State ethanol group to push for alternative fuel

Ohio ethanol producers have announced the formation of the Ohio Ethanol Producers Association.

The association will be led by Mark Borer, general manager of POET Biorefinery in Leipsic.

Ohio has four ethanol plants — including The Andersons Marathon Ethanol LLC in Greenville — that produce nearly 300 million gallons of ethanol per year. A fifth ethanol plant, the Valero-Bloomingburg plant in Fayette County east of Dayton, is expected to reopen later this year, adding another 110 million gallons of capacity.

The association said it plans to “vigorously” address legislative and public issues that arise from ethanol production and use, and will work to educate consumers on the basics of ethanol production and the industry’s economic impact.