Several of Pawlenty’s proposals would directly impact the ethanol industry. The E85 Everywhere program would help increase the number of E85 refueling stations in the state by providing retail station owners with a grant to partially offset the cost of E85 pump installations.
The American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest’s Web site lists more than 300 Minnesota stations either offering E85 or in the process of opening E85 pumps. Pawlenty’s proposal would increase the number of pumps to 1,800 in four years, according to a press release.
The 1,800 stations could displace Minnesota’s E20 requirement that Pawlenty signed in May 2005. The E20 legislation requires 20 percent ethanol in Minnesota gasoline by 2013 unless E85 replaces an additional 10 percent of gasoline December 2010 or the EPA declines a waiver application to certify E20 as gasoline. Approximately 1,800 stations selling 200,000 gallons of E85 per year by 2010 would reach the additional 10 percent. Minnesota has required 10 percent ethanol in its gasoline since 1997.
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Pawlenty also threw additional support to cellulosic ethanol. He said financial resources should be available to assist and encourage the growth of cellulosic ethanol. “I believe this will be Minnesota’s next bio-energy home run,” he said.
The Governor also proposed the state join the Chicago Climate Exchange or a similar national registry that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from state operations. The exchange is a greenhouse gas emission registry, reduction and trading system.
Pawlenty also pushed for reductions in carbon emissions and overall energy usage in Minnesota. He said he wants Minnesotans to reduce fossil-fuel energy use by 15 percent by 2015.
He invited the Center for Climate Strategies to the state to conduct a stakeholder process and to develop a plan to aggressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota over the coming years. “Our global climate is warming, at least in part due to the energy sources we use,” Pawlenty said. “Minnesotans did not create this problem, nor can we solve it by ourselves. We need an effective national and international effort. That said, we should identify and take a number of reasonable and fair steps that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.”
Minnesota has 16 operational ethanol plants with three more under construction.
Dave Nilles is Online Editor for Ethanol Producer Magazine. Reach him at dnilles@bbibiofuels.com or (701) 373-0636.
Posted: 10:55 a.m. CST Friday, December 15, 2006
