Ethanol Production Continues at Record Levels
Agronomy | March 30, 2006
The U.S. ethanol industry continues to surpass monthly production records. The latest figures from the U.S. Energy Information Administration show 8,000 barrels per day increase over December 2005 for January 2006.
A total of 288,000 barrels were produced per day. This is a 47,000 b/d increase from one year ago.
The Renewable Fuels Association also released the following statistics:
January 2006 Statistics (mg = million gallons)
| Fuel Ethanol Production | 375.6 mg | 288,000 b/d |
| Fuel Ethanol Use | 350.1 mg | 269,000 b/d |
| Fuel Ethanol Stocks | 259.3 mg | 21.4 days of reserve |
| Fuel Ethanol Exports | 0.0mg^ | n/a |
| Fuel Ethanol Imports | .17 mg* | n/a |
*Source: U.S. International Trade Commission/Jim Jordan and Associates
^ Jim Jordan and Associates
“Increased attention lately has been given to the U.S. ethanol industry’s ability to produce and supply ethanol to new markets along the East Coast and in Texas,” says RFA President Bob Dinneen. “Our industry is adding capacity at a phenomenal rate and will be able to adequately supply ethanol to the markets that need it.”
Currently, 97 ethanol plants have a combined production capacity of nearly 4.5 billion gallons a year. There are 33 ethanol plants and nine expansions under construction with a combined annual capacity of more than 2 billion gallons.
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Follow up article:
Ethanol assumptions incorrect says the RFA
The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced that it’s profitable for U.S. refiners to import ethanol from Brazil. The administration says imported ethanol will outpace 2005 levels despite a 2.5 percent tariff and a 54 cent per gallon duty.
The EIA believes that it will be difficult for the ethanol industry to keep up with the demand because of the Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) phase out, but the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) says the EIA’s assumptions are incorrect.
On Wednesday the EIA and RFA testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, who met to discuss gasoline and ethanol pricing. Bob Dineen, RFA President, explained the mistaken theories of the EIA.
The mistaken theories included the belief that the pipeline capacity for MTBE gasoline will be cut-off and that the EIA had underestimated the U.S. ethanol industry’s production capacity. Dineen says the industry is already well on track to meet the 2006 demand for ethanol.