Just in case the cost savings at the pump isn’t enough to motivate the average consumer to try a higher blend, don’t forget about the energy security and environmental benefits of America’s homegrown fuel.

Use these facts and figures the next time you get a question about ethanol’s benefits.

• At the end of 2010, the ethanol industry comprised approximately 200 plants in 26 states with a capacity of 13.8 billion gallons.
• In 2010, we made and used enough ethanol to displace the need for 445 million barrels of foreign oil.  This is the equivalent of 13 percent of total U.S. crude oil imports.
• The value of the crude oil displaced by ethanol amounted to $34 billion in 2010.
• Economic impact looks at how much the industry put into the economy in direct expenditures.
  • $1.4 billion in capital expenditure for new construction
  • $23.9 billion for ongoing production expenses
  • $1.5 billion for research and development
• The ethanol industry supported more than 400,000 jobs in all sectors of the economy in 2010.
• The economic activities of the ethanol industry put $36 billion into the pockets of Americans in 2010.
• The ethanol industry delivered $8.6 billion in federal taxes and $4.8 billion in state and local revenue in 2010.
• Using ethanol in place of gasoline helps reduce CO₂ emissions.
• In 2010, ethanol use cut greenhouse gas emissions by 21.9 million tons.  This is like removing 3.5 million vehicles from the road.
• For every unit of energy going into ethanol, 2.3 units of energy are now produced.