EXHIBIT
23.1
Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the
Board of Directors
Pacific
Ethanol, Inc.
Sacramento,
California
We
consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statements (Nos.
333-106554, 333-123538 and 333-137663) on Form S-8 and (Nos. 333-127714,
333-135270, 333-138260, 333-143617 and 333-147471) on Form S-3 of Pacific
Ethanol, Inc. of our reports dated March 31, 2009 relating to our audits of the
consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting,
which appear in this Annual Report on Form 10-K of Pacific Ethanol, Inc. for the
year ended December 31, 2008.
/s/ HEIN
& ASSOCIATES LLP
Irvine,
California
March 31,
2009