High Plains Journal, KS
10-27-06
Iowa is epicenter for renewable energy
By Jennifer Bremer
Renewable energy in Iowa is helping the state and nation become less
dependent on outside sources for fuel and electricity.
"Iowa is becoming the epicenter of renewable energy, powering American and
local communities," said Denny Harding, business services administrator for the
Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, at a recent conference on renewable energy.
Even though ethanol has been made for centuries, it has taken a lot more time,
technology and improvements to get to the production levels that are now seen in
Iowa. Iowa currently produces 1.6 billion gallons of ethanol. The production level
is expected to be at 2 billion gallons by next year.
Norm Olson, program manager for the Biomass Energy Conversion (BECON)
Center, says that their main goals are to improve the rural economy and rid the
nation of imported petroleum.
"We need to bring the profits from the Mid-east back to the Midwest," said Olson.
"It was difficult for the first ethanol plants to get started, but now with research,
funding and training, the ethanol industry is doing well."
Olson said the BECON Center wants to do what's best for agriculture and protect
the soil and sustainability of the industry. Through funding from Iowa State
University (ISU) they are continually developing new ways to better utilize
agriculture products.
"We have learned how to use waste from one system to run another system and
we are just chemistry away from taking a major part of the market," said Olson.
He wants to help educate livestock producers about the palatability of the wet
distiller's grains produced at the plants. Even though the shelf life of the wet
product is shorter, the animals seem to like the product better. If the product
doesn't have to be dried, then ethanol plants will save 40 percent of their energy
used.
"The great thing about ethanol is that there is more energy in a gallon of ethanol
than used to produce it," said Olson.
Olson broke it down economically. The cost of corn stover is about 2 cents per
pound and it consists of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which makes it
environmentally friendly. The cost of petroleum is about 18 cents per pound and
consists of mostly carbon and hydrogen.
"In 1950 oil was $1.50 per barrel, now it costs 40 times that much. In 1950 corn
was $1.50 per bushel and now it costs only twice as much," he said. "The rural
economic potential in our state could double with the addition of all the valueadded industries."
Jill Euken, the assistant director of the biorenewable fuels program at ISU
said that Iowa leads the nation in the amount of ethanol produced, but there are
future challenges that go with that dignity.
"Studies show that in 2003, 803 billion bushels of corn were used in the
production of ethanol and by the year 2008, nearly 697 billion bushels of corn will
have to be imported to Iowa in order to keep up with ethanol production," she
said.
One of the challenges is that farmers may have to transition some acres to corn
to help meet the quota. Converting soybean acres or Conservation Reserve
Program acres to corn production is not something that soybean officials like to
hear.
Will Rogers, product services coordinator for the Iowa Soybean Association said
that there are currently seven biodiesel plants and seven more are under
construction.
Iowa will be the source of 30 to 60 million gallons of biodiesel in the future.
Biodiesel is a product that adds lubricity and helps prevent gelling up engines.
Rogers said that in the future we will see the Soybean Belt expand further to the
west, with more acres of soybeans in the Dakotas and on into Colorado and
Wyoming. "These acres will be needed to help produce the number of gallons of
biodiesel to reduce our dependency on foreign fuels," he said.
"Farmers are in the energy business. They provide feed, fuel and fiber for the
world to survive," said Harding. "Renewable energy is just another step toward
helping us become independent."
Jennifer Bremer can be reached by phone at 641-938-2342 or by e-mail at
jbremermaj@hotmail.com.