Recently, U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council (USGBC) Regional Ethanol Manager for the European Union (EU) and United Kingdom (UK) Stephanie Larson traveled to Poland with key partners and USGBC members in the U.S. ethanol industry mission to explore current ethanol policy, implementation, consumption and capacity in the country.

Larson was joined by USGBC Regional Ethanol Consultant for the EU Alberto Carmona and USGBC member representatives including Edeniq, Inc. Vice President of Business Development Matt McBain; Growth Energy Vice President of Market Development Jake Comer; Iowa Corn Growers Association Market Development Manager Ross Cady; and Ringneck Energy President and Roughrider Energy founder Walter Wendland.

"Poland is home to a strong domestic ethanol industry and already blends ethanol in on-road fuel at an estimated 8.6 percent rate," Larson said.

"This initiative represented the Council's largest dedicated ethanol mission to Poland, so thorough stakeholder mapping and meetings were critical to establishing a network of connections for future collaboration and development for ethanol use there."

The first day featured meetings with some key industry associations representing interests in the country's automotive and petroleum sectors, including the Polish Automotive Industry Association (PZPM), Polish Organization of Petroleum Industry and Trade (POPiHN) and Polish New Mobility Association (PSNM). Discussions centered around consumer trends and policy, along with recent market developments and ethanol demand in road transport in central and eastern Europe.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA FAS) Agricultural Counselor Benjamin Petlock then spoke with the delegation at the U.S. embassy in Warsaw to help enhance the Council's base of knowledge in the market.

Later, the team spoke with members of the Polish Chamber of Biofuels (KIB), Chamber of Commerce of Traders, Grain Processors and Feed Producers and Federation of Agricultural Producers' Associations to learn more about the country's set of current challenges.

The conversations focused on potential policy changes in the EU and identifying concrete actions to take on common issues of interest to achieve a more favorable outcome for first generation ethanol, including changes to the crop cap and migration to higher blends.

The program was capped by the group's participation at the 15th Conference of the National Biofuels Chamber of Poland (KIB) in Jachranka, where local and regional experts shared perspectives on opportunities in the industry, including on-road blending and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

"During this exploratory mission, we were able to confirm Poland's alignment on several key policy issues and regulatory challenges in the EU, including the crop cap, support for higher blends and the importance of including first generation ethanol for sustainable aviation fuel and sustainable marine fuel," Larson said.

"We will continue to engage with Polish stakeholders and support positions of common interest in Brussels, and going forward we look forward to strengthening our collaboration with the Polish ethanol industry."

Learn more about the Council's work in Europe on the organization's website.