Ethanol plant gets funding

Alestle Staff Report

SIUE is one step closer to having a multimillion-dollar ethanol research plant, the first in the nation.

U.S. Sens. Richard Durbin and Peter Fitzgerald and U.S. Rep. John Shimkus jointly announced the release of $13.86 million for the construction of the plant at University Park. Construction is expected to begin in October.

The ethanol research facility will help researchers continue experimenting with alternatives to fossil fuels in a 20,000-square-foot research plant that will emulate a full-scale commercial ethanol-producing facility. It will be the first place in the world that researchers can actually test their new theories.

SIUE will lease space to private companies and universities for research purposes. Ethanol is a mixture of gasoline and alcohol made from corn. It has been hailed as an alternative to gasoline.

Already 103 projects have been lined up to test at SIUE's facility.

"This plant is an important part of in reducing our nation's energy dependence on foreign oil, and since Illinois is the largest producer of ethanol, it only makes sense to locate the plant here," Shimkus said.

Durbin added, "This funding completes almost a decade of work by the Illinois congressional delegation to secure a federal commitment for this pilot plant. Reducing the cost of clean-burning ethanol fuel is an important part of our nation's alternative energy strategy. I look forward to the day when this facility is fully operational."