September 16, 2010
Ethanol efforts accelerated
U.S. House Ag Committee chambers this week served as the backdrop for an unusual event: ethanol industry observance of the international OPEC oil cartel’s 50th anniversary. Jeff Broin, CEO of top ethanol company and prospective cellulosic biofuels producer Poet Inc., argued “the next 50 years don’t have to be the like the last 50.
” With an expanded national commitment, “we can replace OPEC oil with American ethanol in 12 years,” Broin suggested.
During a Washington news conference, the ethanol group Growth Energy anticipated the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would approve its request to approve use of E15 in conventional vehicles.
Illinois Farm Bureau Leaders to Washington meanwhile lobbied bipartisan lawmakers to support extension of the ethanol blenders tax credit, which expires Dec. 31.
Growth Energy supports credit extension as well as new federal incentives for installation of retail “blender pumps” that offer consumers a range of ethanol fuels and mandated E85-capable “flex-fuel” vehicle production. “Had we invested 50 years ago in the infrastructure and fuels necessary to make this country less dependent on foreign oil, we wouldn’t be in the economic shape we’re in today,” Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis told FarmWeek. “We’re spending $300 billion (annually) for U.S. resources that go overseas for our addiction to foreign oil. We know we can do better.”
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson earlier assured Growth Energy leaders “everything is still on track” toward a fall E15 decision, Buis said. Department of Energy (DOE) testing of E15 in 2007 and newer models should be complete this month, with 2001 and later model tests expected in November, she said.
EPA stands by proposals for two-tiered E15 approval for older and newer vehicles despite Growth Energy’s push to clear use in “all vehicles and all gasoline engines” (DOE reportedly is struggling to find older cars with low mileage that can undergo extensive E15 tests).
“There’s no reason we can’t raise that mixture immediately,” Rock Island Democrat Rep. Phil Hare nonetheless told Leaders to Washington.
Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, was confident Congress would approve tax extenders legislation including continuation of the 45-cent-per-gallon ethanol tax credit. Rep. Jerry Costello, a Belleville Democrat, held extenders legislation “has to be done,” and anticipated a bill could reach the House floor within the next two weeks. While the ethanol credit has drawn fire from some urban and oil state lawmakers, Hare is seeing a “flip” in legislative attitudes amid fallout from the recent Gulf oil spill. The current challenge, Costello said, is timely Senate approval of ....
