For our November Member Spotlight, we’re featuring Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN), the trade association representing Nebraska’s ethanol industry, whose work to grow the state’s renewable fuels sector reaches well beyond the halls of the Capitol.
Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) advocates for the producers, partners, and communities behind one of the state’s most important bio-based industries.
Nebraska’s ethanol plants turn locally grown corn into renewable fuel, distillers grains, and other co-products, creating value for farmers and supporting jobs in rural communities across the state. RFN works to keep that industry strong and growing.
Legislative advocacy is a key part of RFN’s mission, but it is only one part of the story. RFN also helps guide strategic investments in research, market development, education, and workforce development—efforts designed to open new markets for Nebraska-produced ethanol, build scientific support for using higher blends of ethanol in gasoline, and prepare the next generation of talent for the industry.
Below are four key efforts that illustrate how RFN is building for the future of Nebraska’s renewable fuels industry.
Nebraska Ethanol Economic Impact Study
Understanding the full value of the ethanol industry starts with good data. That’s why RFN partners with the Nebraska Ethanol Board to help fund research examining the economic contributions of Nebraska’s ethanol industry.
The study looks at the many ways ethanol production benefits the state—including the jobs it supports, the economic activity it generates, its role in strengthening agricultural markets, and its impact on rural communities.
For example, the most recent report found that Nebraska’s ethanol industry helped deliver a total economic impact of more than $6 billion in 2023 and directly created 1,800 high-quality jobs with average pay and benefits of about $80,000 a year between 2021 and 2023.
RFN and its partners use the research to help policymakers, stakeholders, and the public understand what the ethanol industry means for Nebraska’s economy and the communities that depend on it.
Expanding E15 Access in California
Growing demand for Nebraska ethanol means looking beyond the state’s borders. RFN helped fund efforts to expand access to E15—a fuel blend containing 15 percent ethanol—in California, one of the largest fuel markets in the country.
A key part of this work involved providing fuel retailers with technical information and resources on E15 compatibility, fueling infrastructure, and how to offer higher ethanol blends to their customers. Many retailers have questions about what it takes to add E15 at the pump, and clear, practical guidance helps answer them.
By helping reduce barriers for retailers, this effort supports broader availability of E15 for consumers and helps expand demand for Nebraska-produced ethanol in a crucial market.
Supporting E30 Research
RFN is also looking ahead to the next generation of fuel blends. That includes helping advance research on the use of midlevel ethanol blends like E30 in modern vehicles.
The research evaluates how these blends affect vehicle performance, safety, and fuel efficiency. The early results are encouraging, as the first two phases of an ongoing research demonstration found that State of Nebraska non-flex-fuel vehicles saw no observable negative effects on performance when using E30—but saw per gallon fuel savings of more than 16 percent.
Building this body of evidence is essential to understanding the potential of higher ethanol blends in today’s vehicle fleet, and it provides automakers, regulators, and fuel marketers with information they can rely on as they consider what comes next.
Sponsoring UNL Husker Motorsports
A strong industry depends on a strong pipeline of talent. RFN sponsors Husker Motorsports, a student team at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, to support the development of the next generation of engineers.
Husker Motorsports gives students hands-on learning experience in designing, building, and testing competitive vehicles. Through RFN’s sponsorship, students also gain exposure to the use of ethanol in high-performance engines—seeing firsthand what renewable fuel can do on the track. That kind of practical, real-world experience connects classroom learning to the industries students may one day join.
Investing in Long-Term Growth
Together, these initiatives reflect a simple idea: RFN’s work extends beyond legislative advocacy. By investing in research, market development, education, and workforce development, RFN is helping strengthen Nebraska’s ethanol industry today while laying the groundwork for long-term growth.
RFN’s approach also reflects the collaborative spirit of Nebraska’s bioeconomy. Its work with the Nebraska Ethanol Board, research partners, fuel retailers, and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln shows how industry, public partners, and academic institutions can work together to create shared value for the state.
RFN welcomes conversations with Bio Nebraska members and partners interested in the future of renewable fuels in Nebraska.
To learn more about RFN’s work or explore ways to collaborate, visit renewablefuelsne.org to get in touch.
