August 8, 2007

LANSING - In her weekly radio address, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today said the opening of Michigan's largest biodiesel manufacturing facility in Adrian next week is the latest in a series of recent alternative energy announcements that will help drive Michigan's economic transformation.  The plant, which is the result of a $20 million investment, opens August 14 and will be the first alternative energy facility to be built in one of Michigan's alternative energy renaissance zones.

"Alternative energy advancements can power our state's economic transformation and make Michigan the state that ends our nation's dependence on foreign oil," Granholm said. "So, next week, I'm looking forward to another green step forward when we cut the ribbon at NextDiesel in Adrian."

The governor's weekly radio address is released each Friday morning and may be heard on broadcast stations across the state.  The address is available on the governor's Web site (www.michigan.gov/gov) for download, as is a clip of the quote above. The radio address is also available as a podcast on the Web site, as well as on iTunes and via RSS feed for general distribution to personal MP3 players and home computers.  Links to the audio files and text of today's address follows.

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
August 10, 2007

Full Radio Address Audio: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov105_Full_205318_7.mp3
Short Clip: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/Gov105_Edit_205320_7.mp3

This is Governor Jennifer Granholm.

On Tuesday, Michigan's economy will take another green step forward.  In Adrian, I'm taking part in the ribbon cutting for Michigan's largest biodiesel manufacturing facility.

Biodiesel is a type of clean-burning fuel that's created from plants like soybeans. The Adrian facility - which is known as NextDiesel - will draw on cutting-edge technologies, and Michigan's vast agricultural resources, and our talented work force to produce up to 100 million gallons of biodiesel fuel each year.

NextDiesel will be the first biofuel plant built in one of our new Alternative Energy Renaissance Zones. These areas around the state offer tax incentives to encourage alternative energy projects.  This $20 million investment in Adrian is just the latest addition to our already-robust renewable and alternative energy portfolio, which includes 20 biofuel plants that are operating, proposed or coming on line.

Just a few weeks ago, Mascoma Corporation announced that it has chosen Michigan as the place to build a cellulosic ethanol plant.  The company is racing to become the first in the nation to produce cellulosic ethanol, which is fuel from wood chips and other non-food plant life. This is important because we don't want our pursuit of alternative energy to drive up the cost of the food we buy.

Mascoma's announcement followed the US Department of Energy announcing that Michigan State University had won the largest research grant in the university's history - 50 million dollars for research and development of cellulosic ethanol technologies - no doubt, this will continue to make Michigan a leader in the clean-burning fuel that's driving the cutting edge of alternative energy.

But alternative energy development in Michigan means more than just biofuel.  Investments in Michigan from companies like United Solar Ovonic, which produces some of the world's most advanced solar panels in Greenville, and John Deere Wind Energy, which is building our state's first commercial wind farm in the Thumb area, are making Michigan a leader in alternative energy technologies across the board.

And, we've developed great tools to work with to continue expanding our alternative energy industry, including these alternative energy renaissance zones, and our 21st Century Jobs Fund, which offers funding to high-tech, job-creating businesses to locate and create jobs in Michigan, businesses with a particular focus on the alternative energy sector.

Alternative energy advancements can power our state's economic transformation and make Michigan the state that ends our nation's dependence on foreign oil.  So, next week, I'm looking forward to another green step forward when we cut the ribbon at NextDiesel in Adrian.

Thank you for listening.

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