Iowa is poised to become the nation’s leading producer of ethanol according to the state’s governor. Governor Tom Vilsack says the number of ethanol production facilities has doubled in the past four years. When the two plants under construction are up and running, Vilsack says Iowa will become the nation’s number one producer of ethanol, a fuel additive made from corn. Vilsack says rising gasoline prices show the nation’s too dependent on Middle East oil. Vilsack says it’s time to rely on folks in the Middle West to produce petroleum products like ethanol. Vilsack says “we can literally grow our own fuel.” Vilsack says entrepreneurs are starting to develop new processes for making ethanol in smaller-scale facilities. He’s says it’s another step on the road to “energy independence.” Ethanol is primarily a fuel additive which makes gasoline a cleaner-burning fuel. A few cars on the road run on 100 percent ethanol, but there are few Iowa outlets which sell pure ethanol to motorists.
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