MOSCOW (MRC) -- Western New York Energy, New York's first and largest operational ethanol facility, has adapted operations to supply distillers, manufacturing, technology, and personal care corporations across the Northeast and Canada with ethanol to produce 80% antiseptic alcohol sanitizer amidst the COVID pandemic, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.
The plant is producing over 100,000 gallons a day of tech-grade ethanol for businesses that halted operations to meet the urgent sanitizer needs of hospitals and at-risk communities. WNY Energy generates over 60-million gallons of biofuel annually, using 20-million bushels of corn. The USD90-million facility was the first biofuel company in the northeastern US.
Tim Winters, WNYE President & CEO, said, "Along with New York's corn growers, WNY Energy has been proud to supply ethanol to the distilleries and companies that first responded to the alarming lack of sanitizer due to COVID-19. And while many upstream chemicals used in sanitizer products are manufactured in China, WNYE has also established a manufacturing and distribution network that will exponentially increase the production of antiseptic sanitizers made from our farmers' corn. All the sanitizer and sanitizer products will be made in Western New York and the United States." Winters emphasized, "We could do none of this without support from farmers, our partners for the past 13 years. Corn ethanol is the key ingredient in making 80% antiseptic sanitizer. Farmers are as essential to WNYE's operation as they are to America's food supply - their contributions sustain this nation."
Colleen Klein, NY Corn and Soybean Growers Association Executive Director, said, "WNY Energy is a respected industry partner and a critically important, reliable market for our corn growers. In usual circumstances, our crop is used in the Medina facility to make clean, renewable fuel but these are not usual circumstances. We applaud WNYE's ability to pivot and provide needed sanitation resources while maintaining the market for our growers during uncertain times."
Jim Whipple, Orleans County IDA CEO, said, "WNY Energy has become one of the most important industries in Orleans County and NY State. The economics tied to the operation not only support local farmers but WNYE is the largest taxpayer in Orleans County. It's important that products made in farm communities be given purchasing priority in times like this."
Winters and 50 employees produce ethanol 24/7 using hydroelectric power from Niagara Falls. The renewable energy reduces the GHG footprint for every gallon, earning WNYE an EP3 designation from the EPA. Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, said, "With virtually all WNYE's 5-megawatt electric load being met with hydropower from the Niagara Power Project. We, at NYPA applaud WNYE's ingenuity in adapting its business to fit the needs of New Yorkers during this horrific pandemic."
Klein added, "New York farmers are going to show up to do their part -whatever it takes. We're happy to have a friend in WNYE who shares this mentality. Whether you're farm tough, New York City tough, or anywhere in between - we're all stronger together."
We remind that as MRC informed earlier, employees at Valero Energy Corp’s Port Arthur, Texas, refinery expressed worries about the company’s slow response to keep the coronavirus from spreading there after two workers tested positive. Valero, the nation’s second-largest refiner, started to cut non-essential work and related contractors only last week after starting temperature checks last week - much later than other major US refiners, according to the people. Valero spokeswoman Lillian Riojas said the company maintains the privacy of employee health information and as such would “not publicize individual cases of COVID-19.”
We also remind that Valero Energy Corp restarted the small CDU at its Port Arthur refinery after repairing a valve on 25 September 2019. And in late October 2019, Valero Energy Corp shut the small crude distillation unit (CDU) at its Port Arthur refinery. The 75,000-bpd AVU 147 CDU was shut to repair a heat exchanger.
Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP).
According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 383,760 tonnes in the first two month of 2020, up by 14% year on year. High density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) shipments increased due to the increased capacity utilisation at ZapSibNeftekhim. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 192,760 tonnes in January-February 2020, down by 6% year on year. Homopolymer PP accounted for the main decrease in imports.
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