As this new year begins, we’re taking a moment to look back at ethanol’s experience in 2008. I’ve heard it described as a “perfect storm,” and that seems fitting. Corn prices driven up by speculation, volatility in the fuel market, and collapse in the financial sector made things more than challenging for America’s ethanol industry.

Our seat here in 2010 gives us a new perspective. So much has happened. Ultimately, though, ethanol has emerged stronger from the experience. Our thanks to contributing writer Jonathan Eisenthal for putting together this two-part series, the first part looking back at 2008 and the second looking at what the industry has learned from the experience and how it’s moving forward.

Ethanol production and use will grow this year. And because we are still growing, our opponents will be speaking out against us – perhaps louder than ever. With the ethanol tax credit up for renewal, you can bet there will be a full-court press against us in the coming year. They will focus particular attention on Capitol Hill, so it will be so important that ethanol supporters are willing to speak up to our leaders in Washington.

In addition to our work on Capitol Hill, the American Coalition for Ethanol is continuing its own full-court press in the area of market development. Our second feature this month tallies all the miles traveled by the ACE team to reach out to America’s petroleum marketers. And with the launch of the “Blend Your Own Ethanol” campaign last August, the effort to talk to station owners about ethanol blending and blender pumps has reached even wider. The more people this message gets to the better, and judging by the 2010 travel schedule, it’s going to be spread far and wide.

On a final note, we’re excited that Ethanol Today is now going to be available to you in a new format – an online digital edition. This new technology allows you to page through an exact replica of the magazine online. It has several nice features, including the ability for you to share articles with friends via e-mail, search the entire publication by keyword, and click on any web address in the magazine – including those in ads – to learn more about a company or topic. We think the page-turning noise is kind of fun, too.

You can access this digital version of ET in two locations: on Ethanol.org by clicking on the “Ethanol Today” button on the right-hand menu, or on Ethanoltoday.com by clicking on the large ET cover image on the left-hand side. Please take a look and let us know what you think.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! It’s going to be a good one.