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Global ethanol demand grows for U.S. producers

The executive director with Nebraska Corn says ethanol exports remain a bright spot for the industry.  

Kelly Brunkhorst says several countries are considering a change to their mandates. “We’re starting to see a lot of conversations worldwide about U.S. ethanol about going into those markets. Moving from an E0 to an E10. Even some markets are moving from E10 to E20 and jumping E15.”

He tells Brownfield, “As we think about Mexico, there’s a lot of discussion of them jumping from a E5.2 or 5.8 to a E10 market. That’s a 1 billion gallon market for us. As we think about Southeast Asia, Japan and Vietnam. We continue to have conversations with the Philippines.”

 Brunkhorst says while the U.S. hasn’t moved from E10 to E15, that doesn’t mean there isn’t an appetite for higher bends of ethanol. “Take a look at what’s happening in the countryside. In Nebraska, a 45 percent increase in E15 alone. We have growers that want to sell to ethanol plants. Ethanol plants are wanting to get into the consumer market to build out E15. We have infrastructure programs and opportunities there.”

And, he says retailers are also taking steps to upgrade their infrastructure to sell higher blends.