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NCERC expansion seen as investment in the future of ag

The executive director of the Illinois Corn Growers Association says expanding the National Corn to Ethanol Research Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is monumental for the industry.

Rodney Weinzierl says the organization’s $2 million investment into the project is an opportunity to further boost corn demand.

“Look at the cost and the efficiency gains that have happened in the ethanol industry to take about $1.80 away from the differential between gas and ethanol.”  He says, “This facility helped to do that.”

SIUE Chancellor Dr. James T. Minor says doubling the size of the Center will allow not only the development of new technologies, but also the ability to scale them up to explore commercialization.

“There were biomanufacturing products and contracts interested in working with NCERC and we could not take them due to limited capacity.”  He says, “So, you just think about that idea, that something could have been stalled in development because we couldn’t take it.”

Illinois State Senator Doris Turner, chair of the Senate Ag Committee, says the state’s $15 million commitment is an investment in the future of agriculture.

“That will connect Illinois agriculture with the next generation of energy, manufacturing, and technology.”  She says, “More uses for corn can mean more opportunities for Illinois farmers, strengthening our agricultural economy even more.”

Design work for the expansion is underway.  A timeline for construction has not been announced.