December 5, 2007
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today was in Washington, D.C. where she met with U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, the assistant secretary for renewable energy, and Swedish Ambassador Jonas Hafstrom to advance an effort to expand the production of biofuel in the Upper Peninsula. The governor's meeting with senior federal officials was part of a day-long agenda focused on alternative energy and advanced vehicle efforts and their potential for job creation in Michigan.
"Now is the time for Michigan to take the lead on ending our nation's dependence on foreign oil," Granholm said. "We are taking on the challenge of finding sustainable energy sources, and that effort will create jobs right here in Michigan."
In August, Granholm announced that Swedish-based Chemrec AB and Ohio-based NewPage Corporation are exploring possible development of a plant that would produce renewable biomass-based fuels at the NewPage paper mill in Escanaba. As part of that agreement, the two companies are completing a feasibility study for a plant to employ Chemrec's black liquor gasification (BLG) technology, which converts waste from the paper pulping process into synthesis gas. It is estimated the technology could enable the Escanaba mill to produce up to 13 million gallons of liquid biofuel per year, along with hundreds of jobs.
Granholm is urging the U.S. Department of Energy to support the project with funding that would make Escanaba the first site for this technology in North America.
"The partnership between Chemrec and NewPage is a great opportunity for Michigan as we work to become the North American hub for alternative energy production, and we are hopeful the federal government will see the potential this has for our nation and thereby support the project with funding," Granholm said. "With its potential for biomass-based fuel production, this plant in Escanaba could put Michigan at the forefront of renewable, next-generation fuels, helping to end our dependence on foreign oil while bringing jobs and investments to the community."
In addition to her meeting on the Chemrec-NewPage project, Governor Granholm also went to Capitol Hill to discuss critical Michigan issues in federal energy and children's health care legislation. She met with Congressman John Dingell, chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, as well as with several of her fellow Democratic governors, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
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