January 25, 2007- Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG) Director Robert W. Swanson announced today that three service stations will receive $28,000 in incentives to install refueling equipment to provide ethanol (E85) or biodiesel (B20) fuel.  These incentives are part of a larger effort underway to increase the availability of bio-based renewable transportation fuels across Michigan. 

"Growing our alternative energy sector and encouraging the use of ethanol and biodiesel is a key part of our plan to diversify Michigan's economy," Granholm said.  "These stations will ensure alternative fuels are available to Michigan businesses and citizens and get us one step closer to achieving our goal of having 1,000 biofuel pumps across the state by 2008.  One thousand biofuel pumps give the state 1,000 more opportunities to grow our alternative energy economy and reduce our dependence on foreign oil."

Service station owners receiving the incentives have agreed to complete their installation and begin dispensing E85 and/or B20 fuel to the public by August 31, 2007.  The following stations are receiving incentives:       

·      WOW Utica & Groesbeck - $12,000, (Fraser)

·      Wesco, Inc. - $12,000, (Lakeview)

·      Imperial Co., Inc./Next Door Store #56 - $4,000, (Traverse City)

Two service stations that received incentives in September are already dispensing B20 to the public and construction at two other stations is nearing completion and owners expect to be offering E85 to customers in early February.  Randy's Service Station in Fowlerville and Scharf's Service & Fuel Oil in Center Line are selling B20 to fleets and the public. Additionally Kelly Fuels in Albion and Group Center, Inc. in Southfield are expected to offer E85 to all customers in just a few weeks. 

Swanson announced today that the Biofuels Infrastructure Incentive program still has funding available for public station owners throughout Michigan to install or convert fueling equipment to ethanol (E85) or biodiesel (B20).  The cash incentives range up to $3,000 per station for converting equipment to E85 or B20; up to $4,000 for installing new equipment to dispense B20; or $12,000 for E85.  For more information or to apply for the incentives, service station owners can contact NextEnergy Center in Detroit or Clean Energy Coalition in Ypsilanti.    

Funding for the Biofuel Infrastructure Incentive Program was made available through a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (www.energy.gov).  The program is administered by the DLEG Energy Office, (www.michigan.gov/energyoffice) in cooperation with the Michigan Strategic Fund.

Contacts:
Tim Shireman, Energy Office Project Manager (517-241-6281, tashire@michigan.gov)
Jan Patrick, Energy Office Supervisor (517-241-6153, jpatri@michigan.gov)
Dan Radomski, NextEnergy Center (313-833-0100, darn@nextenergy.org)
Sean Reed, Clean Energy Coalition (734-717-1455, reed@cec-mi.org)