EIA: US fuel ethanol production capacity continues to rise
Published by Nicholas Woodroof,
Editor
Hydrocarbon Engineering,
Total listed, or nameplate capacity, of operable ethanol plants increased by 5% - more than 700 million gpy—between January 2017 and January 2018.
The U.S. Fuel Ethanol Plant Production Capacity report shows EIA’s most up-to-date data tracking of the US fuel ethanol industry. Part of the increase in nameplate fuel ethanol production capacity in the most recent report is the result of EIA’s outreach to survey respondents that were operating at levels higher than their listed production capacities, which had resulted in utilisation rates higher than 100%.
In previous surveys, these respondents reported the facilities’ original design capacity values and may not have accounted for expansions and modifications at the plants. This year, some respondents increased their nameplate production capacity values to be consistent with EIA’s definition. The remaining increase in production capacity was a result of plant improvements and process modifications such as equipment upgrades, plant expansions, improved maintenance routines, and installation of new equipment at some facilities.
Most of the US fuel ethanol production capacity is located in the Midwest region (as defined by Petroleum Administration for Defense District, or PADD, 2). Total nameplate capacity in the Midwest was 14.8 billion gpy at the beginning of 2018 (967 000 bpd), an increase of 5% - more than 650 million gpy - between January 2017 and January 2018. Of the top 13 fuel ethanol-producing states, 12 are located in the Midwest. The top three states - Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois - contain more than half of the nation’s total ethanol production capacity.
Actual US production of fuel ethanol reached a total of 15.8 billion gallons (1.03 million bpd) in 2017. In EIA's June Short-Term Energy Outlook, US production of fuel ethanol was forecast to reach 15.9 billion gallons (1.04 million bpd) in 2018, resulting in 98% utilisation of reported nameplate capacity as of 1 January 2018.
Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/special-reports/01082018/eia-us-fuel-ethanol-production-capacity-continues-to-rise/
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