The U.S. Department of Energy on Aug. 28 released its annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report, which shows jobs in corn ethanol, woody biomass, and other types of biofuel all increased in 2023. Corn ethanol employment was up 2% last year, and is expected to grow an additional 1.6% in 2024.
According to the report, the U.S. corn ethanol industry employed 35,860 workers last year, with woody biomass workers at 34,542, other ethanol at 21,598 and other biofuels at 19,814. All four categories experienced employment increases in both 2022 and 2023.
The DOE reported that corn ethanol employment grew by 2% between 2022 and 2023, with the largest gains in the agriculture and forestry industry.
Approximately 31% of the corn ethanol workforce is female, higher than the average of 26% for the energy workforce. The overall U.S. workforce is 47% female.
Veterans made up 16% of the corn ethanol fuels workplace, a higher concentration than the 9% energy workforce average and more than triple the national workforce average of 5%.
Of the 34,542 workers employed by the corn ethanol sector last year, 16,526 worked in agriculture and forestry, 9,462 worked in manufacturing, 6,875 worked in wholesale trade, 2,889 worked in professional and businesses services, and 108 worked in other services. The vast majority of employees across all these industries said hiring was either very difficult or somewhat difficult last year.
A full copy of the report is available on the DOE website.
