January Ethanol Production Sets Record

The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) today (April 2) announced U.S. ethanol production and demand continue to set records as more Americans are looking to renewable fuels like ethanol to start America down the road of energy sustainability. According to information from the Energy Information Administration and the RFA, production of ethanol in January 2007 averaged 375,000 barrels per day (b/d) while demand averaged 414,000 b/d.

The increases in production and demand represent a rise of 87,000 b/d and 143,000 b/d respectively from January 2006.

“The U.S. ethanol industry is responding to the call for a more sustainable energy future in this country,” said RFA President Bob Dinneen. “By relying more heavily on a domestically-produced renewable fuel, our country is beginning down the long road of reducing the impacts of global warming and our dependence on foreign oil. While renewable fuels like ethanol are not the silver bullet to our nation’s energy problems, they do provide a confident first step toward meeting our future energy needs.”

Currently, 114 ethanol biorefineries nationwide have the capacity to produce more than 5.6 billion gallons annually. There are 80 ethanol refineries and 7 expansions under construction with a combined annual capacity of more than 6 billion gallons.

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