Governor’s Support for renewable energy encourages local company

WATERLOO, Wis. – July 7, 2006 – Wisconsin’s BioIndustry Consortium report and the governor’s visionary support for homegrown renewable energy is welcome news for the state’s biofuels industry according to executives at a company planning to build a major biodiesel manufacturing facility in the state.

Governor Doyle today released a report from the BioIndustry Consortium and outlined a broad vision for Wisconsin's energy independence that includes capturing at least 10 percent of the nation's emerging bio-based economy.

According to Jeff Pieterick, Vice President of North Prairie Productions LLC, “The work of the Bioindustry Consortium shows that our tradition of mixing sound environmental stewardship with good business development is alive and well in Wisconsin. North Prairie Productions is excited and pleased to play a leading role in helping to establish biodiesel production in Wisconsin as a key component to the Governor’s renewable fuels initiative.

North Prairie Productions currently has an office in Waterloo, Wis., and is planning a major biodiesel manufacturing facility for southern Wisconsin that will be capable of making up to 45 million gallons of biodiesel per year. Biodiesel is a non-toxic, renewable fuel made primarily from soybeans.

“Wisconsin has done remarkably well developing an ethanol industry and we’re excited to take it one step further towards broadening the state’s biofuels industry by expanding it to include biodiesel production and whatever else there is to come,” relates Pieterick.

“Biodiesel is a safe, domestically produced, renewable alternative to petroleum diesel that can help meet our energy needs while also helping improve air quality, especially in cities,” says Pieterick. “When made from soybean oil, as most of this nation’s biodiesel is, it is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel that is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.”

As a pure fuel, biodiesel contains no petroleum but it is typically blended with petroleum diesel to create biodiesel blends from five percent (B-5) to 20 percent (B-20). Biodiesel is safe for any modern compression-ignition, diesel engine without modification.
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According to Pieterick, state leadership’s commitment to renewable energy is one of the main reasons North Prairie Productions chose to remain in Wisconsin rather than look elsewhere for a site for their biodiesel plant.

“A few states, such as Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota, offer greater incentives in support of biodiesel production,” Pieterick states “The board of directors of North Prairie Productions, however, recognizes that Wisconsin has the resources available to establish biodiesel production as a major market contributor, both to this nation’s energy independence and to the Wisconsin economy. The Governor’s announcement today indicates that we also have the political leadership, as well, to firmly establish the biofuels industry in Wisconsin to power the next generation and many more to come.