committed to convert half of its energy to bio-fuel.  This support is something that needs to be common throughout the United States to lower our dependence on foreign energy.  I would hope to hear more on the legislation and regulation which may shape the industry in the future.  With this knowledge, I could begin to support bio-fuels through local, state and federal representatives.
This conference would be a great opportunity for me to meet industry leaders and hear from some of the best experts in the bio-fuel industry.  The networking opportunities presents an opportunity to learn what other companies and plants are exploring across the country.  The experience would increase my knowledge and possibly introduce some new or developing processes to strengthen the industry.”

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The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF) believe it is important for students interested in the biofuels and renewable fuels industry to have an opportunity to explore what the industry has to offer them by meeting with and talking to experts and industry leaders at the National Ethanol Conference.
For the third consecutive year, the RFA and RFF offered scholarships to students in higher education for a chance to receive a complementary registration at the 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference. Applicants were asked to explain how this scholarship will assist them in achieving their academic and/or career goals in 500 words or less. They were also asked to include two letters of recommendation, a current resume and an official school transcript.
Each year, numerous students apply for this scholarship, and while all the recipients demonstrate an interest in moving forward in the industry, there are some that truly stand out. Below is one that stood out above the rest this year. You can find the other outstanding essay here.
Karen Lewis is from a fifth generation family farm in Michigan that was settled in 1876.  She is currently a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University in the Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management. Her research area of interest is agricultural policy analysis.
 
“The National Ethanol Conference Scholarship will assist me in achieving my academic and career goals. I am currently a PhD student at Arizona State University (ASU) in the Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management where I research agricultural policy. Attending the National Ethanol Conference will update my understanding of the current direction of ethanol policy and help my research endeavors at ASU. While my future career is still uncertain, my options include becoming a university professor, being an agricultural advocate, working for the government or working for an agribusiness industry. Therefore, the National Ethanol Conference will assist me in gaining insight into both my educational aspirations and my future career path.
In addition to studying agricultural policy at ASU, I also researched ethanol production while I was a Graduate Research Assistant at Michigan State University (MSU). I received my Master’s Degree from MSU in 2010 from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics. While at MSU I researched ethanol production and its impact on corn markets in the Midwestern United States. My Master’s Thesis was titled, “The Impact of Ethanol on Corn Market Relationships and Corn Price Basis Levels.” From my Master’s Thesis, I published an article, titled “The Impact of Ethanol Production on Spatial Grain Market,” in the peer-reviewed academic journal titled the International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, Volume 14, Issue 4. A second article from my Master’s Thesis is currently under review at a peer-reviewed academic journal. I am the lead author for both journal articles and my MSU major professor, Dr. Glynn Tonsor, is my co-author.
Attending the National Ethanol Conference is also of interest to me because I grew up on a fifth generation family farm in Michigan which was settled in 1876. On our family farm we grow corn, sugarbeets, wheat and soybeans on 1,100 acres of land. On our farm we also feed 700 head of beef cattle, and a primary feed input for our cattle are distiller’s grains that come from the ethanol plant located in Marysville, Michigan.
Learning about the direction of future ethanol production and policy at the National Ethanol Conference is of great interest to me because I have previous experience with federal level legislation. During the summer of 2007 I was an intern for the American Sugarbeet Growers Association (ASGA) when the 2008 Farm Bill was being considered and passed by the United States House of Representatives. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the ASGA is a lobbyist organization that represents all of the sugarbeet growers in the U.S. I would be grateful for the opportunity to see how the Ethanol Industry plans to shape future ethanol policy at the National Ethanol Conference.
Attending the National Ethanol Conference would be an excellent and valuable addition to my educational and life experiences concerning ethanol production. Networking at the National Ethanol Conference will not only assist my educational goals, but it will also be beneficial to my future career in the agribusiness field.”

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The president of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) this week wrote a letter to the U.S. Trade Ambassador asking for an investigation into news that the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo was imposing a 25% tax on all imported ethanol.

“Because ethanol produced in Sao Paulo is tax exempt, ethanol imported into Sao Paulo from the United States and other areas is at a substantial economic disadvantage,” wrote RFA President and CEO Bob Dinneen to Ambassador Ron Kirk. “We believe this action is discriminatory and may severely—and immediately—restrict the exportation of U.S. ethanol to Brazil.”

Dinneen is pictured here sharing a lighter moment with Marcos Jank, president and CEO of Brazil’s UNICA during a session at the 2011 National Ethanol Conference.

In early December, the nation of Brazil extended a temporary suspension of a 20% federal tariff on imported ethanol.
“This action not only effectively reinstates the tariff on U.S. exports, but increases it by 5%,” wrote Dinneen. “Moreover, we believe the action taken by the state of Sao Paulo is in violation of Article III:4 of the Generalized Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and possibly Article 2.1 of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement.”

Port Santos in Sao Paulo is the main port of entry for U.S. ethanol exports to Brazil, which accounted for an estimated 400 million gallons in 2011.

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Only a couple days now until the kick-off of the Super Bowl – and the 2012 National Biodiesel Conference.

We caught up with National Biodiesel Board CEO Joe Jobe at the Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit to get a preview what promises to be a great conference. “Attendance is up, exhibitors are up, sponsorship is up, which is really a reflection of the fact that the industry’s back,” Jobe says. “The industry has come back and it’s really one of the most exciting come back stories since maybe Harley-Davidson.”

Jobe says there’s enthusiasm and excitement, but also a lot of work that needs to be done. “We need to talk about how we think about the industry going forward through the lens of the RFS, which is going to be the cornerstone of the industry moving forward,” he noted.

The conference will be held February 5-8 at the Gaylord Palms Convention Center in Orlando and while on-line registration is closed, there will be on-site registration for last minute attendees.

Listen to an interview with Jobe here: Joe Jobe interview

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Due to growing urbanization and resulting environmental threats, China has invested nearly US$50 billion annually into its renewable energy sector since 2009. China’s five-year investment in environmental protection is on track to reach 3.1 trillion yuan (US$454 billion). By 2015, its environmental protection industry is expected to top 2 trillion yuan (US$317 billion).

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Twenty years ago, international leaders descended on Brazil to lay the groundwork for what would eventually become the Kyoto Protocol. This summer, a 20-member United Nations panel will once again head to Rio de Janeiro with an even more ambitious agenda.

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Renewable energy in the United States is at a crossroads. With several federal tax grants set to expire by the end of 2012, utilities are trying to decide if the falling prices of solar and wind technology makes renewable energy competitive enough to invest in despite vanishing federal aid.

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Leaders in the ethanol industry got together last week in Indianapolis to discuss the future of the industry in Indiana.

Steve Pittman, Director of the Indiana Ethanol Producers Association and General Manager of POET-Portland, is especially excited about the future of the cellulosic ethanol industry. “We see corn ethanol still stay as the basis of what we do and then we’ll see growth in cellulosic over the next ten years,” Steve said. “We don’t see corn going away. The concept is to reap the corn stover off the same fields we’re harvesting corn off of. We’ll have another opportunity for farmers to sell another product without having to grow another crop.”

Listen to an interview with Pittman here: Steve Pittman interview

Right now, infrastructure is important to expanding consumer choice, according to Rosalind Leeck, Director of Biofuels for Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC). “Our farmers believe that expanding infrastructure to allow consumers more access to ethanol-blended fuel is crucial to the success and growth of the industry,” said Leeck, adding that ICMC is funding a program to encourage fuel retailers to add flex fuel pumps that offer mid-level blends, like E30, in addition to E85 to drivers of Flex Fuel Vehicles. “Through this program, 14 flex fuel pumps will be added to fuel stations across the state over the next several months.”

Listen to an interview with Rosalind Leeck here: Rosalind Leeck interview

Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis agrees that building infrastructure is critical to the increasing consumer choice. Buis told Gary Truitt of the Hoosier Ag Today (HAT) that he is optimistic about the future of ethanol in Indiana and nationwide. “Unlike Big Oil, ethanol is not stuck in the past, we’re focused on moving forward. With the introduction of E15 into the marketplace and increased build out of Flex Fuel pumps, American consumers will finally have choice when they fill up at the pump,” Buis says. “We know we can do more, we know it’s good for America.”

Listen to Truitt’s interview with Buis here: Tom Buis interview

Indiana produces 1.1 billion gallons of ethanol every year in 13 different ethanol plants across the state. Thanks to Gary Truitt of HAT for attending the Indiana ethanol forum and provided the photos and audio interviews.

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The National Biodiesel Board (NBB) testified this week to the Senate Finance Committee about the importance of reinstating the industry’s tax incentive. The $1-per-gallon biodiesel tax incentive expired on Dec. 31 for the second time in three years.

Anne Steckel, NBB vice president of federal affairs, said in her testimony, that when the incentive was reinstated last year after a lapse in 2010, it helped boost biodiesel production to a record volume of nearly 1.1 billion gallons in 2011. That volume – triple the production of 2010 – supported more than 39,027 jobs and $3.8 billion in GDP, according to a recent study conducted by Cardno ENTRIX, an international economics consulting firm.

“The biodiesel industry is poised to continue that momentum so long as Congress and the Administration continue supporting strong policies such as the biodiesel tax incentive,” Steckel said. “The recent expiration of the $1 per gallon biodiesel tax incentive poses a significant threat to the industry’s continued growth.”

Under projected expansion, with the tax incentive in place, the industry is expected to support more than 74,000 jobs by 2015 and some $7.3 billion in GDP.

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to extend the tax incentive for three years.

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Eight students will receive a scholarship to attend the 17th Annual National Ethanol Conference: Accelerating Industry Innovation, according to the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and the Renewable Fuels Foundation (RFF).

This is the third year the scholarship has been available to students in higher education. Recipients receive complimentary registration to the conference and the opportunity to connect with hundreds of ethanol leaders, policy makers and experts in the renewable fuels industry.

The National Ethanol Conference (NEC) is one of the preeminent conferences for delivering accurate, timely information on marketing, legislative and regulatory issues facing the ethanol industry. This year’s program will highlight how the ethanol industry continues to evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing marketplace. With federal policy changing, the global, market-driven environment in which the industry must compete comes with new market challenges. Industry leaders and experts will address how we are meeting these new demands by accelerating innovation in technology, marketing, logistics and feedstocks for the production of advanced ethanol.

“It is very encouraging to see such high levels of interest in biofuels from students year after year through this program,” said Mike Jerke, RFF Chairman and General Manager for Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company. “Networking with experts in the U.S. ethanol industry gives these students a first-hand look behind an evolving industry and the direction it is heading. This is a chance for them to explore the opportunities the industry has to offer.”

Each scholarship recipient has focused their studies on renewable energy and biofuels and is interested in pursuing a career in the industry. Read more about the eight recipients of the NEC Scholarship.

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