Growth Energy repeats ethanol plant tour offer to Gore
In Washington, in response to the repudiation of first generation ethanol by former Vice-President Al Gore, who attributed his previous support to a desire to win votes in the US Midwest, Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis repeated an invitation to the former vice president to visit a modern ethanol plant. Gore, who changed his public position on US-produced corn ethanol in remarks this week, spurned an offer last spring to undertake a visit to a modern facility.
“The contributions of first generation ethanol to our nation’s economy, environment and energy production are not a mistake, but a success story,” said Growth Energy CEO Tom Buis. “Earlier this year, we invited former Vice President Al Gore to visit a modern day ethanol plant to see firsthand what America’s grain ethanol industry has done, and what it can do, for our country given greater access to an open market. Our offer still stands.”
“Mr. Vice President, what you may not realize is that ethanol is the commercially viable alternative to oil that we have today,” wrote Buis in a new letter to the former Vice President. “Every day, America’s ethanol producers are developing technological improvements to increase efficiency, reduce water use, and boost the amount of energy derived from grain and from cellulosic biomass. Ethanol is more energy efficient to produce than conventional gasoline; for every one Btu put into creating ethanol, there is a 2.3 Btu return.
“Mr. Vice President, my original offer still stands. I invite you to visit any one of the 67 ethanol plants across the country that are members of Growth Energy, to see for yourself what grain ethanol has done – and what it has the potential to do – for our country.”
Category: Policy
