The Green Mountain State has taken its first step to being a green fuel state as Vermont gets its first biodiesel mixing plant.
This story on the WPTZ-TV (Plattsburgh, NY) web site says it opened at the Robinson Oil Terminal at Essex Junction, Vermont:
The Robinson Oil Terminal makes biodiesel by mixing traditional home heating oil with vegetable oil.
The fuel will be sold to area oil companies.
Biofuel is more expensive than traditional fuel, anywhere from 4 to 15 a gallon.
Netaka White of the Biofuels Associations said consumers will understand that the offset to the environment is worth the extra cost.
“People understand the choice is there and we have to do something to make a difference and this is one way to do it,” White said.
Robinson Oil Terminal owner Fred Oeschger said he understands it may take time for consumers to come around to biofuel, but he believes it’s worth it.
“It’s new, but it’s needed,” Oeschger said. “We’re trying to work with the environment and keep Vermont green and this is a good start.”
The area will start slowly, using just a two percent blend. But promoters of the biofuel hope its a start in the right direction.
Developer Smiling Earth Energy LLC and landowner David Peck continue to have different takes on the status of the deal. Peck has said the company defaulted on its purchase agreement after missing two key payments and that the property, in the city’s South Norfolk section, is back on the market.
The Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee is Collin Peterson who represents Minnesota’s 7th Congressional District. He took the stage here today at the ACE Convention.
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty just finished speaking here at the ACE Convention.
Right now Minnesota Governor, Tim Pawlenty is speaking here at the ACE Convention.
Breakfast was in the trade show here at the ACE convention. 
The 
Hello from the 
A potential big producer of Ohio ethanol is Greater Ohio Ethanol, LLC (see its proposed plant picture on the left), which received $85.5 million in state incentives to get going. It’s part of $450 million in government loans and state-backed incentives to get the industry off the ground in Ohio.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has agreed to buy 15 million gallons of biodiesel this year… and another 18 million gallons a year for the next four years… to run some of its cruise ships from Seattle-based biodiesel giant Imperium Renewables.
“We believe this is the single-largest long-term biodiesel sales contract to an end user in the U.S.,” the company said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.