RII Track-2 FEC: Critical Resource Availability for the Future of the Renewable Energy Industry: Critical Minerals and Ground Water Resources in Iowa and Kansas

University Of Iowa, Iowa City IA

Investigators

Abstract

Wind energy and ethanol production are two of the largest growth industries in Iowa and Kansas, and both states have become national leaders in renewable energy over the past two decades. Iowa is the clear national leader in biofuel production and the two states are #3 and #4 in total wind energy production. Unfortunately, both industries face significant resource challenges. Wind energy is threatened by limited national supplies of critical minerals, particularly the Rare Earth Elements (REEs), and ethanol production faces limitations imposed by access to sufficient groundwater supplies required for the conversion of corn into biofuel. The two limitations, REEs and groundwater, represent two of the largest challenges facing the future of the renewable energy industry in the United States. This joint project funded by the National Science Foundation EPSCOR program and carried out in partnership between the University of Iowa, Iowa Geological Survey, University of Kansas and the Kansas Geological Survey will utilize this multisector collaboration between universities and state governmental agencies to produce data and resources that support private sector growth by providing the technical capacity and information required for sustainable growth and development of the renewable energy sector in both jurisdictions. Advancements and growth within the renewable energy industry are a priority objective of United States energy research and policy. Wind, solar, hydro-electric, geothermal, biofuels, and energy storage in batteries, are all major components of the future U.S. renewable energy portfolio, yet all face significant resource challenges to their development and deployment. Among these, wind, solar, and battery storage are threatened by limited national supplies of critical elements, particularly the Rare Earth Elements (REEs: e.g., neodymium, dysprosium, terbium, praseodymium, indium, gallium, and tellurium). Ethanol, the primary biofuel in the U.S., utilizes cheap and abundant corn as the primary feedstock. However, ethanol production also faces critical limitations imposed by access to sufficient water supplies (typically groundwater) required for bioconversion. These two limitations, REEs and groundwater, represent two of the largest challenges facing the future of the renewable energy industry in the United States. Iowa and Kansas have quietly become national leaders in renewable energy over the past two decades, particularly with respect to wind energy and ethanol production. The two states are #3 and #4 in total wind energy production for 2019 and are now #1 and #2 in wind power electric generation as a share of state total. Iowa is by far the national leader in ethanol production and Kansas is now a top ten producer as well. This joint proposal funded by the National Science Foundation EPSCOR program and carried out in partnership between the University of Iowa, Iowa Geological Survey, University of Kansas and the Kansas Geological Survey will utilize this multisector collaboration between universities and state governmental agencies to expand the technical research capabilities of both jurisdictions as well as provide fundamental research necessary to continue sustainable growth in the renewable energy sector in both jurisdictions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.