Press Release

PHL BIOFUELS BOARD DELEGATION CONDUCTS SITE VISITS IN ILLINOIS AS PART OF US ETHANOL STUDY TOUR

Amid massive grain silos, Philippine delegation members listen to Jeff Gould (middle, in green) as he tours them in his farm in the outskirts of Dekalb, Illinois. (Photo: IL Corn Board/Collin Watters)

09 August 2024 (Chicago) – An inter-agency delegation comprised of members of the Philippine National Biofuels Board (NBB) conducted numerous site visits across the State of Illinois on 05-08 August 2024 as part of their US Ethanol Study Tour organized by the US Grains Council and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board.

The delegation was led by Department of Energy (DOE) Directors Ruby de Guzman and Rino Abad, Department of Agriculture (DA) OIC Assistant Secretary U-Nichols Manalo, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Executive Director Enrico Paringit.

Officials from DOE (which chairs the NBB), DA, DOST, Department of Finance, Department of Transportation, Department of Labor and Employment, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Sugar Regulatory Administration, and Board of Investments visited research facilities (Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Energy Resources Center at the University of Illinois Chicago), the largest dry-mill ethanol facility in the world (Marquis Energy), a corn farm (Gould Farms), a fuel retailer (Power Mart gas station), and Illinois-based food processing and commodities trading corporation ADM. They also met with Illinois Corn Growers Association and Illinois Corn Marketing Board officers and the office of Senator Tammy Duckworth.

The delegation was accompanied by Illinois Corn Board Exports & Logistics Director Collin Watters and Biofuels & Research Director Dave Loos, as well as US Grains Council Regional Director Caleb Wurth, Deputy Regional Director Chris Markey, and Regional Ethanol Consultant Kent Yeo. The tour aimed to provide insights and understanding of the U.S. bioethanol supply chain, quality control, and monitoring of bioethanol supply and demand, including best practices, in line with the recent adoption of a new Philippine fuel standard (Department Circular No. 2024-05-0014 announced by the DOE on 20 May 2024) which allows the inclusion of 20% ethanol (E20) in gasoline products beginning 01 October 2024.END

Farm owner Jeff Gould (right) discusses his tractors and farming equipment with some members of the delegation. (Photo: IL Corn Board/Collin Watters)

Delegation members listen intently to Brian Jacobson (left), Associate Director of Strategic Operations of the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as he explains the work done at the lab. (Photo: IL Corn Board/Collin Watters)

Power Mart Executive Director Sam Odeh (middle, in blue) explains the retail format in the downstream and midstream oil and petroleum biofuels and renewables sector at one of the firm’s gas stations in Elmhurst, Illinois. (Photo: IL Corn Board/Collin Watters)

Delegation members listen to lectures on bioenergy modeling, fuels and engine research, high octane fuels and ethanol performance and engine design at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Engineering Energy Resources Center. (Photo: IL Corn Board/Collin Watters)