MINNEAPOLIS, MN– September 30, 2025 – California’s AB30 bill puts E15 on the fast track, and the Whole Grain Podcast unpacks what this means for grain, ethanol, and the future of fuel. The Grain Elevator and Processing Society (GEAPS) recently released its latest podcast episode, featuring Geoff Cooper, President and CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA). Cooper joins host Jim Lenz, GEAPS Director of Global Education and Training, to discuss California’s historic move toward legalizing E15 fuel for the first time.
The conversation centers on Assembly Bill 30 (AB30), which recently passed the California legislature with unanimous support and now awaits the governor’s signature. With an urgency clause attached, E15 could become available to California drivers almost immediately, marking a milestone for ethanol and other grain professionals across the nation.
“This is the first ethanol-friendly bill to move through the California legislature with unanimous support on every single vote,” Cooper said during the podcast interview. “California’s move on E15 sends a signal nationwide and around the world.”
Why It Matters
• Consumer Savings: Californians could save an estimated $2.7 billion annually, or about $200 per household, with E15 often selling 10–30 cents per gallon cheaper than E10.
• Environmental Benefits: E15 reduces smog-forming emissions, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and greenhouse gases, offering cleaner air and public health improvements.
• Economic Impact: Expanded ethanol demand of 600–700 million gallons would require an additional 200 250 million bushels of corn, which can boost demand across grain handling, storage, and transportation networks.
• Zero-Waste Ethanol: Ethanol production transforms starch into fuel while turning protein, fat, and fiber into high-value livestock feed, creating critical synergies with the feed industry.
Cooper also reflected on the broad coalition that made the victory possible, which included farm groups, retailers, truckers, chambers of commerce, veterans, and labor organizations. He noted that persistence, partnership, and strategic leadership were key to overcoming years of regulatory hurdles.
Listen Now
The full conversation with Geoff Cooper is available on the Whole Grain Podcast, GEAPS’ education-focused podcast for grain and grain processing professionals. This episode, titled “Lower Costs, Cleaner Air, Bigger Demand: Geoff Cooper on California’s E15 Breakthrough,” can be found on all major podcast apps and
www.geaps.com/wholegrain. Tune in to explore what California’s move means for consumers, policymakers, and the grain and ethanol supply chains, and how this milestone could reshape the renewable fuels landscape for decades.
Listen to this episode: www.geaps.com/news-publications/whole-grain-podcast/lower-costs-cleaner-air. bigger-demand-geoff-cooper-on-californias-e15-breakthrough/ . Listen to more Whole Grain episodes: www.geaps.com/wholegrain. Learn more about the Renewable Fuels Association: www.ethanolrfa.org . Learn more about GEAPS: www.geaps.com
Source: Email/GFMM
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