Wisconsin AB 15: Ethanol Cuts Greenhouse Gas

Wisconsin's State legislature is considering the passage of a bill (AB 15) to mandate "that the minimum specifications for automotive gasoline must require that automotive gasoline contain not less than 9.2 percent nor more than 10 percent ethanol." In support of this bill, surveys have been conducted that provide statistics about the impact of ethanol on greenhouse gas emissions.

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Wisconsin Clean Energy News

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 14, 2005

New Study Shows Ethanol Can Cut Greenhouse Air Pollution, Increase Energy Security

Madison—Better Environmental Solutions and RENEW Wisconsin today released a new study showing ethanol from prairie grasses and corn residues or stover can reduce our reliance on risky foreign oil and cut dangerous greenhouse air pollution.

“Biofuels like ethanol can save lives, jobs and money by cutting greenhouse air pollution and helping our family farmers,” said Brett Hulsey, President of Better Environmental Solutions, an environmental consulting firm. “We have the choice to get our fuel from the risky Mideast or help our farmers produce it in the Midwest.”

In the just-published article in Environmental Science and Technology, engineers at the University of Toronto compared the life-cycle energy costs of low-sulfur reformulated gasoline and E-85 ethanol over short and medium term life-cycles in everyday driving scenarios. The research concluded that E-85 fuels created 50% less greenhouse air pollution than their RFG counterparts on the short-term (10 years) to 70% or better when assessed over medium-range timeframes (20 years).

“Apart from conservation, the most effective strategy for managing energy price volatility and reducing atmospheric pollution is to substitute locally produced biofuels for the petroleum we import,” said Michael Vickerman, Executive Director of RENEW Wisconsin. “Passing AB 15, the ethanol bill currently before the Legislature, would be a worthy milestone toward that end.”

Wisconsinites import almost $10 billion in gas and other energy sources each year, costing at least 200,000 jobs.

“The more we invest now in developing Wisconsin’s renewable energy resources, the healthier and more secure the state’s economy and citizens will be in the decades to come,” Hulsey said.

Wisconsinites import almost $10 billion in gas and other energy sources each year, costing at least 200,000 jobs.

BetterEnvironmentalSolutions.Com is an environmental consulting firm dedicated to practical solutions today for a better tomorrow and promoting clean energy to save lives, jobs and money. RENEW Wisconsin promotes clean energy strategies to power the state’s economy in an environmentally responsible manner.

MORE INFORMATION
Brett Hulsey, President
Better Environmental Solutions
Brett@BetterEnvironmentalSolutions.com
608.334.4994

Michael Vickerman
Executive Director
RENEW Wisconsin
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
608.255.4044