The Midwest Ag Energy Network is committed to a growing renewable energy industry and securing a significant market share of industry for locally and producer owned enterprises. Investments in biofuels, wind and biomass projects will benefit local communities. The key to retaining wealth and expanding rural opportunities is ownership. There are several factors that must align to ensure continuing opportunities for local ownership in a fast growing, robust ag energy industry. Investors need a product, a market, development capacity and investment capital. The Midwest Ag Energy Network’s Local Ownership Work Group has identified a range of key state and federal policy tools to drive steady growth in locally and producer owned ag energy project. Download the full local ownership paper, 843kb pdf or simply the executive summary, 508kb pdf.

Recent papers outline the economic benefits of locally owned ag energy projects, including wind projects and biofuels projects:

• Wind local ownership benefits
• Biofuels local ownership benefits