Biomass Spotlight: Illinois

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), farmers in Illinois produced over 1.8 billion bushels of corn in 2006.[i] With this amount of corn production, it is no surprise that the state puts a heavy focus on developing its biomass industry. In 2003, the state began its Renewable Fuels Development Program (RFDP), which provides grants for the construction of new biofuels production facilities.[ii] Ethanol biorefineries in Illinois have a production capacity of 1,493 million gallons of ethanol per year with 566 million gallons of additional capacity currently under construction.[iii] In addition, the state also has 53 million gallons of biodiesel production capacity with 35 million gallons of additional capacity under construction.[iv]

The Renewable Fuels Development Program has many purposes that range from reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil, to reducing harmful vehicular exhaust emissions, to expanding market demand for Illinois agricultural products. [v] The RFDP awards grants up to 5.5 million dollars to projects that have a minimum capacity of 30 million gallons.[vi]

Another program established by Illinois is the Renewable Fuels Research, Development and Demonstration Program, Illinois funds research, planning, education and development projects that seek to increase the use of biofuels while decreasing the costs related to their production.[vii]The program has funded many projects including the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University.[viii]

Recently a bill was introduced into the Illinois state legislature that if passed would direct the Illinois Ethanol Research Advisory Board to establish and operate the Center as a "State Biorefining Center of Excellence". Some of the new responsibilities the center would take on if given this distinction would be to offer training to industry on different techniques and practices as well as coordinating near tern industry research needs and pursuing federal and other types of funding for those.[ix]

The State also puts a heavy focus on developing its E-85 fueling infrastructure. The Illinois E-85 Infrastructure Development Program awards grants to fueling stations to cover up to fifty percent of the cost of converting stations so they are able to dispense

E-85 fuel.[x] Currently, there are 134 E-85 stations in Illinois.[xi] In addition, Illinois also has 12 biodiesel dispensing stations.[xii] Figure 1 shows the distribution of E-85 and Biodiesel fueling stations throughout Illinois.

Figure 1: E-85 and Biodiesel Fueling Stations in Illinois

http://www.biomass.govtools.us/newsletters/Oct_2006/images/vision-table.gif

[i] National Agricultural Statistics Service, Corn for Grain Data for Illinois, 2006. Accessed 2/16/07. Available at http://www.nass.usda.gov/QuickStats/index2.jsp

[ii] Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Renewable Fuels Development Program Webpage. Accessed 2/16/07. Available at http://www.commerce.state.il.us/

[iii] Renewable Fuels Association, Ethanol Biorefinery Locations Webpage. Accessed 2/19/07. Available at http://ethanolrfa.org/industry/locations/
[iv] National Biodiesel Board, Commercial Biodiesel Production Plants Fact Sheet (1/31/07) and Biodiesel Production Plants Under Construction or Expansion (1/1/07). Available at http://www.biodiesel.org/ and http://biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel
[v] llinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity , Renewable Fuels Development Program Webpage. Accessed 2/16/07 . Available at http://www.commerce.state.il.us/
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] llinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Renewable Fuels Research, Development and Demonstration Program Webpage. Accessed 2/16/07 . Available at http://www.commerce.state.il.us/
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] Illinois State Legis. House. 95^{th Assembly. HB1313, SIU-Corn-to-Ethanol Research [Introduced 2/20/07]. Illinois General Assembly Website. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/=}

^{[x] Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity , E-85 Infrastructure Development Program Webpage. Accessed 2/16/07 . Available at http://www.commerce.state.il.us/}

^{[xi] U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Alternative Fuels Data Center . Updated 2/15/07 . Available at}