The U.S. ethanol industry is now producing at a rate of more than 4 billion gallons annually, according to the Renewable Fuels Association
U.S. Energy Information Administration data shows ethanol production in the U.S. was averaging 261,000 barrels per day (b/d). That annualizes to just over 4 billion gallons.
Ethanol production was up 1,000 b/d over August, and up 35,000 b/d over September 2004.
The RFA released the following statistics: September Statistics (mg = million gallons)
|
Fuel Ethanol Production |
329.3 mg |
261,000 b/d |
|
Fuel Ethanol Use |
331.3 mg |
263,000 b/d |
|
Fuel Ethanol Stocks |
223.6 mg |
20.4 days of reserve |
|
Fuel Ethanol Exports |
0.0mg^ |
n/a |
|
Fuel Ethanol Imports |
5.2 mg* |
n/a |
*Source: U.S. International Trade Commission
^ Jim Jordan and Associates
"Some people questioned whether the ethanol industry would be able to meet the RFS requirement of 4 billion gallons in 2006," says RFA President Bob Dinneen. "Well, this announcement by EIA answered those skeptics. On an annualized basis, we're producing that much ethanol today. With more than a billion gallons of production capacity currently in construction, the U.S. ethanol industry will very soon become the world's leading producer of renewable fuels."
Currently, 93 ethanol plants in 20 states have a combined production capacity of more nearly 4.2 billion gallons a year. There are 23 ethanol plants and seven expansions under construction with a combined annual capacity of more than one billion gallons.