The Centralina Clean Fuels Coalition (CCFC), Centralina Economic Development Commission, NC State Energy Office and NC Biotechnology Center sponsored a workshop titled Ethanol Roundtable: Building a Sustainable Ethanol Industry in NC on Thursday, July 31 in Mooresville. Attendance totaled about 65 participants.

According to the CCFC, the Renewable Fuel Standard in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will require 9.0 billion gallons of renewable fuel across the U.S. starting in 2008, with the amount increasing to 36 billion gallons in 2022. Ultimately 21 billion gallons per year will be cellulosic ethanol. Over the 2005 to 2006 fiscal year, North Carolina saw a drop in public retail consumption from 4.4 million gallons of E100 to 1.9, while public entities increased their use by about 200% during the same time. The Ethanol Roundtable sought to identify what drivers are behind trends like this and so many others that are intricately woven with far reaching geo-political fluctuations.

Speakers included Mooresville Mayor Bill Thunberg and representatives from the following organizations: Clean Vehicle Education Foundation; Novozymes North America Inc.; United Energy; Clean Vehicle Education Foundation; Southern Pump & Tank; Greater Charlotte Office North Carolina Biotechnology Center; and the North Carolina Biofuels Center.

To view speaker presentations, click here.

Photo above is that of Steve Childers, Industrial Division Manager for Southern Pump & Tank Co.