This week, while ethanol industry leaders gather in Minneapolis for the Fuel Ethanol Workshop (FEW), Growth Energy reiterated its ongoing commitment to support the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), identifying the critical benefits associated with it, while simultaneously continuing its campaign to promote E15, a lower cost, domestically produced fuel. “The RFS is the only comprehensive energy policy adopted in the last forty years that has had a meaningful impact on reducing our addiction to foreign oil, and the facts prove this cannot be disputed,” stated Tom Buis, CEO of Growth Energy. “When the RFS was implemented in 2005, America was importing over 60 percent of its oil. As a result of increased ethanol production, supported by the RFS, in 2011 that number was reduced to 45 percent – further proof ethanol is substantially reducing our dependence on foreign oil.”
The RFS is only in its beginning stages and has shown tremendous promise. The ethanol industry is on the cusp of the second generation of biofuels, and innovative new technologies are rapidly advancing capabilities; the potential to reinvest in America, create good paying jobs and enhance our energy security is abundant. Additionally, increasing consumer access to E15 will continue to boost ethanol production, while simultaneously proving consumers with more choices, including lower prices at the pump.
Among Growth Energy’s top priorities:
- Rigorous defense of the Renewable Fuel Standard and the volume goals it has set for 2022;
- Continued education and awareness of the benefits of E15;
- Continued advocacy and promotion of Flex Fuel pumps and Flex Fuel vehicles;
- Getting the facts straight and connecting directly with the media and general public to correct misinformation and distortions about the ethanol industry and E15;
- A national commercial campaign, to be launched June 8, to promote E15 awareness, which includes a sweepstakes, in conjunction with American Ethanol, offering exciting prizes;
- Continued advocacy at the Federal and State levels for policy and regulations; and,
- Educate Federal and State lawmakers, as well as Administration officials on the economic, national security and environmental benefits of the increased use of ethanol.
“What Growth Energy and the ethanol industry are doing is simple – through American innovation; we are creating and supporting more than 500,000 good paying jobs that cannot be outsourced, contributing approximately $50 billion to our nation’s gross domestic product, while providing consumers with a cheaper alternative to foreign oil, not to mention the clear national security benefits of reducing our dependence on foreign oil and the clear environmental benefits of a cleaner burning fuel,” Buis concluded.
Source: Growth Energy