Iowa turns a quarter of America’s corn into fuel — and rents its wind to Google, Microsoft, Meta and Apple
- 28% of all US ethanol production
- 63% of Iowa’s own electricity comes from wind — the highest share of any state
- Four of the world’s biggest tech companies run data centers here
- The Hawkeye State, 29th to join the Union (1846)
How Iowa’s digital economy grew
Iowa becomes the 29th state
Admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846.
America’s ethanol engine
Iowa is the #1 corn-producing state by a wide margin — 2.63 billion bushels in 2024, a record yield — and that surplus feeds 42 ethanol refineries with more than 5 billion gallons of annual capacity. Iowa produced 4.6 billion gallons of ethanol in 2025, 28% of the entire US supply and more than any other state.
Renting out the wind
Wind turbines generated 63% of Iowa’s electricity in 2024, the highest share of any state, and Iowa ranks #2 nationally in installed wind capacity behind only Texas. That cheap power, plus a naturally cool climate for server cooling, has pulled four of the world’s biggest tech companies into Iowa since 2007.
Google — Council Bluffs
Nearly $6 billion invested since breaking ground in 2007.
Microsoft — West Des Moines
Six data-center campuses, $5–6 billion invested, over 3.2 million square feet.
Meta — Altoona
Over $2.5 billion invested, now more than 5 million square feet.
How Iowa businesses buy websites
The data centers and grain terminals get the attention, but most of Iowa’s businesses are the trades, farms and shops serving Des Moines and towns across the rest of the state.
Trades and home services
Iowa is mostly small towns outside Des Moines — say plainly which ones you actually serve.
Agriculture and B2B services
Suppliers to Iowa’s farming economy benefit from being specific about what they handle.
Professional services
Des Moines is a genuine insurance hub — clarity on your specialty matters here.
How well do you know Iowa’s digital economy?
3 quick questions. Get all 3 right and you win a 10% off discount code. Every answer is somewhere on this page.
Iowa quiz · 1 of 3
What share of all US ethanol does Iowa produce?
Why FastSites works here
A state that turned corn into fuel and wind into a global tech asset understands the value of a practical, well-built basic. A clear one-page site, live in days, at a published price, is that same instinct for a small business.