INDIANAPOLIS – Fuel retailers, biofuels advocates, farmers and more are invited to the annual High Performance Low Carbon Liquid Fuels Summit on May 6-7 at Gridiron Hall at the Indianapolis Colts Headquarters, 7001 W. 56th St. in Indianapolis.

Hosted by the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership & Policy Committee (M&P) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA), the Summit will offer a variety of speakers who will share details about the opportunities for soybean-based biodiesel and corn-based ethanol fuels amid the current legislative climate.

This year’s Summit will include several featured speakers and panel discussions with biofuels experts from around the world. Some of the speakers and topics include:

- Decarbonization Does Not Equal Electrification – John Eichberger, Transportation and Energy Institute executive director.

- The Future of Renewable Fuels Federal Policy and Regulation – Panel with Geoff Moody, of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, David Cobb, of Clean Fuels Alliance America, Chris Bliley, of Growth Energy and Michael Hartrick, of the Environment and Energy Policy Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

- Advancements in Biofuel Infrastructure and Innovation for Fuel Retailers – Panel with Nate Hale, of fuel retailer Wally’s, Ron English, of J.T. Petroleum, Jeff Dzierzanowski, of Source North America Corp., and Jeff Wilkerson, of Pearson Fuels.

- State Policy Landscape. Laying the Foundation for Growth in Indiana – Panel with Jeff Wilkerson, of Pearson Fuels, Jeff Earl, of Clean Fuels Alliance America, Lawrence McCormack, of Cummins Inc., and Dallas Gerber, of Growth Energy.

- Land, Air and Sea: Biofuels Tactics – Panel with Jackie Hayes, of Whitefox Technologies, Mark Ingebretson, of U.S. Grains Council, David Cobb, of Clean Fuels Alliance America, Jamey Cline, of Christianson PLLP, and Hugh Caperton, of Vault 4401.

The full agenda and registration can be found online at: bit.ly/LFS-registration 

Biofuels impact on Indiana

About 43 percent of Indiana’s corn crop goes to the state’s 15 ethanol biorefineries each year, which produce 1.4 billion gallons of ethanol. The Indiana Corn Marketing Council (ICMC), the state’s corn checkoff, offers a grant program that encourages fuel retailers to install fuel pumps with higher blends of ethanol such as Unleaded 88 (15 percent ethanol) and E85 (85 percent ethanol). More than 400 fuel stations in Indiana offer these higher blends of ethanol. ICGA President Chris Cherry, a farmer from New Palestine, Ind., said all Hoosier corn growers benefit from a healthy ethanol industry.

“Like most businesses, the ethanol industry requires coordination,” Cherry said. “For this industry, the supply chain begins with farmers growing corn as the feedstock for ethanol. We work closely with the ethanol biorefineries that buy our crops. The biorefineries work closely with the fuel retailers who sell the product to consumers. In between those steps there are many levels of transportation and marketing and sales. If any of these steps break down, then the industry suffers. Events like this Summit help Hoosier farmers maintain good relationships with our partners to keep this industry strong.”

According to figures published by ICMC, the value of Indiana corn exported through ethanol is $218 million. Along with U.S. consumption of ethanol, 1.9 billion gallons of U.S. ethanol were exported to more than 75 countries in 2024. That equals 477 million bushels of corn. Indiana’s ethanol industry supports nearly 35,000 direct jobs and contributes approximately $3 billion to Hoosier household incomes per year. Ethanol byproducts include distillers corn oil, which is used to make biodiesel and renewable diesel, and dried distillers grains used for animal feed.

Soybean-based biodiesel also impacts the Indiana farm economy. Although the state only has one biodiesel production facility, Louis Dreyfus Corp. in Claypool, it is the largest U.S. biodiesel biorefinery. This plant sustains 820 jobs and $134 million in economic activity. Louis Dreyfus uses more than 300 million pounds of soybean oil to produce nearly 100 million gallons of biodiesel from Hoosier soybean fields.

Clean Fuels Alliance America (CFAA) reports that increased demand for oil for biodiesel boosted soybean prices by 63 cents per bushel. The CFAA said Indiana has 71 fuel retailers that offer diesel blends 5 percent or higher with biodiesel. The Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA), the state’s soybean checkoff program, said Indiana’s 273 million bushels increased in value by more than $171 million in 2019 due to biodiesel production.

“ISA’s vision is to be a catalyst for innovation and leadership in the state’s soybean industry,” said ISA Chair Denise Scarborough, a farmer from LaCrosse, Ind. “With Louis Dreyfus and the fuel retailers that sell biodiesel, we have partners that help us positively serve Hoosier farmers and the state’s economy. Biodiesel makes the air cleaner, and we are working with companies across the state to use more biodiesel.”

ISA and the American Lung Association have collaborated to create the B20 Club of Indiana, which recognizes and supports Indiana-based fleets running on biodiesel blends of 20 percent or higher. Since the inception of the B20 Club, 13 million gallons of B20 have been used – reducing CO2 emissions from those fleets by 23,000 tons. That is the equivalent of planting 340,000 trees. Biodiesel and renewable diesel made from soybeans reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent compared to petroleum diesel.