When the Colorado Governor’s E85 Coalition was formed at the end of 2005 there were only ten E85 fueling stations available in the state.
“We’re at 20 now and by the end of the year we expect to have over 50,” says Gerry Harrow, president of the coalition. “So, we’ve had some great success in a very short time.”
Harrow says with the election of Bill Ritter as governor of the state last year, the coalition’s mission has been expanded beyond E85 and is now known as the Biofuels Coalition.
“He asked us to expand our focus into also putting out biodiesel infrastructure,” said Harrow. “So, we added that just recently, within the last month, to our mission.”
The Biofuels Coalition in Colorado includes representatives from the automobile industry, government, retailers, biofuels producers, petroleum marketers and agriculture. Harrow thinks Colorado’s model can be used in other states.
“Each state has its own unique needs and situation, but some of the things we have done here could help other states,” he said. “One of the things we are doing is working with NREL (the National Renewable Energy Lab) to publish a document that discusses the successes we have had and how we came to those successes and some of the things maybe a coalition would need to do to get started.”
Listen to an interview with Gerry about the coalition and their successes: [audio:http://www.zimmcomm.biz/ethanol/colorado-e85-harrow.mp3]
Photo Credit: Zach Ornitz/Aspen Daily News
As livestock producers continue to voice concerns about rising feed costs, proposed “transition assistance” for farmers to grow dedicated energy crops was introduced this week in legislation sponsored by Senators Tom Harkin (D-IA) Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Kent Conrad (D-SD). 
Harkin, chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, said in a 
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Detroit might have built its business on the gasoline engine, but biodiesel has gained an important foothold there.