Consent
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We
consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form
S-8 of Pacific Ethanol, Inc. of our report dated March 31, 2010, relating to our
audits of the consolidated financial statements, which appear in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K of Pacific Ethanol, Inc. for the year ended December 31,
2009.
/s/ HEIN
& ASSOCIATES LLP
HEIN
& ASSOCIATES LLP
Irvine,
California
August
23, 2010