Renewable Fuels Nebraska

What Renewable Fuels Nebraska does

Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) is a private, Nebraska-based trade association organized as a limited liability company that serves as the unified voice for Nebraska's ethanol industry. The association represents 17+ ethanol producer members operating 24 production plants that collectively produce 2.2 billion gallons of ethanol annually — ranking Nebraska second nationally in U.S. ethanol production and making it the largest producer west of the Missouri River. RFN also serves 80+ associate member organizations spanning the broader ethanol supply chain, including technology vendors (Whitefox Technologies, Fluid Quip Technologies, ICM Inc), enzyme companies (IFF, BASF), financial institutions (CoBank, Farm Credit Services of America), and professional services firms. The ethanol industry supported by RFN generates more than $6 billion in annual economic output for Nebraska, directly employs more than 1,400 people, and represents more than $1.4 billion in capital investment across the state's 24 plants.

RFN's core offering is membership in a trade association that delivers advocacy representation, policy engagement, and industry networking rather than a technology product. Membership tiers include Producer Members and Associate Members, with benefits encompassing legislative access, quarterly meetings, an annual legislative dinner, real-time industry updates, and recognition through newsletters, social media, and the website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective members contact RFN directly or submit an inquiry via a Google Form on the website. The association is operated by a core staff of three (Executive Director Dawn Caldwell, Director of Operations Traci Menke, and Executive Assistant Kate Littrel) from its headquarters at 1327 H. Street, Suite 103, Lincoln, Nebraska, and is governed by an elected board of directors drawn from member companies.

RFN's strategic agenda is anchored in five policy priorities: securing permanent year-round E15 sales access, defending Renewable Fuel Standard volumes, capturing 45Z clean fuel production tax credit benefits, enabling carbon capture and storage partnerships, and opposing electric-vehicle mandates that threaten ethanol demand. The association works directly with Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, the Nebraska Legislature, and the state's federal congressional delegation, and has secured concrete outcomes including passage of LB562 (E15 Access Standard), the 2025 emergency summer E15 waiver, the March 2026 EPA National Fuel Waiver, and co-plaintiff status in litigation against California's Clean Truck Partnership. RFN also convenes technology adoption across its membership, connecting producers with low-carbon-intensity technologies (membrane dehydration, low-energy distillation, sustainable feedstock verification) to position Nebraska ethanol for emerging low-carbon fuel markets.

Name

Renewable Fuels Nebraska

Legal name

Renewable Fuels Nebraska, LLC

Website

https://renewablefuelsne.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Renewable Fuels Nebraska is a private Lincoln-based trade association representing 17+ ethanol producer members and 80+ associate members across Nebraska's ethanol industry, which produces 2.2 billion gallons annually and ranks 2nd nationally. RFN delivers advocacy, policy representation, and networking rather than technology products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Association / Industry Advocacy

NAICS

Biomass Electric Power Generation (221117)

SIC

Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900)

akta.pro primary industry

Grain & Sugar-Based Ethanol Production (EUAAAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Carbon Neutrality/Claims Strategy & Communications (claims substantiation, greenwashing risk) (EUABAKAK)

Keywords

• Ethanol trade association
• Biofuels advocacy
• Renewable fuel policy
• Agriculture industry group
• Ethanol industry representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: RFN generates revenue through membership dues paid by ethanol producer members and associate members (equipment vendors, service providers, financial institutions, technology companies, and industry organizations). Membership tiers include Producer Members and Associate Members, with benefits such as advocacy representation, legislative access, quarterly meetings, networking events, industry updates, and recognition.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) is a statewide trade association serving as the unified voice for Nebraska's ethanol industry. It operates as a membership-based organization that provides advocacy representation, legislative engagement, quarterly meetings, networking events, and industry updates to ethanol producer members and associate members across the state. RFN does not produce or sell ethanol itself; rather, it represents the interests of its members in policy, regulatory, and market access matters.

Product overview

Renewable Fuels Nebraska (RFN) is a statewide trade association serving as the unified voice for Nebraska's ethanol industry. Rather than a technology product company, RFN offers membership-based services including industry advocacy, policy representation, networking events, and member recognition. The association does not operate a software product but provides member benefits such as quarterly meetings, legislative engagement, and industry updates to ethanol producers and associate members across Nebraska.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership in Renewable Fuels Nebraska RFN membership provides advocacy representation for Nebraska's ethanol industry, networking opportunities through quarterly meetings, annual legislative dinner, real-time industry updates, and committee participation. Membership tiers include Producer Members (ethanol biorefineries) and Associate Members (equipment vendors, technology providers, financial institutions, and service companies).
• Quarterly Meetings and Member Events RFN holds quarterly meetings (Q3, Q4), an annual Legislative Dinner, and member appreciation nights featuring policy updates, industry trend forecasts, keynote speakers, and networking opportunities for ethanol producers and associate members.
• Policy Advocacy and Legislative Representation RFN advocates on behalf of the Nebraska ethanol industry with the state legislature, Governor, and Nebraska's federal congressional delegation on issues including year-round E15 sales, Renewable Fuel Standard volumes, low-carbon fuel standards (45Z tax credit, California LCFS), carbon capture policy, and opposition to electric vehicle mandates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nebraska's ethanol industry produces 2.2 billion gallons annually from 24 plants, ranking 2nd nationally
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Whitefox TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 19 February 2026Whitefox Technologies partnered with Chief Ethanol (an RFN producer member) to install Whitefox ICE XL membrane dehydration technology at the Hastings, NE facility. Whitefox also announced a new ICE project at Husker Ag (RFN member) in Plainview, NE. Whitefox's membrane technology reduces energy consumption in ethanol dehydration, enabling producers to better prepare for 45Z low-carbon fuel markets.
• Fluid Quip TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 19 February 2026Fluid Quip Technologies serves as the primary engineering, integration, and construction partner for Chief Ethanol's Hastings facility modernization, delivering its proprietary Low Energy Distillation (LED) technology. Chief Ethanol intentionally assembled a best-in-class technology partnership with Fluid Quip Technologies and Whitefox Technologies to redefine ethanol plant design and operation.
• Tallgrass EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 November 2025RFN members (including numerous ethanol companies) partnered with Tallgrass Energy on carbon capture and storage operations along the Trailblazer Pipeline. Tallgrass announced a historic partnership with ADM in Columbus, NE to transport CO2 from ADM's ethanol plant for long-term storage, lowering the carbon score of ethanol products. RFN highlighted this as a key development for Nebraska's ethanol industry in 2026.
• BASFminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 February 2025RFN Executive Director Dawn Caldwell attended BASF's Biofuels Summit at the BASF Center for Sustainable Agriculture, alongside 60+ representatives from renewable fuels, sustainability, and agriculture industries. The summit discussed climate-smart agriculture coupling with value chains for biofuels, sustainable aviation fuels, and chemicals.
• Nebraska Legislature and Governor PillencoreOthersRFN works alongside the Nebraska Legislature, Governor Jim Pillen, and state leadership to promote and protect Nebraska's ethanol industry. Governor Pillen signed LB562 creating the E15 Access Standard and has publicly supported EPA waivers for E15 year-round sales.
• Nebraska Congressional Delegation (Rep. Adrian Smith, Rep. Mike Flood, Rep. Don Bacon, Sen. Deb Fischer, Sen. Pete Ricketts)coreOthersRFN works closely with Nebraska's federal representatives to advance biofuels policy. Rep. Adrian Smith has been a tireless advocate for year-round E15, introducing the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act. Sen. Deb Fischer introduced the Senate companion bill S. 2707. RFN expresses gratitude for the leadership of the entire delegation on E15 and Renewable Fuel Standards.
• Chief Ethanol FuelscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChief Ethanol Fuels (RFN producer member) partnered with Whitefox Technologies and Fluid Quip Technologies to modernize its Hastings, NE ethanol facility with membrane-based dehydration and low-energy distillation technology. Wayne Garrett serves as Vice President of RFN and General Manager of Chief Ethanol.
• Husker AgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHusker Ag (RFN producer member) partnered with Whitefox Technologies to install the Whitefox ICE membrane system, enabling capacity increases and reduced natural gas consumption. CEO Seth Harder serves as RFN Board Member and highlights 45Z period returns as a key driver.
• ADM (Archer Daniels Midland)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerADM's Columbus, NE ethanol plant is partnered with Tallgrass Energy for carbon capture and storage along the Trailblazer Pipeline. CO2 from the plant is transported for safe long-term storage, lowering the carbon intensity of ADM's ethanol and opening new markets. Rachel Geilenfeld serves as ADM's RFN Board Member.
• Renewable Fuels Association (RFA)minorOthersRFA is a national trade association for the ethanol industry. RFN members interact with RFA through industry events, policy coordination, and shared advocacy on federal issues like the Renewable Fuel Standard and E15 legislation.
• Growth EnergyminorOthersGrowth Energy is a national biofuels advocacy organization. RFN works in coordination with Growth Energy on federal E15 and Renewable Fuel Standard advocacy. Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor has issued statements supporting RFN's policy positions.
• Energy Marketers of AmericaminorOthersEnergy Marketers of America joined as co-plaintiff with Nebraska Attorney General Hilgers in the lawsuit challenging California's Clean Truck Partnership. RFN was also a co-plaintiff, demonstrating cross-industry collaboration against electric-truck mandates that would reduce ethanol fuel demand.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Growth Energy: National U.S. biofuels trade association focused on ethanol policy and market development. RFN explicitly coordinates with Growth Energy on E15 and RFS federal advocacy, making it a directly comparable peer organization.
• Minnesota Bio-Fuels Association: Minnesota state-level ethanol and biofuels trade association. Operates with the same membership-based advocacy model as RFN and represents a neighboring Midwest ethanol-producing geography.
• Iowa Renewable Fuels Association: Iowa state-level ethanol trade association. Structurally identical to RFN—membership-based, advocacy-focused, representing Iowa ethanol producers—and the most analogous state-level peer given Iowa is also a top-2 ethanol-producing state.
• American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE): National ethanol advocacy organization representing ethanol producers and supporting technology/engineering firms. Comparable membership model and policy mission centered on RFS, E15, and low-carbon fuel markets.
• Renewable Fuels Association (RFA): National U.S. trade association for the ethanol industry. Directly parallel organization to RFN but at the federal level, advocating on the same RFS, E15, and low-CI policy issues; RFN coordinates with RFA on shared advocacy.

Emerging players

• National Corn Growers Association: National commodity organization representing U.S. corn farmers. Overlaps with RFN because corn growers supply feedstock and share ethanol-demand policy interests, particularly around E15 and blend-rate expansion.
• Clean Fuels Alliance America: National trade association for biodiesel, renewable diesel, and sustainable aviation fuel producers. Adjacent low-carbon transportation fuel advocate with overlapping policy interests in 45Z, LCFS, and RFS-adjacent frameworks.

Regional players

• South Dakota Ethanol Producers Association: South Dakota state-level ethanol producer association. Same trade-association structure and corn-ethanol focus as RFN, serving producers in an adjacent Midwest ethanol-producing state.

Others

• U.S. Grains Council: International market-development organization for U.S. grain and ethanol producers. Comparable in representing the corn-ethanol value chain, but focused on export market access rather than domestic policy advocacy.
• Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo (BBI International): Industry events and media company serving the global ethanol production sector. Adjacent to RFN's mission through industry education, networking events, and technology dissemination.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RFNebraska
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/renewable-fuels-nebraska

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Renewable Fuels Nebraska