STATEHOUSE (Feb. 24, 2010) - Members of the Senate today voted in support of extending grant opportunities to qualified biofuel projects across the state, according to State Sen. Randy Head (R-Logansport).

House Bill 1261, sponsored by Head, passed the full Senate by a vote of 50-0.

Head said funding for these grants is available through corn check-off funds and has no cost to Indiana taxpayers.

“Opening up more grant opportunities will help develop sources of alternative energy throughout Indiana,” Head said. “We need to help individuals and companies move forward in this costly but extremely worthwhile process.”

Currently, grants are available to local governments, retailers, school corporations and state universities to install fueling pumps for E85 - a blend of 15 percent petroleum-based gasoline and 85 percent ethanol. Head said under the bill, the E85 Fueling Station Grant Fund would be renamed the Agricultural Biomass Infrastructure Grant Fund to widen the usage of already-available monies.

“Under this measure, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture could use money from the current E85 Fueling Station Grant Fund to offer competitive grants for biofuel projects,” Head said. “Among the projects that qualify for the grants would be systems that produce or distribute biofuels made from agriculture biomass such as plant and livestock waste.”

Head said biomass energy is a form of electricity produced from plant waste and animal matter. Biomass can be converted to useable forms of energy, like methane gas or transportation fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.

Biomass fuels provide about 4 percent of the energy used in the U.S and researchers are trying to develop ways to burn more biomass and less fossil fuel, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

House Bill 1261 now moves back to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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