• Home
  • News
    • Politics / Govt
    • Legislature
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
    • Archives
  • Sports
    • Badgers
    • Packers
      • Titletown Report
    • Brewers
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support

Wisconsin Radio Network

Wisconsin News and Sports

You are here: Home / Business / Defending ethanol subsidies

Defending ethanol subsidies

November 18, 2010 By Bob Hague

News that U.S. produced ethanol is now being exported has led to calls for an end to federal subsidies for the industry, but supporters say subsidies ought to be continued. Madison based environmental consultant Brett Hulsey said it’s important to realize that while corn-based ethanol is subsidized, it’s not as if petroleum based gasoline isn’t. “Depending on who you listen to, it’s subsidized anywhere from $1.00 to $3.00 per gallon,” said Hulsey, who was recently elected to the state Assembly. “Oil has massive subsidies, and as we saw with oil washing up on the Gulf all summer long, it’s a very dirty fuel.”

Josh Morby with the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance said Wisconsin’s nine ethanol plants can help reduce the state’s dependence on imported oil. “It’s important to recognize that we’re not on a level playing field, and that the oil industry continues to be heavily subsidized, and the subsidies for the biofuel industry are necessary in order for them to compete,” said Morby. “The investments we have made in ethanol to date have yielded about the same amount of fuel as we import from Saudi Arabia every year” said Hulsey. “So that’s been a pretty good investment in more energy independence.” 

Wisconsin is home to nine ethanol plants, and Morby said some of them are certainly exporting fuel. “It’s really so hard to track just given where it’s blended, when it’s blended and where it actually ends up. But I think there’s no doubt that a lot of the Wisconsin produced fuel ends up out of the state and very well could end up out of the country.”

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Business, Environment / Conservation



Featured Stories

House passed gun purchase background check bills last year with no support from Wisconsin Republicans

Future of abortion in Wisconsin hinges on SCOTUS ‘Roe’ decision

Juvenile arrested in connection with death of Lily Peters

Missing Chippewa Falls girl found dead, police seek suspect

Medical marijuana legislation gets public hearing at Capitol

TwitterFacebook

Sports Headlines

Giannis breaks franchise scoring record, Bucks beat Nets in OT

Wisconsin’s Davis declares for NBA Draft

Badgers to face Arizona State in Las Vegas Bowl

Williams likely out for the season with broken hand

Packers releasing TE Jace Sternberger

More Sports

Tweets by @WRN

Get our news delivered to your inbox:

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Copyright © 2022 · Learfield News & Ag, LLC