Renewable Fuels

Ranking 1st in the nation in ethanol production and 4th in biodiesel production, Iowa is at the forefront of these industries.

Ethanol

In addition to leading the nation in production, Iowa’s ethanol future looks brighter as research confirms the success that companies are experiencing converting outputs into secondary product lines such as dried distiller’s grains (DDG’s)., an output derived from ethanol production. This co-product is utilized as a highly nutritious livestock feed that is increasingly complementary to the livestock industry. The dramatic increase in the number of companies employing co-production techniques is the direct result of applying technology and innovation from the food industry to the renewable fuels industry. This has yielded profitable co-products including carbon dioxide, industrial alcohol, corn oils and antioxidant ingredients such as nutraceutical oil and carotenoids. Research has also shown that fabrics and plastics are two co-products with potential for commercialization.

The U.S. Department of Energy selected POET (formerly Broin Companies) for an $80 million grant for its Project LIGERTY, poised to the be the first commercially viable cellulosic energy plant in the world. Through the conversion and expansion of an existing facility in Emmetsburg, Iowa, POET and its many collaborators including Iowa State University will produce 125 million gallons of ethanol of which approximately 25 percent will be derived from cellulose. Iowa is the ideal location to pave the way into commercial cellulosic ethanol with convenient access to primary rail lines and abundant water resources.

Map of Ethanol Plants in Iowa [PDF: 44k]

• Iowa is "First in the Nation" in ethanol production nationwide.
• Iowa has 35 ethanol plants in operation, producing approximately 3.28 billion gallons per year. Two new ethanol plants are under construction.
• Iowa alone accounted for over 25 percent of the entire U.S. ethanol production.
• Iowa’s biofuels industries have added $8 billion dollars to Iowa’s economy, generated $2 billion dollars in new household income, and created and supported 50,000 Iowa jobs.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Map of Biodiesel Plants in Iowa [PDF: 38k]

• Iowa ranks fourth in biodiesel production nationwide.
• Biodiesel production increased from 50,000 in 1999 to 317.5 million in 2010.
• Iowa has 13 biodiesel plants in operation, producing approximately 317 million gallons per year.

The Office of Energy Independence [www.energy.iowa.gov/OEI/] provides excellent information on Iowa’s Energy Independence Plan, Fuel Locator, additional financial incentives and much more.