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SUPPORT The Precision Testing Behind A Global Market PAGE 24

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Gain Leverage PAGE 16

Deploying Thermal Battery Technology PAGE 30

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Contents

OCTOBER 2026 VOLUME 32 ISSUE 10

DEPARTMENTS 5

AD INDEX/EVENTS CALENDAR

IN THIS ISSUE Testing, Tech and Trade

SPOTLIGHT 14 CEM CORPORATION

Making DCO Tracing Simple By Katie Schroeder

By Tom Bryan

VIEW FROM THE HILL Finally Breaking Through: Ethanol Blend Rate Surges Past 11%

FEATURES 16 LAB

Collaborative Contacts

By Geoff Cooper

GLOBAL SCENE Ethanol for the Win-Win: There’s No Trade-Off Between Renewable Energy and Affordability By Craig Winneker

BUSINESS BRIEFS

MARKETPLACE

How Ethanol Plant Labs Lean On Vendor Support By Luke Geiver

MARKET

Sending It On Spec

Testing Ethanol for Diverse Market Requirements By Katie Schroeder

ENERGY

Partnering for Off-Peak Power

Antora Deploys On-Site Thermal Energy for POET By Lisa Gibson

36 ON THE COVER: Lisa Avila of Midwest Laboratories loads a gas chromatograh to analyze fuel ethanol samples. PHOTO: MIDWEST LABORATORIES

Ethanol Producer Magazine: (USPS No. 023-974) October 2026, Vol. 32, Issue 10. Ethanol Producer Magazine is published monthly by BBI International. Principal Office: 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND 58203. Periodicals Postage Paid at Grand Forks, North Dakota and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Ethanol Producer Magazine/Subscriptions, 308 Second Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, North Dakota 58203.

4 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

TRADE

A Steep Hike

Tariff On Brazilian Ethanol Takes Effect By Lisa Gibson

CONTRIBUTION 40

POLICY

Preparing for Feedstock Traceability: What Biofuel Producers Need To Do Now By Roxby Hartly and Chelsa Oren

Upcoming Events

Advertiser Index

EDITORIAL President & Editor Tom Bryan tbryan@bbiinternational.com

2027 Int'l Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

ArrowUp

Beyond Agribusiness Solutions

CEM Corporation

Check-All Valve Mfg. Co.

CTE Global, Inc.

D3MAX LLC

Fluid Quip Mechanical

Foundation Analytical Laboratory

GEA North America

Growth Energy

IFF, Inc.

Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits

Midland Scientific Inc.

Midwest Custom Engineering

Chief Operating Officer John Nelson jnelson@bbiinternational.com

Olsson

PerkinElmer U.S. LLC

28-29

Senior Account Manager Chip Shereck cshereck@bbiinternational.com

Phibro Ethanol

Soliton

Victory Energy Operations, LLC.

Senior News Editor Erin Voegele evoegele@bbiinternational.com Contributions Editor Katie Schroeder katie.schroeder@bbiinternational.com

DESIGN Vice President of Production & Design Jaci Satterlund jsatterlund@bbiinternational.com Senior Graphic Designer Raquel Boushee rboushee@bbiinternational.com

PUBLISHING & SALES CEO Joe Bryan jbryan@bbiinternational.com

Senior Account Manager Bob Brown bbrown@bbiinternational.com Senior Marketing & Advertising Manager Marla DeFoe mdefoe@bbiinternational.com Customer Service Coordinator Brandon McGarry brandon.mcgarry@bbiinternational.com

EDITORIAL BOARD

2027 International Biomass Conference & Expo

March 2-4, 2027

Cobb Convention Center | Atlanta, Georgia (866) 746-8385 | www.BiomassConference.com Now in its 20th year, the International Biomass Conference & Expo is expected to bring together more than 1000 attendees, 180 exhibitors and 100 speakers from more than 25 countries. It is the largest gathering of biomass professionals and academics in the world. The conference provides relevant content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic businessto-business environment. In addition to abundant networking opportunities, the largest biomass conference in the world is renowned for its outstanding programming—powered by Biomass Magazine–that maintains a strong focus on commercial-scale biomass production, new technology, and near-term research and development. Join us at the International Biomass Conference & Expo as we enter this new and exciting era in biomass energy.

2027 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

June 14-16, 2027

CHI Health Center | Omaha, Nebraska (866) 746-8385 | www.FuelEthanolWorkshop.com Now in its 43rd year, the FEW provides the ethanol industry with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. As the largest, longest running ethanol conference in the world, the FEW is renowned for its superb programming—powered by Ethanol Producer Magazine —that maintains a strong focus on commercialscale ethanol production, new technology, and near-term research and development. The event draws more than 2,500 people from over 31 countries and from nearly every ethanol plant in the United States and Canada.

2027 Sustainable Fuels Summit: SAF, Renewable Diesel and Biodiesel

Ringneck Energy Aaron Riedell Commonwealth Agri-Energy Mick Henderson Western Plains Energy Derek Peine Front Range Energy Dan Sanders Jr.

Presented by Biodiesel Magazine and SAF Magazine

June 14-16, 2027

CHI Health Center | Omaha, Nebraska (866) 746-8385 | www.SustainableFuelsSummit.com

Customer Service Please call 1-866-746-8385 or email service@bbiinternational.com. Subscriptions Subscriptions to Ethanol Producer Magazine are free of charge with the exception of a shipping and handling fee mailed outside the United States. To subscribe, visit www.EthanolProducer.com/Subscribe, send an email to subscriptions@bbiinternational.com or call 866-746-8385. Back Issues, Reprints and Permissions Select back issues are available for $3.95 each, plus shipping. Article reprints are also available for a fee. For more information, contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.com. Advertising Ethanol Producer Magazine provides a specific topic delivered to a highly targeted audience. We are committed to editorial excellence and high-quality print production. To find out more about Ethanol Producer Magazine advertising opportunities, please contact us at 866-746-8385 or service@bbiinternational.com. Letters to the Editor We welcome letters to the editor. Send to: Ethanol Producer Magazine Letters to the Editor, 308 2nd Ave. N., Suite 304, Grand Forks, ND, 58203, or editor@bbiinternational.com. Please include contact information. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

Please recycle this magazine and remove inserts or samples before recycling

The Sustainable Fuels Summit: SAF, Renewable Diesel, and Biodiesel is a premier forum designed for producers of biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to learn about cutting-edge process technologies, innovative techniques, and equipment to optimize existing production. Attendees will discover efficiencies that save money while increasing throughput and fuel quality. This world-class event features premium content from technology providers, equipment vendors, consultants, engineers, and producers to advance discussions and foster an environment of collaboration and networking. Through engaging presentations, fruitful discussions, and compelling exhibitions, the summit aims to push the biomass-based diesel sector beyond its current limitations.

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 5

In This Issue

Testing, Tech and Trade This industry’s across-the-board commitment to quality, precision testing and operational efficiency— from mash analysis to denatured ethanol testing—rests entirely on its labs. Every U.S. ethanol plant has a capable in-house laboratory, but few work alone. They lean on commercial partners, like extensions of their own teams, to keep their inputs, fermentations and end products in check and on spec. While ethanol plant labs have long relied on their enzyme and yeast suppliers for supplemental testing and analytical support, they are now comfortably reliant on these relationships, fully leveraging the broad capabilities of their suppliers to accelerate plant performance, optimize yields and maximize profitability. In “Collaborative Contact,” on page 16, we look at how producers and vendors are merging their analytical capabilities to test samples and interpret process data with greater speed and perspective. Keeping our lab coats on, we jump into fuel ethanol testing in “Sending It On Spec,” on page 24. This story parses out the exacting work of validating the quality and varied specifications of fuel ethanol shipped not only across the country, but the world. While ethanol producers can perform spec tests in-house, third-party labs also do it often. Producers send ethanol to independent labs to verify their own results, and marketers rely on them later in the supply chain. Whether U.S. ethanol simply needs testing for an ASTM D4806 certificate of analysis, verifications for state LCFS markets or alternative specs for export, third-party labs help ensure the product is on the mark at every stage. Next, we transition to another type of collaboration—energy—in “Partnering for Off-Peak Power,” on page 30. This piece highlights the thermal energy storage system that a California-based company has assembled next to POET’s Big Stone City, South Dakota, ethanol plant. The thermal battery field will supply the facility with enough heat energy to offset most of its natural gas use. Other producers will want to take a close look at this technology because it can reportedly reduce CI by 15 to 30 points. The endcap to our feature well is a story about the recent decision by the Trump administration— specifically, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative—to slap a 25% tariff on most Brazilian goods, ethanol included. A few months ago, the USTR concluded a year-long investigation into Brazil’s ethanol trade policies, determining that its 18% tariff on American ethanol caused a precipitous drop in U.S. product entering the country. U.S. officials also contend that Brazil isn’t playing fair with its carbon intensity accounting, which they say puts U.S. producers at a disadvantage in emergent markets. While the 25% tariff on Brazil is retaliatory in nature, U.S. trade groups see it as a tool designed to get the world’s second largest ethanol producer back to the negotiating table. The Americans want a trade resolution more than a trade war. Enjoy the read.

FOR INDUSTRY NEWS: WWW.ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM OR FOLLOW US:

6 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

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View From The Hill

Finally Breaking Through: Ethanol Blend Rate Surges Past 11%

Geoff Cooper

President and CEO Renewable Fuels Association

For the first time ever, gasoline consumed by American drivers in May contained more than 11% ethanol, on average. In fact, the U.S. ethanol “blend rate” surged to a record 11.29% in May, as petroleum prices hit their highest monthly averages in four years—all due to the ongoing Iran war. Over the past 12 months, the rolling average ethanol blend rate in gasoline rose to a record 10.57%. Ethanol was priced at a discount to gasoline blendstock of nearly $1.50 per gallon on average in May, and the price of RINs strengthened and surpassed the price of ethanol for the first time ever. If this May blend rate were sustained for a full year, and all other things remained equal, ethanol consumption would be 15.4 billion gallons—over a billion gallons more than ethanol consumption last year. The data from May tells a simple story: more ethanol is good news for drivers seeing high gas prices, and for all Americans who believe energy security should be a high priority. And there’s good news for oil refiners too—even those who refuse to blend ethanol: a significant increase in ethanol consumption would bring down the prices of D6 RINs, the category of RINs associated with corn ethanol. As more RINs become available, they come at a lower cost. (Of course, refiners pass their RIN costs along to buyers of refined products at the rack, so maybe they don’t want lower RIN prices?) During May, the ethanol content in E10 provided a fuel cost savings of $0.14 per gallon of finished gasoline, along with $0.21 of RIN value to the blender. In gasoline containing 15% ethanol, known as E15, the fuel cost savings was $0.21 per gallon, and the RIN value was $0.31. That means E15 blenders had a $0.52 per-gallon benefit from using ethanol; and as demonstrated by lower pump prices for E15, some of those savings were being passed along to consumers. Unfortunately, an anachronistic legal provision limits the ability of retailers to offer E15 in the summertime in conventional gasoline areas, which account for roughly two-thirds of U.S. gasoline consumption. Over the last few years, retailers have had to rely on EPA to provide a series of emergency waivers allowing continued sales. This has kept them from offering E15 more widely, a problem that can be easily solved by the passage of common-sense legislation permanently allowing year-round sales of E15. On May 13, the House of Representatives passed legislation to accomplish this, and we are now waiting for Senate action as of press time. While the media have focused on disruptions in flows of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz, the more acute tightness in world markets is for refined products. And it’s not just a problem for other countries; as of last week, U.S. gasoline stocks were 7.5% below year-ago levels. On the other hand, ethanol prices remain at a strong discount to gasoline blendstock, and RINs continue to bolster blending economics. For both American consumers and fuel suppliers, now is the time for Congress to pass legislation unleashing E15.

8 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

Demand more from your data. Visit us at FoundationAnalytical.com or give us a call (712) 225-6989.

Global Scene

Ethanol for the Win-Win: There’s No Trade-off Between Renewable Energy and Affordability Craig Winneker

ePURE Director of Communications

At first glance it looks like a dilemma: European citizens want more renewable energy but are concerned about how much it will cost. Meanwhile, policymakers are looking for ways to reduce transport emissions, preferably by promoting “Made in Europe” technologies. Fortunately, the European Union has a homegrown solution that covers all of these needs: renewable ethanol. A new EuroPulse survey of 26,000 people across 24 EU countries and the United Kingdom finds that Europeans favor an energy transition away from imported fossil oil and toward locally produced renewable energy, but they want governments to make sure it is affordable. “Affordability is the new fault line in Europe’s energy debate,” reported Project Tempo, the independent, not-for-profit firm that conducted the survey. “Cost is king.” The poll results are yet another wake-up call for EU policymakers looking to reduce Europe’s dependence on imported fossil oil, boost food security and ensure a sustainable and competitive economy. For example, according to the survey, Europeans still strongly oppose a ban on new gasoline and diesel cars by 2035. The survey also found that Europeans consider energy independence and air quality to be more important than fighting climate change. It’s clear that Europeans want flexibility in the energy transition, and that’s where domestically produced energy such as EU renewable ethanol has the most to offer. It’s a ready-made, homegrown energy source that reduces greenhouse-gas emissions from gasoline and hybrid cars by more than 80% on average. EU renewable ethanol is produced sustainably from multipurpose crops grown by European farmers; it causes no deforestation, and its production also creates food, animal feed and biogenic CO2. Several European Commissioners, including the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, have cited renewable ethanol as an important strategic asset for EU energy independence. According to recent news reports, France and Germany are trying to reconcile the need for technology flexibility in the EU approach to transport decarbonization and a desire to favor a made-in-Europe value chain in the drive for energy independence. Here again, EU ethanol is the answer. It is locally produced, renewable and part of a technology open, flexible approach to reducing car emissions—one that allows all Europeans to take part in the fight against climate change without breaking the bank. Across the rest of the world, from Brazil to the U.S. to India to Vietnam, policymakers have been quick to find new ways to promote the use of renewable ethanol as a sustainable transport energy solution at a time of global geopolitical and price uncertainty. It’s time EU policymakers did the same. In the coming months, they will tackle key pieces of legislation, including a revision of car emission standards and the post-2030 renewable energy legal framework. European politicians now have a clear picture of where the public stands—and just as clear of an answer for how to address public concerns. It’s time to make the most of sensible, sustainable, homegrown solutions such as renewable ethanol.

10 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

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BUSINESS BRIEFS PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS & PROJECTS

Reiners Elected U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council Chairman Delegates of the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) elected Jay Reiners of the Nebraska Corn Board as chairman at its 66th Annual Board of Delegates Meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Reiners lives near Juanita, Nebraska, where he farmed corn and soybeans with his wife for 35 years. He is now retired from farming but remains active in the industry as a consultant. He previously served on the council’s Western Hemisphere Advisory

Team (A-Team) and Asia A-Team for four years each and is a former chairman of the Nebraska Corn Board. “We have a responsibility to feed and fuel the world, and we ensure that our products—U.S. corn, sorghum, barley, ethanol and DDGS—are the best in the world and keep getting better,” Reiners said.

Novonesis to Acquire Remaining Share of MicroBioGen to Strengthen Yeast Capabilities Novonesis has signed an agreement with the intent to acquire MicroBioGen, an Australian biotechnology company with leading scientific expertise in yeast strains for industrial applications, particularly in ethanol. The acquisition builds on Novonesis’ 2013 investment in MicroBioGen and its current 23% stake, further strengthening a decade-long collaboration in advanced yeast solutions for ethanol production.

As a pure-play biology company, Novonesis has deep scientific expertise in microbiology and industrial fermentation, investing approximately 10% of its annual sales revenues into innovation. The acquisition of MicroBioGen builds on this foundation, strengthening the company’s core expertise in biological solutions. As part of the agreement, Novonesis will continue to support MicroBioGen’s existing partners and ensure continuity in its collaborations.

Gevo Cancels Plans for South Dakota SAF Plant, Focuses on North Dakota Projects Gevo Inc. has announced it has cancelled plans to develop a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project in South Dakota. Rather, the company remains focused on its North Dakota operations, including plans to expand ethanol production capacity and develop a 30 MMgy SAF plant. Gevo first announced plans to develop an alcohol-to-jet project near Lake Preston, South Dakota, in 2021. The proposed 60 MMgy facility was one of several biorefineries slated to be connected to Summit Carbon Solution’s proposed carbon capture and sequestra-

12 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

tion (CCS) pipeline, which has since faced numerous legal and regulatory challenges and a proposed rerouting. “We have finalized our decision to exit our ATJ-60 project activities in South Dakota and [have] formally discontinued other noncore project activities,” Bloom said during a second quarter earnings call held Aug. 6. “Our Gevo North Dakota complex is better suited to support strategic platform growth than the Lake Preston, South Dakota, site we were previously developing,” Bloom added.

US Forest Service Awards Grant to LanzaTech The U.S. Forest Service has awarded $300,000 to LanzaTech Inc. to support design work for a proposed biorefinery project in Bellemont, Arizona, that would produce wood-based ethanol. The proposed project would create a new market for more than 500,000 tons of low-value woody biomass. LanzaTech’s proposed project is one of 177 projects awarded funding by the U.S. Forest Service to support active management

of national forests and grasslands, promote wood and energy infrastructure, and support rural economic prosperity and jobs. The grant was awarded through the U.S. Forest Service's Wood Innovations Grant Program, which focuses on healthy forest initiatives that advance new uses for wood.

ACE Elects Board of Directors During Annual Business Meeting The American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) elected and reelected members to its board of directors during the organization’s annual business meeting on August 19, ahead of ACE’s 39th annual conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Board members re-elected to three-year terms include David Kolsrud of Badger State Ethanol, Harmon Wilts of Chippewa Valley Ethanol Co., Chris Wilson of Mid-Missouri Energy, Ben Rhodes from the Nebraska Ethanol Board and Dave Ellens from

the South Dakota Corn Growers Association. Additionally, Andrew Larson of ICM Inc. was elected to serve on the board, succeeding Adam Anderson. ACE also welcomed two new members to its board: Kim Herzog, CCO of Encore Energy and Bill Pracht, president and CEO of East Kansas Agri-Energy.

China Implements First SAF Compliance Service for Foreign Registered Business Jets China has implemented its first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) compliance service for foreign-registered business jets. The program is operating at Beijing Capital International Airport in China. Sino Jet, in partnership with China National Aviation Fuel Co. Ltd., successfully implemented the new SAF service platform, making Sino Jet the first business aviation service provider in China to adopt the model. The company said the offering is a historic breakthrough in providing green services for foreign-registered business

jets operating in the country. The partnership fills a gap in the industry for the compliant use of SAF by international business jets in the country and sets a new benchmark for the low-carbon transformation of high-end business aviation. Sino Jet is a leading business aviation operations and services provider in the Asia-Pacific region, with operational bases in more than 20 cities worldwide.

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 13

Spotlight

Making DCO Tracing Simple

CEM Corporation brings easy, fast and accurate DCO tracing to plant labs. By Katie Schroeder Tracking the distillers corn oil (DCO) present throughout the ethanol production process is difficult, involving complex and time-consuming lab work that is often extended when production samples are sent off for third-party lab analysis. Now, CEM Corporation has eliminated the wait with ORACLE, a time domainnuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR) instrument. This novel fat analysis technology makes it possible to get accurate oil-content results in as little as 30 seconds. ORACLE provides results much faster than Soxhlet or acid hydrolysis methods, while granting comparable accuracy in results. For nearly 50 years, CEM has worked to both advance science and “make science simple,” building easy-to-use instrumentation with accurate results, explains Keller Barnhardt, marketing manager at CEM Corporation.

Initially, CEM used an extraction process for fat analysis but found the process inefficient. The company pivoted and began exploring the use of NMR technology to measure fat, a sample agnostic instrument able to examine protons and how they move within a molecule. As the third generation of CEM’s NMR systems, ORACLE views individual fat (or oil) molecules and the bond between them. Through conversations with ethanol producers, CEM discovered its NMR technology would help solve the problem of tracing oil throughout the process. Producer feedback has been positive. ORACLE’s results meet all normal standards, so producers do not need to run additional testing. “You don’t have a lot of the error that’s inherent [with some methods],” she says, “and you don’t have the solvent usage required for those long methods as well.”

Onsite plant staff extract samples throughout the process, testing samples of the wet cake, the DDGS, the DCO and ethanol mid-production. Having quick results allows producers to adjust centrifuge time, lengthen distillation duration or make any other adjustments necessary to maximize oil yields. With a nimble size and deep bench of expertise, CEM’s staff offer informed customer support. “We cover everything from food testing to trace metal analysis for environmental type samples to pharmaceutical companies, to peptide synthesis,” Barnhardt says. “We’ve got a breadth of knowledge and are continuously striving to help our customers.”

ORACLE

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FERMENTATION DESERVES BETTER YEAST. Rate, robustness, yield, and consistency shouldn’t be a tradeoff.

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Ethanol plant labs have long relied on their fermentation partners for supplemental testing and analytical support. Today,

they are leaning deeper into these relationships, fully leveraging the lab capabilities of their favored yeast and enzyme suppliers to accelerate plant performance, optimize yields and maximize profitability. The biggest names in fuel ethanol fermentation—CTE Global, Novonesis, Phibro Ethanol, IFF, Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits, and LEAF by Lesaffre—have become more than just a second set of eyes

16 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

on HPLC readings, yeast efficiency testing or other standard lab assistance. They are vital partners with substantial plant access, bootson-the-ground knowledge of the facilities they serve, and lab capabilities that surpass them. Collecting and interpreting more process data—with greater speed and broader perspective—they’re helping producers achieve new operational heights, says Pedro Peña, vice president of technology and innovation at CTE Global. “The plants already generate a lot of great information,” Peña says. “We add an additional layer that leads to more optimizations across several areas.”

IFF frames its lab supports similarly. Pauline Teunissen, the company’s global application leader for grain processing, health and biosciences, says ethanol plant labs have impressive capabilities, but her team of scientists and biofuel experts can provide them with an added tier of analytical services, fermentation science and operational expertise. Likewise, Amy Meyers, director of technical services, North America, at Novonesis, views the company’s lab and technical support services as an extension of its customers’ own labs and R&D efforts. “For ethanol producers,” Meyers says, “that means access to advanced analytical methods, biological

Lab

COLLABORATIVE CONTACTS Yeast and enzyme providers lend critical auxiliary lab, data and scientific services to ethanol producers. By Luke Geiver

STARCH SOLUTIONS: To test for residual starch levels, scientists make reagents for residual starch testing assays. PHOTO:CTE GLOBAL

expertise and data-driven insights that help optimize every stage of the process. Andrew Hawkins, Phibro Ethanol’s director of laboratory services, says it’s also important to recognize that not all ethanol plant labs prioritize advanced testing on site. “Most plant labs are focused on quality control, first,” he says. “They have to make sure the right products are going to the right places, and that they all meet their quality standards.” He adds that Phibro prides itself in functioning as an “extension arm” to producers, performing intricate or specific testing that its clients may not be able to perform in house.

Most fermentation product suppliers view their core lab services as being focused on fermentation and yeast efficiency, but the range of services they can perform is broad: feedstock testing (new corn, stored corn or contaminated product); plant optimization (clean-in-place practices, centrifuge efficiency and new product testing); education (on new equipment, new testing procedures or training); and cutting-edge expertise that helps producers with yield or overall profitability through areas like corn-oil tracing and in-depth starch conversion mapping. As Peña says, “we aim to cover as much as practically possible.”

Fermentation Focus

Reliable fermentation performance remains one of the most important drivers of plant profitability, says Novonesis’ Meyers, explaining that yeast and enzyme suppliers often play a critical role in their clients’ fermentation strategies, process optimization and decisions on new product trials and implementation. The technical teams at Novonesis work with customers to understand how process conditions, stress factors, feedstock variability, contamination pressure and operational changes impact fermentation outcomes. ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 17

LAB “When fermentation challenges arise, we evaluate the broader picture,” Meyers says, “not just a single data point.” To do that, a Novonesis technical team uses lab results in combination with plant data, field observations and years of biological expertise to identify drivers and solutions. Using plant data or insight from the plant’s on-site lab team, Novonesis can provide several in-house tests including advanced starch mapping, fusel analyses and free and bound fat mapping. Starch mapping helps to determine the amount of available starch for liquefaction. Fusel analysis helps track high-chain alcohols that may impact yeast performance and overall yields. Free and bound fat mapping relates to tracking lipids and their eventual impact on distillers corn oil (DCO) extraction. Collectively, this work gives on-site lab teams deeper visibility into how efficiently feedstock is being converted, where bottlenecks might exist and where opportunities can be unlocked for greater throughput, Meyers adds. IFF is able to mimic the fermentation process used by its ethanol clients for advanced troubleshooting, Teunissen says. For example, if a producer has too much glucose in the process, the IFF team can find out why and by how much. They often tackle questions about fermentation times, look at temperature excursions and run tests for fusels and inhibitors. They may also test for nitrogen levels in the ferms, along with amino acid volumes or the presence of an infection that might slow a ferm significantly. “It gets very specific,” Teunissen says. With fermentation optimization front and center, Peña and his team at CTE spend countless hours helping ethanol plant lab personnel track nitrogen profiles and interpret fermentation assays. Like other service providers, they start by testing the main components of fermentation. “Having those measurements helps us understand the yeast profile and allows us the chance to add or subtract,” Peña says. “If we find a surplus, we can cut back and save thousands of dollars per fermentation.” Foremost, Peña and his team always look for ideal starch conversion. A fermen18 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

YEAST CHECKUP: A lab technician holds a flask of yeast peptone dextrose, a growth media for yeast cells. PHOTO: CTE GLOBAL

'When fermentation challenges arise, we evaluate the broader picture, not just a single data point.' - Amy Meyers, Novonesis

tation run needs to exit the liquefaction stage with a high level of starch solubility. Testing the mash is also important because it shows the nutrition levels available to the yeast. The team also looks at the health of the yeast population used to convert sugars, as well as total starch levels (which indicate how much starch is enzymatically available in the batch, or if there is resistant starch volume that will be hard for enzymes to access). Peña says running those tests gives producers options. “If we see something that is limiting, we go back and optimize the fermentation recipe and make sure the right blend is working to complete all of the available sugars,” he says. Lallemand Biofuels & Distilled Spirits supports its yeast and enzyme customers through an entire team of long-tenured, ex-

perienced technical sales and service experts. They act as consultants to identify certain needs, deliver precise production solutions, offer comprehensive training, troubleshooting and extensive lab services. Phibro uses a state-of-the-art facility in St. Paul, Minnesota, to serve its ethanol clients. In addition to technical and diagnostic support, the team also works on new product development. Since 2008, the Ethanol Performance Diagnostic Center has performed an impressive number of tests, including more than 35,000 diagnostic samples, over 3,300 microbial IDs, roughly 3,000 DDG samples, more than 3,000 antibiotic sensitivity samples and approximately 800 yeast health support samples. Critical to fermentation, these experienced vendors also must consider the

COST-SAVING INSIGHT: Yeast suppliers often run free amino nitrogen (FAN) tests for ethanol producers, like Phibro is doing here. This gives producers precise knowledge about the nitrogen levels in their yeast, sometimes leading to lower use. PHOTO: PHIBRO ETHANOL

stressors and nutrients that may impact yeast. Phibro’s Hawkins explains that the interconnected nature of a modern ethanol plant means fermentation isn’t always going to be entirely clean. He says that running backsets or recycling water can be a blessing and a curse. Organic acids and bacteria issues can sometimes be present at multiple points in or around the fermentation process, and Phibro strives to help producers find and quantify those problems. According to Hawkins, the membrane on a yeast cell can be stressed by organic acids. Depending on the pH level, the performance and integrity of the yeasts used in fermentation can be degraded. Membranes, he says, are like the skin on the yeast. They turn chemical energy into physical energy,

which is why yeast membrane health is so important. Acids, fusels (byproducts of yeast) and bacteria can all stress the yeast membrane. Temperature can also impact yeast membrane health. And, in the summer, when chillers or coolers are maxed out due to outside ambient temperatures, yeast health can be stressed substantially. Phibro helps plant lab teams know where they stand on yeast membrane health by performing advanced tests on any part of the production process including liquefaction, mash or slurry mash. In addition to yeast stress insight, Phibro also helps lab personnel understand and analyze ions, which the company has catalogued for years. Key ions present in the yeast cell membranes help maintain membrane integrity. Other ions are important for enzymes and how effective the enzymes can be while interacting with the individual yeast cells, Hawkins says. The team also offers free amino nitrogen (FAN) testing. Plants need to know—at a granular level—how much nitrogen is present for the yeast. Because yeast need nitrogen to consume sugars effectively, labs often want to know if they need to add or remove nitrogen in the process, Hawkins says. The Phibro team even offers yeast support kits to help plant labs provide specific data for yeastrelated topics and speed up the process of information gathering. To support ethanol plants, LEAF by Lesaffre relies on its Green Lab, a fermentation application center that acts as a technical hub for clients and a pilot plant for testing and trialing new products. When working with producers, Green Lab deploys a team that typically includes a technical director, an application scientist, a research associate and other support staff. Apart from pretreatment and processing, LEAF specializes in analytical instrumentation techniques, specific or custom analysis and, like most fermentation product suppliers, optimization. The team also helps customers test or trial new products or determine optimal nutrient levels for yeast and other actively running products.

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LAB In-House Capabilities

Outside of delivering effective fermentation products to their ethanol clients, offering responsive analytical services is a central pursuit for leading yeast and enzyme suppliers. Their approaches differ, but all stress the the interconnected nature of the ethanol production process. Peña’s team, a group of experienced personnel based at CTE Global Technology Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, is constantly running tests and helping ethanol clients that contact the team for ideas, opinions or support. “We work together to come up with full-picture solutions,” he says. CTE’s in-house scientists use field intel from personnel who maintain frequent contact with plant managers, lab personnel and other plant staff. Insight from those conversations flows both ways, says Kim Trinchet, the company’s marketing director. Producers turn to CTE for product support and testing, she says, but the company also learns a great deal from client experiences. “We continuously ask our customers what else we can do and what else they might need,” Trinchet says. “Doing that helps us adapt. Things are changing fast. Our goal is to continue to evolve with producers and build up the capabilities we need to serve them.” LBDS stays connected to the industry while supplying education and training at a uniquely specialized level. LBDS is well known for its Ethanol Technology Institute and Alcohol Schools, educational offerings that deliver high-level industry insight for the biofuels and distilled alcohol industries. Teunissen’s IFF team is backed by a broad network of technical and scientific experts. While the company’s main U.S. ethanol lab is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the team leverages IFF’s vast global network of laboratories and innovation centers spanning India, China, Europe and Latin America. IFF’s tech service staff acts as the in-person eyes and ears for the company’s lab. The tech service personnel visit production managers and plant managers on a regular basis, Teunissen says, stressing the company’s focus 20 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

PROFITABLE FOCUS: Lab teams at IFF and other fermentation product suppliers have been heavily focused on meeting a major demand across the ethanol industry: helping producers find, save and produce more distillers corn oil. PHOTO: IFF

on client responsiveness. “We have a quick turnaround when clients have technical questions,” she says. Novonesis’ in-house team is part of a larger network of scientists, biofuel experts and R&D professionals that have decades of experience between them. “Our experts work directly with producers every day,” Meyers says, “bringing decades of production knowledge and diverse operational expertise.” Producers working with Novonesis also gain access to analytical tools, digital platforms, AI-enabled data visualizations and innovative process advancements that help them make faster, smarter decisions. In the case of ethanol teams looking to add new products, Novonesis uses its R&D team to help guide new innovations to market, Meyers says. “By the time a new product is ready for use in the industry, our technical teams have spent months, and in some cases years, preparing to take the new technology to industrial scale.”

Most fermentation product suppliers don’t gatekeep lab expertise, but rather share it. IFF often helps plant lab personnel finetune or calibrate HPLCs. Teunissen says she has certain members of her lab team that frequently receive calls from plant labs specifically asking about HPLCs. IFF also organizes ethanol 101-style workshops at its lab in Cedar Rapids to help new people entering the industry. Content in the workshops often includes training and insights on the plant lab environment and the services lab personnel can lean on IFF for. “We also show them what they can do in their lab if they need to troubleshoot on their own,” she says. In addition to lab-focused training, IFF offers advanced workshops focused on industry fermentation trends. When the need arises, IFF scientists will jump on a video call or communicate via email with plant personnel. The Novonesis team shares knowledge regularly through plant visits, customer workshops and technical consultations.

'Things are changing fast. Our goal is to continue to evolve with producers and build up the capabilities we need to serve them.' - Kim Trinchet, CTE Global

“Our goal is not simply to introduce new products but to help customers understand how new technologies, data insights and biological advances can create measurable value in their operations,” Meyers says. CTE also holds training workshops, fields calls, hosts video meetings and tests thousands of samples per year to help optimize its ethanol client’s own plant lab operations. According to Peña, his team’s success is built around a combination of expertise,

high-level attention to detail and a commitment to strong producer relationships. “Everyone on our team is immersed in the process,” he says. “We are all highly dedicated to it.”

Optimizing Plant Operations

Novonesis and other yeast and enzyme providers recognize a common challenge faced by all ethanol producers: doing more

with existing assets. To stay competitive, plants are seeking more throughput, greater consistency and higher profitability while managing increasingly complex operating conditions, Meyers says. “Many facilities are pushing process limits through higher solids, increased production rates and changing feedstock characteristics,” she adds, “all of which create additional stress on fermentation systems.” Complex production processes put more emphasis on finding gains anywhere possible. Lab data often provides the first indication that an opportunity exists, she says. In the past year, Novonesis has worked inside and outside the lab to help plants optimize production. They help producers map out plantwide improvement with advanced analytics, proprietary testing methods, digital insights and field expertise. “We help producers better understand the interactions occurring across their facility, giving them a more complete view of

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 21

LAB plant performance and a stronger ability to drive operational improvements,” Meyers says. Novonesis also offers its Frontsight technology to help producers understand front-end limitations that can impact downstream process efficiency. The technology helps them run better ferms and potentially increase output. Chase McGee, senior digital and equipment solutions manager at Novonesis, has helped deploy a digital platform that securely connects plant and lab data to Novonesis experts. The system enables a more collaborative and proactive support process for plants looking to make gains in fermentation or other places. “Rather than waiting for problems to occur, we can help identify developing trends and opportunities before they impact production,” McGee says. CTE’s efforts to help optimize overall plant production and efficiency also extends well past normal in-house fermentation-related assistance. Peña says his team is helping many producers understand corn quality. CTE will analyze a new corn store or other feedstock that has been stored up to a year. They test for fermentation potential. Using corn samples supplied by producers, the CTE team will grind the feedstock in-house and determine its yield potential. “We want to be able to understand what the potential is for both ethanol yield and corn oil,” he says. On the mash side, they also examine for starch solubility to make sure a producer is liquifying the corn optimally and putting as much starch into solution as possible. Using in-house lab capabilities, Peña’s team can help derisk a plant working in an experimental situation by helping them understand the impact of a new mash under new conditions. Examining fermentation batches for contamination doesn’t stop at the tanks, for CTE. The company’s Operational Support and Services team will perform a hygiene audit using data from the lab. From the process they can identify areas where clean-inplace (CIP) procedures are working or not. 22 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

DILUTION TIME: To understand enzyme effectiveness, lab specialists perform enzyme dilution tests. PHOTO: CTE GLOBAL

They look at how ferm tanks are filled, find areas where “dead legs” should be addressed or any other areas where potential bacteria might take hold and restrict yield outcomes. “We see great results when we identify better CIP practices and operations,” Peña says. With ferm starts, they also like to monitor the process through nitrogen profiling. If they see a producer is wasting urea, they will test a 10% reduction, then a 20% or even 30% reduction until it is right. “We are always trying to find the sweet spot,” Peña says. To help plants dial-in nitrogen usage, Phibro can analyze the nitrogen in a process that allows the plants to know exactly how much is present, should be added or could be reduced. The FAN testing helps them reach better operational and financial efficiencies.

In-House Actions for Current Ethanol Trends

With distillers corn oil values remaining high, Peña and his team are busy helping clients improve DCO yields, he says. The

company offers corn oil tracing, which involves analyzing corn flour and downstream samples. From there, they look to see where it is going out of the process and where it might get lost. “We find any process streams where we may be losing it,” he says. Doing so ensures their producer clients can limit bottlenecks as the oil makes its way to the oil centrifuges. Trinchet says the CTE lab team is now processing an impressive volume of samples from plants seeking corn oil tracing. Teunissen also notes the sustained focus on DCO maximization across the industry. “There is so much emphasis on that now,” she says. IFF has also developed a proprietary method of corn oil mapping, which shows the customer where they are losing their oil. The oil mapping has played a part in IFF’s uptick in helping plants with overall plant optimization, she says, and the mapping segues nicely with the company’s enzyme solutions that enhance DCO yield.

'We always look at the big picture, how everything is connected.' - Pedro Peña, CTE Global

Apart from corn oil maximization, Teunissen says numerous producers have asked about throughput tests as well as cellulosic ethanol blends and D3 RIN generation. Through its Global Technology Center, CTE is also focused on helping producers generate D3 RINs, leveraging the lab to help producers optimize corn kernel fiber ethanol production. “We have a very good knowledge base in that area, and we’re helping our customers increase their D3 RIN volumes,” Peña says.

Leveraging the Modern In-House Lab

As the ethanol industry changes, so do the yeast and enzyme company labs. Today, the processes and insights available at these facilities are more advanced than ever. Beyond core operational support, they also offer a glimpse into the future of ethanol production. “We are very capable scientists here at IFF,” Teunissen says. “We are eager to develop new products for the industry and an-

swer any questions about the power of our enzymes and yeasts.” They’re also solving problems. “We want to bring new solutions with higher yields for ethanol or corn oil or more cellulosic,” she adds. Novonesis is also adamant about being a long-term partner committed to helping ethanol producers succeed. “We bring together decades of industry experience, advanced biological innovation, analytical expertise, digital technologies and hands-on technical support with the goal of helping ethanol producers solve today’s challenges while positioning their operations to remain competitive in the future,” Meyers says. Peña’s take sums up what many fermentation product suppliers are emphasizing with their clients. “We always look at the big picture, how everything is connected,” he says. Author: Luke Geiver writer@bbiinternational.com

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Sending It

On Spec Whether U.S. ethanol is distributed domestically, north of the border or overseas, third-party testing can be critical to assuring the product is on the mark at every stage. By Katie Schroeder

The exacting work of validating the quality and varied specifications of fuel ethanol produced in the U.S. and shipped throughout North America—and the world—often requires outside help. While the bulk of lab testing for the U.S. ethanol industry is executed in-house, thirdparty labs play an important role, helping producers test equipment and enhance their data credibility, and providing critical test results for marketers later in the supply chain. Biofuel marketers that buy, sell and ship U.S. ethanol to domestic and international customers frequently rely on third-party testing, which is integrated into the global supply chain process, from ethanol plant loadout to the terminal and beyond. Tennessee-based Eco-Energy, for example, will market over 2.3 billion gallons of U.S. ethanol in fiscal year 2026, according to Hagan Rose, the company’s vice president of global trade. Each of those gallons must meet contracted specifications, which vary by destination. On the most basic level, testing helps ensure ethanol, as a blendstock for gasoline, will not negatively impact vehicle operation. “We can’t put consumers at risk,” Rose says. “The testing that occurs from origin through the entire supply chain assures the quality of our product is safe for the fuel supply, both domestically and globally.”

Understanding the Standards

In order to generate D6 RINs producers must make denatured ethanol that meets ASTM standard 4806. A certificate of analysis (COA) verifies that the product meets that and other associated standards, says Lisa Avila, alternative fuel supervisor with Midwest Laboratories. A COA is made for each batch of ethanol produced and load

24 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

of ethanol shipped, passed through the supply chain to the product buyer. The COA may contain extra information beyond ASTM standards, depending on the fuel’s destination. For example, E85 has a different testing package than denatured fuel ethanol, Avila explains. Located in Omaha, Nebraska, Midwest Laboratories offers thirdparty testing services to both ethanol producers and marketers. “Independent verification protects the producer because third-party analysis provides an unbiased COA and an additional level of confidence that the product meets applicable quality specifications before entering the fuel supply chain,” Avila says. Midwest Laboratories not only tests finished fuel ethanol—for ASTM spec, state low carbon fuel standard (LCFS) requirements and more—but coproducts such as distillers corn oil and DDGS. Producers are not required to get third-party testing to sell their ethanol, explains Tessa Schmitz, chief science officer with Soliton, an ISO-certified lab located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. However, she says third-party testing serves to validate in-house test results and offers producers an added level of assurance surrounding data accuracy. Soliton runs these tests because many in-house labs do not have the specialized equipment to test certain data points in the ASTM stan-

ALCOHOL ANALYSIS: Lisa Avila loads the gas chromatography instrument used to analyze the percentage of ethanol present in a sample. PHOTO: MIDWEST LABORATORIES

dard. “What we’re looking to do is ensure compliance of the finished product to specification,” Schmitz says. Soliton also offers a mixture of commodity testing and specialized test methods; including test packages for ASTM standards on finished fuel ethanol, fiber conversion, LCFS requirements, U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard testing and more. ASTM’s Committee D02, made up of fuel refiners, ethanol industry representatives, automobile manufacturers and others, provides guidance on designing specifications that meet the need of each part of the supply chain. “That’s what makes ASTM for these

methods interesting is you sit in a room with competing interests,” Schmitz says. “So, we have to be really collaborative to make sure everyone’s interests are equally met by the specifications.” The specifications laid out in D4806 include standards for ethanol content, methanol content, solvent washed gum, water content, chloride, sulfate, sulfur, acidity and pH. Different parts of the supply chain pay more attention to certain specifications than others. For example, ethanol producers are most concerned with data points such as ethanol content and acidity, while auto manufacturers care about the amount of copper and solvent washed gum present. ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 25

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ADAPTIVE AND CONSISTENT: Soliton lab staff prepare samples for a wide range of testing, as the lab works to collect the diverse data ethanol plants require. PHOTO: SOLITON

ASTM D4806 sets the standard for ethanol acidity at 70 mg/kg for fuel ethanol in order to prevent engine corrosion. With a pH below 7, ethanol is naturally acidic due to the amount of CO2 occurring in the product from fermentation, but it is important to make sure excess CO2 does not inflate acidity rates, Schmitz explains. Usually, the CO2 dissipates during shipping as the jostling pushes it out. Testing acidity with a nitrogen purge gives producers data on the final acidity value of the product upon delivery to destination. Ethanol’s ASTM specification has been around for a long time, and updates are made by the D02 Committee to better suit stakeholders, removing outdated specifications. For example, copper is being considered for removal from the requirements because ethanol plants no longer use copper piping, Schmitz explains. “The issues of copper and what copper would do to a vehicle still exist,” she says. “It’s just that we, as an industry, have removed the risk from the product.” Producers selling into California’s LCFS program will need additional tests, which examine sulfur content in the fin-

ished fuel. Ethanol is not a sulfur-heavy biofuel, but a small percentage of denaturant does have sulfur, so Schmitz and her team test to ensure the denatured ethanol falls under the Tier 3 sulfur specification.

Laboratory Operation

Typically, ethanol plants commission third-party testing of the finished fuel each month, but if a facility encounters issues, the testing will be more frequent, Avila explains. When a producer first contacts Midwest Labs for testing, an account manager is assigned to work with the plant and determine which test package fits the producer’s needs, explains Kayla Simms, the company’s director of brand and business development. Midwest Laboratories’ staff creates an account for the producer on the company’s MyLab portal, giving the client access to add different users, create sample submission paperwork, review test results and see invoices. “Having the online account management platform gives them 24/7 access to their data and their results,” Simms says. “And they are able to download their results to an Excel or a CSV file, integrating that

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THOROUGH ASSESSMENT: This photo shows the acidity titrator, sulfur analyzer (yellow) and a gas chromatograph—all used for testing ethanol’s compliance with various specifications including ASTM 4806. PHOTO: SOLITON

with their own quality programs or their own regular cadence of checking results and matching to their own internal specs.” Once the testing package is identified, the producer ships the lab the amount of ethanol needed to run a testing panel— about one liter. The bottle must be glass or aluminum, packaged with absorbent cushioning in case fuel leaks during transport. The packaging is also clearly marked as a hazardous fluid in compliance with shipping rules. Soliton also sometimes receives its samples directly from plant staff if the client is located nearby. Once the sample arrives, clients can track and manage its processing history and results. Soliton uses its laboratory information system (LIM) to fulfill this role, keeping samples oganized and accessible for producers. Most of the sample is used up or changed during the testing process, but Soliton keeps the samples for two to three months in case any questions arise when the associated bulk fuel reaches its destination. Onsite plant laboratories are required to keep samples from every batch, Schmitz explains. In her experience, Soliton has not often needed to pull retained samples for

analysis. Midwest Laboratories also keeps samples on hand for future verification.

Value In Verification

Producers may use third-party testing as a way to dial in their laboratory equipment. Extra time and a methodical approach allows Soliton to offer higher assurance of accuracy. “Because I’m not running at production speed, I don’t have the same [constraints] to get this data out that they do,” says Schmitz. “So, I’m maybe running more calibration standards, I’m doing more checks.” Building strong customer relationships enables Soliton to help its ethanol customers by comparing lab results, assisting plant staff in calibrating instruments and troubleshooting problems. The ethanol industry depends on its onsite labs, Schmitz says. And it is critical for the industry’s health that plant labs operate with the utmost accuracy. Plants are not waiting on third-party lab testing before they send out a railcar, and the industry could not operate if that was the case, Schmitz explains. “These plants are doing a lot of their own testing and ... working to make sure

MARKET they are as accurate and predictable [as possible] and everything is working the way it should,” she says. “That’s a big part of what makes this industry work.”

Export Specifications

Selling fuel ethanol abroad comes with added requirements and different product specifications, including strict limits on water content, additional test data not needed in the U.S. or an undenatured fuel. Specifications may also be tighter for some exports because ethanol is utilized as a feedstock for chemicals, such as ethyl acetate, Rose explains. The largest importer of U.S. ethanol, Canada, requires a check for the amount of corrosion inhibitor present in the fuel. These differences sometimes extend to the type of test used, she adds. When producers export to Canada, the lab doing the corrosion inhibitor check must use the Canadian modified version of ASTM’s Na-

tional Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) test. Water content specifications vary greatly depending on the country, Rose explains. The U.S. water content threshold stands around 1% per gallon by volume, or 1.26% by mass. While the U.S. measures water content by volume, global markets often measure by mass—a far more stringent requirement. Canada specifies 0.8% water by mass; Philippines, 0.5%; Brazil, 0.6%; Colombia, 0.7%; while Europe and Peru require the driest ethanol at 0.3% and 0.25% respectively. Rose says U.S. producers face an inherent tradeoff when deciding whether to make a product for export. Since other countries require lower water content, investment in dehydration equipment is needed to dry ethanol beyond the domestic mandate if plants want to keep producing at the same rate. These diverse specifications—while

SULFATE EXAMINATION: Sulfate analysis is one of several required tests under ASTM specifications. Midwest Laboratories uses the autosampler for the Metrohm Ion Chromatograph to determine the sulfate amount as part of its ethanol analysis. PHOTO: MIDWEST LABORATORIES

28 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

challenging—are largely reasonable and justified, Rose explains. The differences may display a destination country’s effort to protect home markets, account for unique infrastructure design or reflect cultural concerns. However, standardizing water content specifications around the globe to approximate the U.S.’ standard would make the export process for the world’s largest ethanol producer much simpler, Rose explains. “We wish everyone would align,” he adds. “And the U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council is working hard on a global scale to help harmonize the spec closer to the U.S. grade. [Looking at] all the research that’s been done on fuel ethanol, we’ve never found an issue with the water content of U.S. ethanol at 1.26%.”

Testing at Every Step

The more stringent the requirements, the more tests are run, explains Deborah Prince, international operations manager

with Eco-Energy. Export lanes require additional layers of testing throughout the supply chain to assure ethanol quality is maintained and the seller is protected from any contention over unmet specifications or quality problems when the fuel reaches its destination. Testing every time the product moves to a new tank or through a different pump helps verify the product arrives unaffected by its journey. Customers will often ask for certificates of analysis from the shore tank, manifold, pump stacks and the first foot of fuel deposited in a vessel’s tank, explains Prince. Checking the fuel every time it moves provides traceability, Rose explains. If a quality issue arises, the buyer, marketer and producer can track it to the source and mitigate the problem. Strict water limits make it critical for marketers to have certainty about the product they are shipping. “We buy [ethanol] from plants that we represent, and then we

move it to the coast and sell it to the end user,” says Rose. “If the buyer requires 0.3% water, and you receive 0.5%, the only correction is to find even drier material. You have to go out and find the driest material in the world to correct it. So again, it’s critical to know what you’re getting before it ships.” Making sure ethanol hits every specification and is tested at every level of the process is a vital part of building ethanol markets around the world. Third-party labs help build credibility and provide buyers with assurance, strengthening ethanol’s reputation as a fuel. “You want your product to ... have a good reputation,” Prince says. “You want to [be known for] selling a product that’s proven and in spec.” Author: Katie Schroeder katie.schroeder@bbiinternational.com

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 29

ENERGY

PARTNERING FOR

OFF-PEAK POWER

POET’s partnership with a thermal battery technology provider at its Big Stone City, South Dakota, ethanol plant displaces natural gas using surplus capacity and efficient energy storage. By Lisa Gibson

Next to POET’s 105 MMgy Big Stone City, South Dakota, ethanol plant sits a 5 gigawatt-hour thermal battery field providing enough steam to offset 100% of POET’s natural gas use for ethanol production.

The project, commissioned in May and set to be completed this fall, belongs to California-based Antora, a thermal energy storage company that manufactures proprietary batteries. The partnership between Antora and POET provides the latter with steam at a competitive price to that of natural gas, says Jordan Kearns, executive vice president for development at Antora. Erin Branick, POET’s media manager, says the steam is cleaner and more affordable, and aligns with the company’s efforts to improve efficiency across its 35 ethanol plants in nine states. “We are committed to consistently improving efficiency and cost effectiveness when it comes to producing bioethanol,” she says. “We’re always looking for new opportunities, so we’re excited to partner with Antora on this.”

Perfect Fit

The POET installation is Antora’s first commercial project, sitting on 10 acres adjacent to the Big Stone City plant. “This project with POET is the first of many projects we’ll do with our technology,” Kearns says, adding that densification efforts are underway to reduce the size of the battery footprint for future projects.

The Big Stone City project, once fully operating, will rank among the world’s largest energy storage projects by capacity, according to the partners. The project has strong state and local partners, including the South Dakota Board of Economic Development, and has supported more than 300 manufacturing and construction jobs in rural South Dakota and at Antora’s gigafactory in San Jose, California. The thermal battery technology uses off-peak electricity from the local grid to heat blocks of carbon graphite housed in an insulated container. “We take energy from the grid in times when there is a surplus of grid capacity and energy, and we use that off-peak electricity to electrically heat this graphite to very high temperatures,” Kearns explains. When the grid goes back to a more constrained state, the heater element is turned off, but the blocks of hot carbon graphite act as a reservoir of energy. Heat can be extracted from that block and converted into steam for industrial process use or for electricity regeneration. “What we’re doing is taking a selective, intermittent stream of electricity at off-peak, low-impact, low-cost times and converting it into a continuous stream of steam,” Kearns says. The project is designed to displace 100% of POET’s Big Stone City natural gas use, although Branick says the plant still uses some natural gas for its distillers grains dryers. The Antora technology was a great fit for the Big Stone site for a few reasons, Branick says, including the availability of the adjacent land and some excess wind energy in the area. “Every plant is in

THERMAL NEIGHBOR: POET’s Big Stone City, South Dakota, ethanol plant is purchasing steam from an on-site thermal battery field developed by Antora, displacing most of the ethanol plant's natural gas usage. PHOTO: ANTORA

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 31

Process a different location with different needs and different teams, and so the really great thing about Antora’s project is it fits the Big Stone site so well.” Antora built, owns and operates the thermal energy project, selling steam to POET over the fence via a long-term purchase agreement, metered and billed based on usage, Kearns says. “It’s Antora’s project, through and through,” Branick says of the business model. Big Stone City is not the only ethanol plant situated ideally for the technology. “Most of the ethanol industry is in geographies that we consider to be excellent fits for Antora’s system and our offering,” Kearns says. Beyond the ethanol industry, chemical production, food processing and electricity regeneration for the grid offer opportunities, as well, Kearns says. “Fundamentally, what we’re building is a boiler. So, any industrial facility that has a large thermal load is a potential fit for Antora’s technology.”

Ethanol Emphasis

Ethanol plants have large steam demands and are situated in rural areas, often with available adjacent land for such projects,

MILESTONE PROJECT: Big Stone City is Antora’s first commercial project with its thermal battery technology, but the company is in discussions with other ethanol producers, as the industry is ideal for its service. PHOTO: ANTORA

Kearns says. “If you’re in a location that has the right grid dynamics, which is most of the ethanol industry, we are able to offer steam at a price that’s competitive with natural gas.”

Kearns says the western Corn Belt, in particular, has an abundance of frequently available off-peak energy. “In the same way corn is the feedstock

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ENERGY key requirement for our projects to go forward.” Kearns says Antora’s partnership with utility Otter Tail Power in South Dakota prioritizes ensuring a net benefit to the local grid through an innovative electric rate that does not increase rates for other consumers. “In our work with OTP, we understood we needed to cover our costs and bring system benefits. We are happy to do that, we are proud to do that, and we will be doing that at all future projects, as well.” The flexible nature of thermal energy means it can be last on, first off, incrementally using assets that taxpayers are already paying for. “That adds a greater volume of power sales for the utility and helps them spread the costs of infrastructure over a greater volume of energy, and that’s good for all users on the grid,” Kearns says. “That was the key requirement for Otter Tail when we pitched them on this project, and we wanted to work with them.”

Benefits Breakdown for ethanol production, electricity is the feedstock for our project, and an ability to source that is key for our projects to be a success,” he says. “Having a strong utility partner is a

While the price of the steam in comparison to natural gas might not make the business case for Antora’s technology on its own, the gains in efficiency, CI reduction and debottlenecking do, Kearns says.

Depending on the portion of a plant’s CI driven by steam, Antora’s thermal energy system can reduce CI by 15 to 30 points. Factors such as the use of steam dryers or direct-fired grain dryers will impact the score. “It’s a huge chunk,” Kearns says. “That’s one of the reasons we’ve been leaning into this market. It’s obviously a compelling thing for this industry.” Antora’s technology is modular, fabricated in California and trucked across the country to project sites, Kearns says. That modularity enables scalability, as well. “We can easily scale by adding more batteries to meet any demand a customer may have.” It also enables speed of project execution. “People are very eager to execute projects quicky,” Kearns says, adding that the Big Stone installation progressed from “empty field to first steam” in under a year. “We have a demonstrated track record, which is a testament to both our team and the modularity of the project, [of being able] to execute quickly.” Kearns says the efficiency gains and debottlenecking capabilities of the system will enable POET to expand capacity, allowing for more grain purchases, benefiting local farmers, as well. “Agriculture and biofuels are so inter-

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 33

OPTIMIZED EFFICIENCY: POET is working to increase efficiency across its entire platform of 35 plants in nine states. The company’s Big Stone City property was an ideal fit for a thermal energy installation. PHOTO: POET

twined,” Branick says. “When one of us is succeeding, we are all succeeding. It’s something that POET is very attentive to, trying to expand markets and get new grain markets open for farmers.”

34 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

The company’s plans to double capacity at its Shelbyville, Indiana, facility could mean an increase in the basis for farmers, she adds. “As we’re able to produce more gallons, if we’re able to expand, that is definitely a way to increase basis.”

Farmers in the Big Stone City area are excited about the prospect of increased grain sales, she says. “There’s been a lot of excitement. It’s always good when you get new business and expansions in a community.

ENERGY

“When you’re breaking ground on a project, naturally there are questions about what’s going on, but it’s been received very well.”

POET is continuously evaluating improvement options at all its locations, she says, taking into consideration the needs and assets of each site and focusing on efficiency, along with new market opportunities.

“The biggest thing is opening new markets,” Branick says. “This is critical for biofuels right now. When biofuel markets aren’t growing, then corn markets aren’t growing and farmers are hurting as well.” The potential of nationwide E15 (currently wrapped into the Senate draft of the Farm Bill) can offer a fix for the domestic ethanol market, but new markets such as marine fuel will be absolutely vital, for both ethanol and ag, Branick says. Projects such as Antora’s can help position the U.S. ethanol industry to take advantage of new market opportunities, she adds. “Being able to lower CI to sell into those new markets is going to be really important for the biofuels industry, and then bear fruit for farmers as well.” Author: Lisa Gibson writer@bbiinternational.com

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ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 35

A STEEP HIKE A countervailing 25% tariff on most Brazil imports is just the latest development in a souring relationship between the U.S. and Brazil, the world’s two largest ethanol producers. By Lisa Gibson

U.S. ethanol exports to Brazil dropped off a cliff after Brazil implemented an 18% tariff on the American product in 2023.

From hundreds of millions of gallons per year to almost nothing after the tariff, U.S. exports to Brazil are now a tiny fraction of what they were half a decade ago. The figures tell a story of a deteriorating trade relationship between the world’s two largest ethanol producers. Meanwhile, Brazil is growing its domestic corn ethanol industry and using CI scoring methods that U.S. ag and ethanol groups say are not accurate. In July, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative concluded its investigation into Brazil’s ethanol trade policies, finding 36 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

its 18% tariff on U.S. ethanol resulted in an 87% decline in the dollar value of U.S. ethanol exports to Brazil, from $762 million in 2018 to $96 million in 2025. That and other factors prompted the USTR to implement a 25% tariff on U.S. imports of most Brazilian goods, ethanol included. While the tariff is technically retaliatory, ethanol industry trade groups say the goal is to facilitate fair trade discussions again. “We’re not trying to start a trade war with Brazil,” says Edward Hubbard, general counsel and vice president of government affairs for the Renewable Fuels Association. “I want to make it very clear that the 25% tariff that’s been slapped against Brazil, the goal of that, is to get them back to the table. “We would like to return to a sense of

a fair relationship. At a minimum, we should have a fair and equitable relationship as it relates to ethanol trade policy.” Record export figures in consecutive recent years—2.18 billion gallons in 2025— illustrate how the U.S. has expanded its market access to overcome the loss of its once largest fuel ethanol export destination, but Hubbard points out, “We could be exporting significantly more if we still had Brazil as a market. “Yes, we are pleased that there is a 25% tariff on other items, on all items, subject to limitations, because we believe that will at least encourage Brazil to come to the table so we can talk about eliminating the tariffs between our two nations.”

TRADE

Back to the Beginning

The U.S. and Brazil previously had a good trade relationship, Hubbard says, back before the 18% tariff was implemented. Such duties, though, are quite common in global trade. “The mere fact of a tariff is not that odd for the industry,” Hubbard says, citing Canada as the only export destination on a zero-tariff level. “We have an understanding when we talk about trade and our trade strategy, and 98% of the markets we go to have their own domestic industry. So, we do understand that there may be markets that need to develop their own industry. “We never intend to cannibalize other markets. We do anticipate some levels of protectionism, of prioritization.”

Brazil had implemented a tariff rate quota back in 2017 that started at 20% on ethanol imported beyond 600 million liters (158.5 million gallons) duty-free. The quota was raised in 2019 and expired in 2020, leaving a 20% out-of-quota tariff. The tariff was temporarily suspended in 2022, but reinstated at a flat 18% in 2023. “They had been using a tariff rate quota, but even then, we were able to get volumes exported to Brazil,” Hubbard says. “It was that 18% tariff, when imposed, that it went from a market where we were getting some volume in, to zeroing out.” Brazil’s 18% tariff implemented in 2023 was specifically designed to cut U.S. ethanol out of that market, he adds. Chris Bliley, senior vice president of regulatory affairs with Growth Energy, says the sugarcane ethanol industry is a powerful lobby in Brazil and has the ear of the government. He and Hubbard agree that it’s likely the industry, particularly in the northern part of the country, played a large role in the implementation of the tariff. Had it been implemented a decade ago, when Brazil made up a full third of U.S. ethanol exports, it would have been a devastating blow, Hubbard says. But the RFA, the U.S. Grains & Bioproducts Council and other groups have spent the past several years building more markets to offset that loss of an average 300-million-gallon market, he says. Early on, the U.S. groups made a concerted effort to convince Brazil to change its policies. “Our first strategy was to try to persuade them to think differently,” Hubbard says. “When we could not encourage them to play more fairly or nicely in the sandbox, we decided to look at other markets.” So, instead of Brazil, the European Union and Canada each encompassing nearly one-third of U.S. ethanol exports, the U.S. is exporting volumes to the latter two nations, along with, India, Colombia, the UK, South Korea and many other destinations. Underlying the record export years 2023 through 2025 is a lot of hard work, Hubbard says. “We did not want to get caught flat

footed when we saw this happening, so we’ve been engaged aggressively in opening new markets.”

USTR Ruling and Action

USTR’s July 15 Section 301 Action on Brazil’s Unreasonable Acts, Policies and Practices implemented the 25% tariff on Brazilian goods, following a year-long investigation that determined: “certain Brazilian measures related to digital trade and electronic payment services; unfair, preferential tariffs; anti-corruption interference; intellectual property protection; ethanol market access; and illegal deforestation are unreasonable and burden or restrict the commerce of American farmers, workers, innovators and exporters.” Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is designed to address unfair foreign practices that impact U.S. commerce. Bliley says Growth Energy and others have been pushing for a Section 301 investigation for years, after attempts to address the issues with Brazil directly were unsuccessful. In an emailed statement to Ethanol Producer Magazine, Brazil’s sugarcane ethanol group, UNICA, said: “The Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association regrets the decision by the United States government to impose additional tariffs on Brazilian ethanol. The association reiterates that Brazil’s ethanol policy is fully aligned with World Trade Organization rules, is applied on a non-discriminatory basis, and is fully consistent with Brazil’s multilateral commitments. “There is also no bilateral agreement between Brazil and the United States requiring Brazil to grant preferential tariff treatment to U.S. ethanol. Likewise, the decline in U.S. ethanol exports to the Brazilian market is primarily the result of the expansion of Brazil’s domestic production, particularly corn ethanol, rather than any changes in Brazil’s tariff policy.” The statement also said, “UNICA also notes that the decision overlooks significant asymmetries in the trade relationship between the two countries. Brazilian sugar exports continue to face tariffs and market ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 37

access restrictions in the United States, while Brazil maintains a non-discriminatory ethanol policy fully consistent with international trade rules. “UNICA reaffirms its confidence in the Brazilian government’s handling of diplomatic and trade discussions with the United States and remains available to provide technical contributions to this process. The sector will continue to advocate for solutions based on dialogue, regulatory predictability, respect for international trade rules, and cooperation between the two countries.” Before the USTR ruling, Brazilian ethanol imports to the U.S. faced a duty of about 2.5%. Bliley says the USTR took up the case, not solely based on the impacts of Brazil’s 18% tariff, but also on the basis that Brazilian ethanol is able to compete in the U.S.’s RFS, as well as some state-level low-carbon fuel standard programs, such as those in California and Oregon. Conversely, no U.S. ethanol producers have been able to fully certify their product under Brazil’s national biofuel policy, RenovaBio. That program was implemented in 2017 and currently sets a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 12% by 2035 from a 2018 baseline. “There has not been broad access for U.S. producers into their program,” Bliley says. One U.S. producer, not named publicly, received RenovaBio certification on a mere 1% of its production, on the eve of comments and testimony on the Section 301 investigation. UNICA said in its emailed statement: “Brazil’s regulatory framework remains open to the participation of foreign producers, including those from the United States. RenovaBio, Brazil’s national transportation decarbonization policy, ensures non-discriminatory treatment and includes specific mechanisms that facilitate the participation of U.S. producers.” Matt Frostic, first vice president of the National Corn Growers Association, was among those who testified at the USTR’s hearing. He explained the impact on the American farmer, citing steep increases in input costs since 2022. That year, the high prices for their crops leveled out the costs, 38 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

but each year since has been worse, with a loss per acre of about $160 to $170, he says. “As farmers, we understand how commodities work, and we know we will have years where we break even, or slightly above or slightly below, and we will have that year where it’s a disaster,” he says. “But it will always come back with a year to make up for it, so we try to level our playing field that way.” Now, though, U.S. farmers are four consecutive years into a streak of losses. “This industry can handle a few tough problems at a time, but it’s really tough to handle many tough problems at the same time and survive it,” Frostic warns. Input costs have risen even higher as a result of the conflict in Iran, increasing nitrogen costs from $350 per ton in January on early delivery to $650 per ton by August. Consequently, farmers expect another negative year. “The concern is growing, as we start putting combines in the field, we will see what that negative margin is going to be.” The unfairness between Brazil and the U.S. compounds on American farmers, as the same inputs are much cheaper in Brazil. “Brazil pays as much as 70% less on fungicide chemicals and half as much on seed,” Frostic says. “We are competing for those foreign markets to sell our crop, so that puts the American farmer at a severe disadvantage to market our crop at the same level that they can.” Inputs, even those produced in the U.S., are largely priced on the values of end products. If a U.S. corn farmer could seemingly produce more bushels than a farmer in Brazil, that input is priced accordingly. But the past several years in U.S. farming have not produced the value upon which the input prices are based. While having access to a domestic ethanol market with less Brazilian ethanol imported is a great start, Frostic says the input costs move the needle the most. “Really, our biggest gain is leveling the playing field on how inputs are priced there versus here.” Hubbard, Bliley and Frostic agree that the USTR tariff is a means to accomplish that leveled playing field.

“We’re the two largest producers on the planet,” Hubbard says. “We’re trying to get the other leader in ethanol production to consider how this looks within the world. Our goal is to support the development of ethanol as a global commodity and, in order for it to develop as a global commodity, it has to be traded freely.” Global markets want access to both large producers to ensure reliability of supply, he adds. “Having a restrictive or protectionist trade policy with ethanol doesn’t send a good message to the rest of the world. So, Brazil and the U.S. have to approach the global market and say we are stable markets for you.”

Expanding Into Corn

Meanwhile, Brazil has boosted its corn ethanol capacity, reaching 9.19 billion liters (2.3 billion gallons) of annual output and encompassing more than 27% of total fuel ethanol production during the 2025-’26 harvest season, according to UNICA. In addition, Brazil began exporting DDGS to China in 2026. Brazilian corn ethanol producer Inpasa told Reuters in February 2026 that China could encompass up to 50% of Brazil’s DDGS export markets. China represented the largest market for U.S. DDGS between 2012 and 2016, but dropped off steeply as a result of antidumping tariffs. “We are encouraged by Brazil’s expanded domestic production,” Hubbard says of increased corn ethanol capacity. “You’re seeing grain-based ethanol development expand, and we think it’s a very positive outcome for the global ethanol industry.” Brazil has historically touted sugarcane ethanol over corn ethanol, but a developing market of the latter means the two largest producers can focus less on the feedstock wars and more on the superiority of the molecule. “The next frontier is not necessarily to continue exporting to each other,” Hubbard says. “The next frontier is things like sustainable marine fuel, sustainable aviation fuel, clean cooking and all these other markets where we compete well against other energy interests.”

TRADE To access those new global markets, CI scores will be paramount, but questions swirl around Brazil’s accounting practices. Specifically contentious is the practice of frontloading the CI hits on the first crop in Brazil’s two-crop rotation. “Essentially, many parts of the Brazilian farm industry can double crop a soybean corn rotation, thus getting two to three crops in two seasons, so they’re producing a corn crop behind a soybean crop in the same year,” Frostic says, adding that the soybean crop takes the CI hit, not the corn. “So that ethanol gets a very favorable CI score, which is effectively not true. That corn takes the same amount of fertilizer and other inputs.” Land-use change is also not accounted for on a level equal to that of U.S. ethanol, as Brazilian farmers can clear rainforest, put land in pastures for 20 years and then convert it to farmland, avoiding the penalty, Frostic says. “Down the road, that is the biggest issue we have to address because the maritime market is a big opportunity for the American farmer. If we are on the same playing field as Brazil, we can compete and outcompete.” Each unequitable CI penalty puts U.S. farmers and ethanol at a disadvantage, Bliley says. “You have to look at some of the practices in Brazil and how that is and should be calculated in lifecycle emissions,” he adds. “This isn’t just a Brazil issue. This becomes really important as we look at some of the global programs around maritime fuel and SAF. Brazil is pushing for very low CI scores for some of their ag practices ... [and] some of the sustainability claims just aren’t there.” Maritime and other new markets are big enough for everyone, Hubbard and Bliley say, but carbon accounting must be fair and consistent for all. “These are large markets,” Bliley says. “I think there’s room for all of us. You just want to make sure that the rules are fair for everyone and not overly penalizing.” “Marine fuel is a huge market,” Hubbard says. RFA estimates just 5% of the market would create up to 5 billion gallons

of ethanol demand. “Everyone can play and there’d still be room to play. We couldn’t fill that market if we tried. We don’t have to carve up the pie differently; let’s just create a bigger pie.” The hope behind the USTR 25% tariff is to open fair trade again, thereby unifying the two largest global producers and, eventually, giving equal access to that pie. “It’s a strong response from our government,” Bliley says of the USTR tariff. “It

shows that the government, our industry and and the broader market are taking this seriously, and that we are trying to restore access for U.S. ethanol.” Author: Lisa Gibson writer@bbiinternational.com

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Policy

PREPARING FOR FEEDSTOCK TRACEABILITY: WHAT BIOFUEL PRODUCERS NEED TO DO NOW A Quiet Shift Causes Major Implications By Roxby Hartley and Chelsa Oren

While much of the industry’s attention remains focused on evolving tax credits and carbon intensity (CI) reduction strategies, another change is quietly taking shape. This change has the potential to fundamentally alter how feedstocks are sourced, documented and verified. Emerging discussions around feedstock traceability, particularly within California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) framework, suggest that producers may soon be required to demonstrate a much higher level of transparency in their supply chains. Although final requirements are still being defined, the direction is clear. The ability to trace feedstocks back to their origin is becoming increasingly important. For biofuel producers, this is not just a compliance issue. It is a supply chain and business risk that warrants attention now.

From Commodity to Traceable Input

Historically, feedstocks such as corn, soy and other agricultural commodities have been treated as interchangeable inputs within a largely opaque supply chain. Producers often rely on aggregators, elevators and crushers, with limited visibility into the exact origin of the material. That model is beginning to shift. Future requirements are expected to center around three core elements:

• Field-level traceability, including geospatial data such as coordinates or shapefiles • Farmer attestations confirming origin and production practices • Auditable documentation maintained across the supply chain While the exact structure of these requirements remains uncertain, comparable systems already exist and provide a useful reference point.

What Existing Programs Can Tell Us

To understand where feedstock traceability may be heading, it is helpful to look at current programs already in place across global and U.S. markets. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) designation of Specified Source Feedstocks (SSFs) programs require traceability back to a defined origin, supported by detailed documentation and verification. The EU Renewable Energy Directive (EU RED) sustainability requirements, as enforced through certification bodies such as the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), provide a widely recognized framework that combines traceability with sustainability criteria, often using a mass balance approach. The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) emphasizes verification and auditability for foreign feedstocks, making the use of the Quality Assurance Program (QAP) an effective mechanism for both foreign pro-

ducers and obligated parties in the U.S. to ensure compliance with the RFS rules. The QAP requirements, being voluntary, do not affect domestic biofuel producers unless they use biointermediate feedstocks. A fourth reference point emerged just as this shift was taking shape. In June 2026, USDA finalized its Technical Guidelines for the Production of Regenerative Agricultural Biofuel Feedstocks, a voluntary federal framework for quantifying, reporting and verifying the carbon intensity of corn, soybeans, sorghum and spring canola. The rule includes its own chain-of-custody standards, farmer attestations and third-party verification requirements, built around a mass balance approach rather than book-and-claim accounting. It is worth noting that, as a separate program, it is not required under LCFS, and CARB is under no obligation to adopt it. USDA has described the guidelines as intended to inform the subsequent development of requirements for other programs that incentivize low-carbon biofuels, and much of the early industry reaction has centered on its relevance to the federal 45Z tax credit rather than LCFS. Still, for producers already thinking about traceability infrastructure, it is a fourth model worth watching alongside CARB’s SSF program, EU RED/ISCC and the RFS QAP. Based on early signals, future requirements may resemble a hybrid of these systems. In many discussions, the approach has been described as similar to a lighter version

CONTRIBUTION: The claims and statements made in this article belong exclusively to the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Ethanol Producer Magazine or its advertisers. All questions pertaining to this article should be directed to the author(s).

40 | ETHANOL PRODUCER MAGAZINE | OCTOBER 2026

programs that require detailed supply chain verification because of their use of used cooking oil. For ethanol producers, this represents a more significant transition. Facilities that have historically relied on broad commodity sourcing strategies may need to rethink supplier relationships, data collection processes and internal compliance systems. This shift will require coordination across the supply chain and a willingness to engage partners that may not yet be prepared for this level of scrutiny. EcoEngineers has a long experience of helping the SSF feedstock providers and users navigate the regime CARB imposed.

What Producers Should Do Now PROGRAMS REQUIRING FEEDSTOCK TRACABILITY: The above reflects industry expectations based on current discussions and analogous programs. Note that in some cases the fuel producer is required to hold the information. Final CARB requirements are still under development. SOURCE: ECOENGINEERS

of ISCC, with an initial focus on traceability and the potential for expanded sustainability requirements over time.

How Current Frameworks Compare

The technical requirements are only part of the equation. The more significant challenge lies upstream in the supply chain. Feedstock traceability depends on participation from farmers, elevators, aggregators and crushers. Many of these stakeholders are not currently structured to provide detailed origin data. In commodity markets, feedstocks are often blended, traded and resold without a clear linkage to a specific source. This creates a fundamental tension. Producers may ultimately be responsible for demonstrating traceability, but they do not fully control the upstream data needed to do so.

Why Contracts Will Need to Change

As expectations evolve, contractual relationships will need to evolve alongside them. Producers will likely need to require greater transparency from suppliers, including access, and in some cases direct access, to documentation and the ability to support third-party

audits. Contracts may also need to address liability if the required data cannot be provided. Experience from existing regulated markets shows that gaps in documentation can lead to significant consequences. Entire volumes of fuel have been deemed ineligible when traceability could not be demonstrated, resulting in lost credits and financial exposure. This underscores that traceability is not simply an administrative requirement. It is a commercial and contractual issue that can directly affect project economics. Risk exposure goes beyond compliance. Programs such as the LCFS carry real financial consequences when requirements are not met. If feedstocks cannot be verified, fuel pathways may be invalidated, and associated credits may be revoked. In some cases, volumes may be treated as conventional fuel, increasing compliance obligations and eroding value. The risk is therefore not theoretical. Insufficient traceability can directly impact margins and long-term market access.

A Different Starting Point for Ethanol

Producers of biodiesel and renewable diesel are generally more familiar with traceability requirements, having already navigated

Even with uncertainty around final requirements, there are practical steps producers can begin taking today: • Start conversations with suppliers to assess awareness and willingness to provide traceability data • Evaluate current visibility into feedstock origin and identify gaps • Review contracts to ensure they allow for data sharing and audit access • Monitor regulatory developments and emerging guidance • Learn from biodiesel and renewable diesel markets that have already navigated similar requirements Feedstock traceability is not yet fully defined, but it is clearly moving from concept to reality. As regulatory expectations continue to develop, producers that take early steps to engage their supply chains will be better positioned to adapt. In a market where compliance, carbon intensity and credibility are increasingly interconnected, the ability to demonstrate where feedstocks come from and how they are produced will become a defining factor. The time to begin preparing is now. Authors: Chelsa Oren, Director of Ethanol & Biodiesel Services, EcoEngineers Roxby Hartley, Ph.D., Director of Climate Risk, EcoEngineers

ETHANOLPRODUCER.COM | 41

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