COLUMN: Indiana's impact on alternative fuel options

While Indiana gas prices remain under the national average, Hoosiers are still struggling to fill their tanks. Fluctuating costs have led some to use gasoline with a higher percentage of ethanol, which generally costs less per gallon than traditional gas or diesel.  Nearly 98 percent of all gas options at the pump contain a percentage of ethanol including the standard 87 unleaded that most U.S. cars operate on.  

Ethanol is made from fermenting and distilling corn and sugars into a pure combustible substance that can later be combined with gasoline, creating E85 and E15 fuel variations. These blends with larger percentages have long been considered a cleaner and comparable fuel alternative to traditional gasoline, with smaller percentages of ethanol, found at your local gas station. 

Due to our large corn yields, Indiana ranks 5th nationally in both corn and ethanol production, harvesting around 1 billion bushels of corn and outputting around 1.2 billion gallons of ethanol annually. Corn and grain farming employs over 12,000 Hoosiers, accounting for a third of the state's agricultural revenue, and Indiana's ethanol industry supports over 40,000 jobs, promoting both the agricultural and energy sectors.

Over 40 percent of Indiana-harvested corn goes straight from the fields to one of the state's 15 ethanol biorefineries, generating over $217 million in ethanol exports. In Rensselaer, the Iroquois Bio-Energy Company operates using only locally grown corn and partners with surrounding areas for their workforce and resources.

Our agricultural history, vast resources and willingness to explore economic development projects has shaped Indiana into an ethanol powerhouse, accounting for 7 percent of the nation's supply per year. Investments in infrastructure and innovative solutions to clean renewables have allowed Indiana biorefineries to expand, meeting the increasing need for fuel alternatives while promoting economic growth in our communities.

As more car manufacturers adopt cleaner fuel options, ethanol has become an affordable and reliable alternative created right here in Indiana. Whenever available, I opt to fill my truck with  the E85, lowering my gas expanses and supporting local farmers. Agriculture is part of the answer to U.S. energy independence, and I look forward to seeing farmers step up to the call.

As your state representative, I would love to hear your input on this issue and others. Please reach out to my office with any questions at in.gov/h16 or by calling 317-232-9819. 

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State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) represents House District 16,
which includes portions of Jasper, Pulaski, Starke and White counties.
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