Last week, domestic ethanol demand was 14.0 BGY, up 0.9% compared to a week ago. The EIA-reported gas demand was up 0.9% from last week, at 134.4 BGY. The 4-week average ethanol and gas demand are 14.1 BGY and 134.5 BGY (-0.3% YoY).
Ethanol production was 16.1 BGY last week, up 4.6% versus the week before, and 8.9% more than the 4-week average, YoY. Midwest production was up 6.5% (+18.2 MG) versus a week ago, and average production in the other regions was down 27.1% (-4.7 MG) mainly on the East and Gulf coasts. Ethanol production capacity utilization of plants online this week was 89.0% overall, 91.2% in the Midwest, and 57.3% on average, elsewhere, excluding 1,236 MGY of capacity shutdown at 24 ethanol plants for other than maintenance. On an installed capacity basis, utilization was 83.4% overall, 88.8% in the Midwest and 34.0% in the other regions.
Exports were an estimated 44.8 MG last week based on 190 MG forecast for September and 210 MG forecast for October. The EIA reported no ethanol imports last week.
Overall inventory was down 8.6 MG last week. EIA-counted stocks decreased 5.1 MG, and regional changes were: East (-16 MG), Gulf (-9 MG) and West (+2 MG) Coasts and the Midwest (+18 MG). In-transit inventory levels decreased 3.5 MG.
Based on the total inventory of 1,287 MG on October 2nd and the 4-week avg. domestic demand, there were 34.0 days of supply, down 0.4 days from a week ago. Including the 4-week avg. of net exports, the days of supply were 29.1 days, down 0.5 days from a week ago.
Based on US Census data, ethanol exports in August were 228.3 MG, including an estimated 16.6 MG used to make ETBE for export with 14.6 MG to Japan (assuming 60% of ETBE exports were derived from U.S. corn ethanol) and 2.0 MG to The Netherlands. The major export destinations were Canada (84 MG), The Netherlands (42 MG), Vietnam (19 MG), UK (20 MG), Columbia (15 MG), Vietnam (10 MG), South Korea (6 MG), Peru (8 MG), Mexico and Spain (5 MG each), and the and lesser amounts to other countries. The total to Europe (EU + UK) was 70 MG. YTD 2026, exports have totaled 1,719 MG, 13.5% more than YTD 2025.
Based on US Census data, 1.9 MG of fuel ethanol was imported in August, all from Canada. YTD through August, imports have totaled 15.2 MG, 69% more than YTD 2025. In August, there were 8.4 MG ethanol imports reported for industrial use from Brazil, likely for ETBE production and re-export to Japan, and 31.5 MG YTD, -54% versus YTD 2025.