A thriving ethanol industry is a vital market for Ohio’s corn farmers. Currently, Ohio has 7 ethanol production facilities that utilizes roughly 33 percent of Ohio’s corn crop. Ethanol offers an abundance of benefits that include:

• ethanol burns cooler and cleaner than conventiaonal gasoline
• reduces tailpipe emissions
• improves air quality

The use of ethanol in fuel in 2018 reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 55.1 million metric tons. That is the equivalent of removing nearly 11.7 million cars from the road for an entire year!

The undeniable truth is that ethanol is the cleanest, most affordable fuel additive on the market today. Using ethanol reduces polluting substances from tailpipe emissions such as: carbon monoxide, exhaust hydrocarbons, benzene, toxics, and fine particulate matter.

Through strategic partnerships and increased funding, we are working to make ethanol available for all Ohioans. This market expansion is happening through unique, creative strategies and partnerships. Through a grant program, we are offering fuel retailers a way to cost-effectively purchase and install fuel-dispensing equipment that is compatible with ethanol-blended fuels.

Increasing the availability and demand for corn ethanol is one of our top priorities. With your checkoff investment, we will continue to broaden this market.

Moving Beyond the Myths with Facts 

The ethanol industry boosts the American economy by providing jobs and generating local tax revenue. Ethanol is 100 percent renewable and reduces our dependence on foreign oil. According to the Renewable Fuels Association, in 2012, ethanol displaced an amount of gasoline refined from 462 million barrels of imported crude oil, reducing expenditures on imported oil by $44 billion.

Even with all these benefits, some myths persist regarding the safety of ethanol in your engine. How much do you really know about what is coming out of the fuel pump? There is a lot more to a gallon of gas than petroleum. Today’s gasoline composition is made of up of more than 150 chemicals and compounds. Additives include metal deactivators, corrosion inhibitors, oxygenates and antioxidants – many of which are toxic and harmful to the environment.

Yet with all these toxins and chemicals in the mix, ethanol (a safe, clean burning oxygenate) is often singled out as a culprit for engine issues. Made from corn, ethanol has been used in the United States since the early 1980s. Today over 90 percent of the gasoline sold to millions of Americans for their cars, boats and small engines contains up to 10 percent of this renewable fuel – with no issues. So what’s the real culprit?

A myriad of myths exist about ethanol, click here for more information.