Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    PUBLIC POLICY & LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY:ACE'S PUBLIC POLICY STRATEGY IS TO PROVIDE GRASSROOTS-DRIVEN LEADERSHIP AND ADVOCACY FOR LEGISLATION AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL THAT SUPPORTS THE PRODUCTION AND USE OF ETHANOL. SPECIFIC FOCUS IS ON POLICIES THAT CREATE DEMAND FOR ETHANOL.MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS WITHIN PROGRAM:THE HISTORIC COVID-19 PANDEMIC LED TO AN UNPRECEDENTED DROP IN FUEL ETHANOL DEMAND IN 2020 AND PROVED TO COMPLICATE ACE ACTIVITY, FORCING THE ORGANIZATION TO SUSPEND MANY IN PERSON ACTIVITIES INCLUDING THE ANNUAL GRASSROOTS FLY-IN AND PURSUE "VIRTUAL" EVENTS SUCH AS THE ANNUAL CONFERENCE. IN ADDITION TO REACTING TO AND TRYING TO PROTECT OUR MEMBERS FROM THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT FROM COVID-19, ACE UNVEILED A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN CALLED ACCELERATE BUILT UPON THREE PILLARS:1. INCREASING DEMAND AND VALUE FOR ETHANOL THROUGH NEW CLEAN FUEL POLICY INITIATIVES2. PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING EXISTING POLICY-DRIVEN MARKETS3. DEVELOPING DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETSUNDER THE FIRST PILLAR OF INCREASING DEMAND AND VALUE FOR ETHANOL THROUGH NEW CLEAN FUEL POLICIES;BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT, ACE JOINED WITH MORE THAN 30 OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PUBLISH "A CLEAN FUELS POLICY FOR THE MIDWEST WHITE PAPER" WHICH SERVES AS A BLUEPRINT FOR HOW GOVERNORS AND STATE LEGISLATORS IN MIDWESTERN STATES COULD DRAFT NEW CLEAN FUEL POLICIES TO INCREASE DEMAND FOR LOW CARBON FUELS SUCH AS ETHANOL. THIS LED TO THE INTRODUCTION OF BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION IN MINNESOTA CALLED THE "FUTURE FUELS ACT" TO CALL FOR A 20 PERCENT REDUCTION IN THE CARBON INTENSITY OF THE STATES FUEL BY 2035. AN ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY ACE AND THE GREAT PLAINS INSTITUTE INDICATED THAT INCREASING THE USE OF E15, E30 AND E85 WERE THE LOWEST-COST WAYS TO HELP FULFILL THE INTENT OF THE LEGISLATION. THE BILL WAS ADOPTED IN THE MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BUT DID NOT BECOME LAW IN 2020. THIS ACTIVITY INSPIRED OTHER STATES TO PURSUE SIMILAR EFFORTS WHICH ARE UNDERWAY.WE JOINED WITH OTHER GROUPS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL TO BEGIN PUSHING FOR TECHNOLOGY-NEUTRAL FEDERAL CLEAN FUEL POLICY THAT WOULD HELP INCREASE THE DEMAND FOR ETHANOL AND OTHER FUELS THAT REDUCE LIFECYCLE GHG EMISSIONS COMPARED TO PETROLEUM.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    –

  • Program 2 [2020]

    MARKET DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH & PROMOTION:ACE CONTINUED OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH SCIENTISTS AT ARGONNE NATIONAL LABORATORY WITH RESPECT TO THE GREET MODEL, INCLUDING HELPING CONVINCE THEM TO INCLUDE A NEW FEEDSTOCK CARBON INTENSITY CALCULATOR TO SPOTLIGHT HOW VARIOUS BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCKS PLAY A ROLE IN THE OVERALL CARBON INTENSITY OF ETHANOL.UNDER THE WORK OF PROTECTING AND SUPPORTING EXISTING POLICY-DRIVEN MARKETS;ACE JOINED WITH OTHER BIOFUEL AND AG GROUPS TO SUCCESSFULLY CHALLENGE THE USE OF SMALL REFINERY EXEMPTIONS (SRES) BY EPA TO ILLEGALLY WAIVE VOLUMES FROM THE RENEWABLE FUEL STANDARD (RFS). IN A CASE HEARD BEFORE THE TENTH CIRCUIT COURT, ACE AND OTHERS WERE SUCCESSFUL IN REVERSING THREE SPECIFIC SRES ISSUED BY THE TRUMP EPA AND SECURING THREE NEW RESTRAINTS ON EPA'S ABILITY TO APPROVE SRES;1. EPA CANNOT EXTEND EXEMPTIONS FOR REFINERIES WHOSE PREVIOUS TEMPORARY EXEMPTIONS HAVE LAPSED. THIS WILL LIMIT THE NUMBER OF SRES IN THE FUTURE.2. TO WIN AN EXEMPTION, SMALL REFINERIES MUST PROVE THAT COMPLIANCE WITH THE RFS IS THE SINGULAR REASON FOR THE CAUSE OF DISPROPORTIONATE ECONOMIC HARM.3. EPA CANNOT USE RIN PRICES AS AN EXCUSE FOR GRANTING AN EXEMPTION.ACE WAS ACTIVE IN URGING EPA TO APPLY THESE THREE RESTRAINTS TO ANY FUTURE ACTIONS RELATIVE TO SRES.WE ALSO CALLED ON CONGRESS AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOP A PLAN TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY ECONOMIC RELIEF TO BIOFUEL PRODUCERS AS IT TOOK UP VARIOUS EFFORTS TO ASSIST SECTORS OF THE U.S. ECONOMY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.WITH RESPECT TO DEVELOPING DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS;WITH PETROLEUM MARKETER TRADE SHOWS ON HOLD IN 2020 DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, ACE FOCUSED MARKET DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS ON ENHANCING OUR FUEL MARKETER RESOURCE WEBSITE FLEXFUELFORWARD.COMWE INTRODUCED A FREE ONLINE TOOL CALLED "FLEX CHECK" TO HELP RETAILERS DETERMINE THE COMPATIBILITY OF EXISTING STATION EQUIPMENT WITH E15. ACE ALSO HELPED SECURE FUNDING FOR RETAILERS THROUGH THE USDA HBIIP PROGRAM, INCLUDING FUNDS FOR 122 RETAIL SITES OWNED BY PEARSON FUELS OF CALIFORNIA.WE ALSO WORKED HARD TO EDUCATE RETAILERS ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES TO SELL E15 YEAR-ROUND.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    –

  • Program 3 [2020]

    PUBLIC RELATIONS & INFORMATION:ACE PROACTIVELY PROMOTES THE BENEFITS OF ETHANOL TO THE PUBLIC, MEDIA, AND OPINION LEADERS THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF MEDIUMS AND TOOLS. ACE PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS INCLUDE OUTREACH THROUGH TELEVISION, PRINT, AND RADIO MEDIA, EDITORIAL BOARD MEETINGS, REPORTER DESK-SIDE BRIEFINGS, PRESS RELEASES AND OP-ED PLACEMENTS. ACE MOBILIZES ITS GRASSROOTS MEMBERSHIP TO ENGAGE IN PUBLIC RELATIONS, INCLUDING LETTER TO THE EDITOR WRITING, AND BY CONTACTING POLICYMAKERS. NEARLY 2000 MEMBERS AND KEY OPINION LEADERS RECEIVE "ETHANOL TODAY" MAGAZINE. PUBLISHED SIX TIMES PER YEAR, ETHANOL TODAY COVERS RISK MANAGEMENT ISSUES, LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENTS, EMERGING ETHANOL MARKETS, AND HOT INDUSTRY TOPICS. ACE HOSTS AN ANNUAL ETHANOL CONFERENCE PROVIDING TIMELY AND RELEVANT INFORMATION ON THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FACING THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY. ACE MAINTAINS WWW.ETHANOL.ORG, AN AUTHORITATIVE ONLINE RESOURCE ABOUT ETHANOL FOR MEMBERS, MEDIA, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. ACE HAS A ROBUST SOCIAL MEDIA PUBLIC RELATIONS PLATFORM AND IS ACTIVE IN PROMOTING ETHANOL VIA TWITTER AND FACEBOOK. ACE ALSO HOSTS A "WEBINAR SERIES" FOR ITS MEMBERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS IMPACTING THE ETHANOL INDUSTRY, WITH MANY WEBINARS IN 2020 DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TIMELY INFORMATION TO OUR MEMBERS ABOUT GOVERNMENT RELIEF FROM THE ECONOMIC FALLOUT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND OPPORTUNITIES TO PRODUCE HIGH-QUALITY ALCOHOL TO MEET THE RISING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR SANITIZERS AND DISINFECTANTS.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    –