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DOE Ethanol Workshop Series
Michigan Ethanol Workshop
Driving Michigan's Ethanol Future September 26, 2001
Radisson Hotel
111 North Grand Avenue
Lansing, Michigan Michigan Ethanol Working Group News
The Ethanol Working Group (EWG) is a coalition of public and private organizations, universities, and state agencies interested in the promotion of ethanol in Michigan.
Contact information
If you are interested in receiving the Michigan EWG News and/or have ethanol-related information you would like to submit for this publication, contact Kelly Launder, Michigan Biomass Energy Program (MBEP) Coordinator at (517) 241-6223 or by email at: klaund@michigan.gov
Additional ethanol information is available on the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan website at www.micorn.org and the Michigan Biomass Energy Program website at http://michiganbioenergy.org
Ethanol Tax Issues
At the January EWG meeting a representative from the Michigan Department of Treasury spoke to the group about the distribution flow of ethanol in Michigan, tracking of ethanol, and how fuel is taxed in Michigan. An April, 2001 statute changed state tax law on ethanol (Public Act 403 of 2000). The definition of gasoline now includes ethanol blends. Ethanol is tracked by monthly reports submitted by the 23 fuel terminals in Michigan. In Michigan ethanol is taxed the same as gasoline (19¢ per gallon) and there are currently no state tax incentives or credits.
Ethanol Plant Update
Michigan Ethanol, LLC will be announcing the placement of a General Manager in the next month or so for the Caro ethanol plant. In the second quarter of the year the plant will begin the hiring process for approximately 38 plant positions.
Additional Updates
Kettering University Develops E-85 Snowmobile
Kettering University recently completed a MBEP/DOE funded project to convert a four-stroke snowmobile to run on ethanol blends of up to 85%. Running on E-10 the snowmobile achieved emission reductions of over 97% when compared to a standard snowmobile. Researchers estimated that additional emission reductions of up to 15% can be achieved when operating the snowmobile on E-85.
Michigan Fleet Education
EWG member Andy Schneider, Energy Marketing Director for GrowMark, will be making a presentation on e-diesel, soy-diesel, and E-85 to the Michigan Department of Transportation facility mechanics during a June meeting.
Record Ethanol Production in 2001
Another record was set when U.S. ethanol production reached an all time high of 1.77 billion gallons in 2001. Production in 2002 is expected to continue to beat previous production records as almost 20 new plants are currently being constructed. (Renewable Fuels Association, Ethanol Report, 28 January 2002.)
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WORKSHOP SPONSORED BY:
- U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Fuels Development
- Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program
- Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services, Energy Office
- Michigan Department of Agriculture
- Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
- DaimlerChrysler
Program Information:
Kelly Launder
Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
(517) 323-6600
corninfo@micorn.org
http://michiganbioenergy.org
If you would like to be notified about the US DOE Ethanol Workshop Series Workshops, please provide your contact information to Anne Wester:
Anne Wester
Conference Planning Assistant
BBI International
PO Box 1146
Salida, Colorado 81201
Phone: 719-539-0300
Fax: 719-539-0301
awester@bbibiofuels.com
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Michigan Ethanol Workshop
Radisson Hotel - Lansing, MI - August 15, 2000
WORKSHOP SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS
Sponsors, Co-sponsors & Supporters
Sponsors: U.S. DOE/Regional Biomass Energy Program, Great Lakes Regional Biomass Energy Program, MI Departments of Consumer & Industry Services/Energy Office and Agriculture
Co-sponsors: Ford, GM & Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
Supporters: City of Lansing, Renewable Fuels Association and Iogen Corporation
Attendance
80 participants representing agri-producers, auto manufacturers, gasoline & oil producers/distributors, utilities, federal, state & local government, associations, MI Clean Cities, colleges, universities and research agencies and the broadcast media.
Special Announcements
New Legislation: Ban on MTBE use in Michigan as of June 1, 2003. Expansion of the urban and rural renaissance zones (designated state & local tax-free development areas) to include agricultural processing plants. The new legislation allows Agricultural Processing Zones to be established anywhere in the state and provides tax-free status for 15 years. Also, a new incentive for ethanol producers was announced -- $5 million for environmental research & value added projects will be available in FY 2001. Contact: Rep.
Larry Julian, (517) 373-0841 for details on any of the above.
In-State Production
One 40-million gallons/yr. corn-to-ethanol plant will begin construction soon. Additional investors are in the discussion/planning phase for two additional plants with a total capacity of 50-million gallons/yr.
E-85 FFVs
GM announced that all Model Year (MY) 2002, 5.3litre/V-8 Tahoe/Yukons and Suburban/Yukons will be E-85 flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs) as will the MY2003 Avalanche. Ford will announce a new E-85 sport utility vehicle (SUN) soon and the Ranger pick-up will no longer be available as a FFV after this year.
Daimler Chrysler announced that 500,000 E-85 mini-vans have been sold, approximately 50,000 in MI. Additionally their MY2001 E-85 mini-vans will be certified as meeting the EPA LEV emission standards.
New E-85 Infrastructure
Two new E-85 public refueling facilities opened -- Crystal Flash, St. Johns, just north of Lansing and Don's Windmill Truck Stop, Dimondale, just west of Lansing on I-96. The Corn Marketing Program of MI partnered on both projects and the MI Department of Consumer & Industry Services/Energy Office partnered on the Don's Truck Stop installation. The state now has six public E-85 refueling sites, two in Battle Creek, one in Detroit and 3 in the Lansing/Tri-County Area with additional sites in the planning stage.
Outcomes
Participants gave the meeting high marks, ranking its average overall quality and usefulness as 4.3 on a 5-pt. scale, with 5 being the best possible. Research developments on cellulosic feedstock for ethanol production, like sugar beet pulp and corn stover, were of high interest to the audience. The next steps include forming a public/private sector working group to draft strategies and objectives for statewide ethanol marketing and education. The group will meet on September 18 to begin developing guidelines for
stakeholders to use with various end use groups including users of automobiles, airplanes, off-road vehicles such as snowmobiles, heavy-duty buses, trucks, farm equipment and other small engine applications. This and last year's workshop played an important role in generating support for the proposed ethanol production plants, new E-85 infrastructure and follow-up marketing activities.
This workshop summary was prepared by Energy Office staff. Any feedback would be appreciated. Contact Kelly Launder at (517) 241-6223 or e-mail Jan Patrick at jan.patrick@cis.state.mi.us with your questions or comments.
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Renewable Diesel Workshops:
NREL
Goals: ..."to educate key public officials and the general public
about biodiesel as a transportation fuel" and ..."to build state and
local coalitions that would form the nuclei of a support group that
would promote and eventually lead to local biodiesel production and
use."
Ethanol Producers'
Technical Workshops:
Perspectives from ethanol producers, production technology
providers, and government researchers. Those in attendance were
given the task of exploring the challenges and opportunities
presented by combining cellulosic ethanol streams with existing
grain streams.
US DOE Ethanol Workshop Series:
A series of one-day, state-level workshops to educate key public
officials and the general public about ethanol as a transportation
fuel.
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