2010 was another record year for American ethanol producers. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Admn. (EIA), daily ethanol production in 2010 averaged nearly 863,000 barrels per day (b/d). That represents 36.24 million gallons of daily production and nearly 13.23 billion gallons of production for calendar year 2010. 2009 ethanol production was 10.75 billion gallons.

Imports for 2010 stood at slightly more than 9.7 million gallons, down from 193 million gallons in 2009.

As the RFA previously noted, exports of U.S. ethanol reached all-time highs in 2010. According to government data compiled by RFA, total ethanol exports ended the year at 397 million gallons, marking a nearly four-fold increase over 2009. Of the 2010 total, 270 million gallons (68%) were classified as denatured ethanol, while the remaining 127 million gallons (32%) were undenatured, non-beverage. These exports are not eligible for the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit (VEETC), also called the blender’s credit.

A record volume of distillers grains (DDGs), the livestock feed co-product of ethanol production, was also exported in 2010. Nine million metric tons of this high-value livestock feed were exported in 2010.

“In today’s volatile oil market, ethanol production is helping to reduce costs for consumers at the pump and is the only measure currently moving America away from imported oil,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “At nearly ten percent of the U.S. gasoline market, American ethanol production is supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs while reducing our need to import 445 million barrels of oil to refine into gasoline. That is more oil than we import from Saudi Arabia each year. At a time of increased energy uncertainty and volatility, domestic ethanol production from a growing array of feedstocks is helping create the kind of economic and energy opportunities this country will need to regain control over our future.”

The yearly data was compiled via the final monthly ethanol production report for 2010 released by EIA. According to that data, December 2010 was a bigger than expected month for ethanol production. The industry produced nearly 918,000 b/d, down slightly from 924,000 b/d in November 2010. December daily production on an annualized basis would be 14 billion gallons. ??Demand for ethanol, according to RFA calculations rose to 918,000 b/d, up from 900,000 b/d in November 2010. RFA calculations for 2010 ethanol demand stand at just shy of 860,000 b/d.

December stocks for ethanol fell slightly to 17.94 million barrels, or 19.5 days of supply based on demand calculations.

The RFA released the following statistics:

December 2010 Statistics

(mg = million gallons; b/d = barrels per day)?  

Fuel Ethanol Production         1,195.2 mg        918,000 b/d

Fuel Ethanol Use                  1,195.2 mg         918,000 b/d

Fuel Ethanol Stocks                  753.9 mg        19.5 days of reserve

Fuel Ethanol Exports                  72.0 mg                  N/A

Fuel Ethanol Imports                  0.006 mg

 Source: Energy Information Admn., Renewable Fuels Assn.