Making alt fuels work

A Nebraska-based company, Dial Energy Corp., is planning on building an ethanol plant in Illinois. In and of itself, that's not particularly newsworthy here in CT. But I noticed that they're considering running the ethanol plant off of a biodiesel plant (Peoria Journal Star, by Kevin Sampier). Dial Energy plans to:

"build the 100-million-gallon ethanol plant on 300 acres near Abingdon(Illinois). Company President Travis Taylor said the site also could host a 50-million-gallon biodiesel plant."

But back to just the ethanol plant... here's an example of how moving to alt fuels could help CT... Dial Energy's President, Travis Taylor said:

"the plants would mean an economic boost for the area. About 45 to 50 jobs that would pay $40,000 annually would be created from the project. Taxes paid by the company would fund the local school districts and farmers would have another buyer for corn."

And of course there's all the other benefits... cleaner environment, better health due to a cleaner environment, curbing sprawl and a reduced dependence on mideast oil... among other benefits.

I'll have to bring this up when the Council sits down with P&Z to discuss changes to the town's Plan of Conservation & Development.

Tim White
Town Council, 4th District