Fuel summit held at Andretti Global HQ

INDIANAPOLIS — The annual High Performance Low Carbon Liquid Fuels Summit was held at Andretti Global headquarters this year.

Stakeholders learned about the environmental benefits, economic potential and value of corn-based ethanol and soybean-based biodiesel.

Sessions included a panel of Indiana legislators, discussion about state policies and an update about sustainable aviation fuel.

Helena Jette, biofuels director at Indiana Soybean Alliance and Indiana Corn Marketing Council, gave insight during a press conference at the event.

Q: What does your job entail?

A: As biofuels director, it’s part of my role in the market development division of the organization to keep existing relationships and also look for new relationships.

With the programs we do at ICMC, I focus on ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel and now sustainable aviation fuel.

Q: In what ways can Indiana help support sustainable aviation fuel?

A: We have 15 ethanol plants in Indiana that produce over 1.4 billion gallons. Events like today really tie together the different programs we’re doing with the stakeholders we work with.

This event is geared toward the commercial stakeholder, fuel supplier and fuel retailer folks, so when they’re looking at different ways to decarbonize their fleet or infrastructure, we at ICMC and ISA have existing programs.

That networking, relationships and collaboration show that our checkoff dollars are about more than just saying we’ll promote something. For example, Andretti is using biodiesel in their trucks and medium to heavy-duty vehicles.

Q: What is your hope for the future of Indiana’s biofuel industry?

A: My hope and vision for the biofuel industry is to maintain relationships, bring on new ones, to help communicate the goals and messaging. Making sure we’re communicating with farmers. We want to make sure they know exactly where their (checkoff) dollars are going and the results.

Another area is the retail store industry, making sure they’re putting infrastructure in and supplying fuels like Unleaded 88, E15, biodiesel blends and E85.