Ethanol Industry Contributed $52 Billion To Economy In 2021

  • Tuesday, 22 February 2022 09:25

The US ethanol industry contributed $52 billion to the national gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, according to a new report by the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA).

The report said the industry produced 15 billion gallons of ethanol in 2021, up 7.6 percent from volume produced in 2020. 

This, in turn, supported over 407,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the economy while contributing $10.4 billion in federal, state and local taxes. 

Additionally, the industry provided $28.7 billion in income for workers across the country. 

For co-products, the ethanol industry produced 35.4 million metric tons of distillers grains, gluten feed and gluten meal in 2021. RFA said more than 50 countries purchased a cumulative 11.6 million metric tons of distillers grains from US ethanol producers in 2021.

As for corn distiller's oil, 3.8 billion pounds was produced. Corn distiller's oil is used for the production of biodiesel and renewable diesel. 

In terms of increasing energy independency, RFA estimates the ethanol production in 2021 displaced 531 million barrels of crude oil.

Read RFA's 2022 Ethanol Industry Outlook here.