In the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) monthly Oxygenate Report for December 2008 the production of ethanol hit an average daily record of 489 barrels. This put the monthly production at 15,161,000 barrels or 37.5 percent above the year ago level. For the year, 2008 production was 33.5 percent above that of 2007 at 154,416,000 barrels.
Another important part of this report is the ethanol stocks and where they are located. This is the third month in a row of lower ethanol stocks and was reported at 10,509,000 barrels, just above what was reported in August. As you can see from the graph below, this follows a similar pattern to last year. The largest stocks were found to be located in the Midwest, followed by the East Coast Defense District.
The Renewable Fuels Association's latest update on ethanol plants dated February 22, 2008 shows that there are 143 plants currently producing ethanol with 57 new plants under construction and 7 plants expanding production. When all plants are on-line, they will have a capacity to produce 13,405.9 million gallons per year.
At a recent press conference at the Renewable Fuels Association's annual conference, Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Andy Karsner of the US Department of Energy stated that the federal government is looking at potential blends of higher percentages of ethanol that the ethanol industry would like to implement in the future. The American Coalition for Ethanol recently published results of a study they conducted on E20 and E30 blends and how they outperformed unleaded gasoline in economy tests for certain vehicles. EPA is concerned that higher blends may have a potential increase of harmful emissions and wants to study this matter futher.
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