Corn ethanol is a high-octane, renewable, liquid fuel. Iowa’s ethanol plants can produce more than 2.4 billion gallons annually, using over 888 million bushels (mbu) of corn.  The addition of 10 new plants/plant expansions now under development will give Iowa a total capacity (current and new) of 3.5 billion gallons, using 1.3 billion bushels of corn.

Ethanol Benefits: Economy, Environment, and Energy Independence
Ethanol production has resulted in more than 47,000 new jobs in Iowa, adding $1.7 billion to Iowans’ annual income.  Using ethanol saves the average family $1,000 per year and reduces CO2 greenhouse gas emissions, making Iowa’s air cleaner.  Domestically produced ethanol reduces U.S. oil imports by 128,000 barrels per day. 

Renewable Fuels Standards
The U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard enacted in 2007  will increase the volume of corn-based ethanol blended into gasoline to 15 billion gallons by 2015.  The Iowa Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) passed in 2006 gives Iowa the most aggressive renewable fuels program in the country.  The Iowa RFS provides incentives for Iowa retailers to replace 25% of gasoline sales with ethanol and biodiesel by 2019.

E85
E85 is 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline.  Iowa has 108 stations, and increasing the number of stations is an Iowa Corn priority.  Flexfuel vehicles (FFV) can use E85; Iowa has more than 95,000 FFVs. An updated list of flexfuel vehicles is available at www.iowacorn.org.  When drivers buy E85, they  keep up to 60 cents per dollar in Iowa’s economy, benefiting the environment and improving the energy balance.  
 
Ethanol Fact Sheet

Ethanol Blender Pump Program