The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Small Business held a hearing Thursday on the impact of renewable energy production on rural America.
Among those who testified was Renewable Fuels Association president Bob Dinneen, who told the committee that ethanol production is providing a dramatic economic stimulus in rural America.
“The production of ethanol has sparked new capital investment and economic development in rural communities across America,” said Dinneen. “Farmer-owned ethanol plants account for half of the U.S. fuel ethanol plants and almost 40 percent of industry capacity. In fact, the National Farmers Union recently released the findings of a study they commissioned by the University of Missouri on the concentration of agricultural markets. The study showed an increased concentration in every industry except ethanol production. The study also found that ethanol production is the only agricultural sector in which concentration has steadily decreased.”
Dinneen added that, ccording to RFA’s analysis, a 100 million gallon ethanol facility will generate $406 million for the local economy and increase the size of the state economy by $223 million.
“The Greening of Racing: Ethanol Powers the Indianapolis 500″ will be the topic at the 
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On May 16, POET will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for POET Biorefining – Marion, located in north central Ohio about 50 miles north of Columbus. When complete, the plant will produce 65 million gallons of ethanol a year from 21 million bushels of corn.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will provide up to $200 million, over five years to support the development of small-scale cellulosic biorefineries in the United States. 
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Some student designs are proposing that windmills, such as the one shown on the left, would be built above the nation’s highways. As cars whooshed by, the wind would turn the turbines and produce electricity. Proponents say its a way to produce green energy, even when the original source is not so green.