New Ethanol Powered Diesel Engine Expected to Boost Corn Demand

Oct 18, 2021

By Rhiannon Branch

A new modified diesel engine capable of running on any decarbonized liquid fuel is expected to significantly increase demand for corn ethanol.

BJ Johnson, co-founder and CEO of ClearFlame Engine Technologies based in Geneva, IL tells Brownfield they can take a traditional heavy duty diesel engine for a semi or tractor and get it to run on ethanol with no loss of performance.

“There are about 4 million semi trucks on the road in the United States and every 1% or about every 40,000 trucks or so would require another billion gallons of ethanol. Of course, ClearFlame won’t go from our first two trucks to 40,000 over night but I think we are only a few years away from being able to reach those higher levels.”

He says funding from corn checkoff programs in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas will help them do an initial truck demonstration on their Cummins X15 engine later this year and then expand to another engine line for ag equipment.

Johnson says while there is intimidation from electric vehicles and related legislation in this arena, it is important to remember that EV’s are not a silver bullet.

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Video: Veteran Farmers: A Legacy of Service in Rural America

Veterans Day is a time to honor the men and women who have selflessly protected our freedoms and values. And for some, the transition from military service to civilian life brings them back to the farm.

At Farm Bureau, we believe it’s important to not only celebrate veterans but also those who continue to make a difference in agriculture and their community. We've partnered with Farm Credit to establish the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence to shine a light on those who have continued to go above and beyond to serve their communities.

This year, we recognize retired Colonel Joe Ricker as the inaugural Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence winner. Joe served over 30 years in the Army before retiring from the Pentagon and completing tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Since leaving the Army, his commitment to excellence in farming and enriching the lives of veterans has blossomed in a myriad of ways in both his local community of Wilkinson, Indiana, and across the country. Joe grows apples and raises bees on his farm in Indiana. Joe founded “Veterans IN Farming,” an organization, now with more than 1,100 members, dedicated to providing veterans in Indiana with the tools and training to succeed in agriculture.

The American Farm Bureau Federation is an independent, non-governmental, voluntary organization, comprised of and directed by farm and ranch families who engage in all types of food, fuel and fiber production.