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Michael
Petersen,
owner of
Petersen
Oil &
Propane
on the
north
end of
Greenville,
discusses
flexible
fuel and
"blender
pumps"
with
USDA
Rural
Development
Business
and
Cooperatives
Programs
Administrator
Judith
Canales
during
her
visit to
the
station
Wednesday
afternoon. |
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USDA
Rural
Develoment
Business
and
Cooperatives
Programs
Administrator
Judith
Canales,
joined
by
Michigan
USDA
Director
James
Turner,
stopped
into
Greenville
Wednesday
afternoon
to
meeting
with
local
fuel
station
owner,
Michael
Petersen,
and
discuss
the
flexible
fuel
grants
and loan
incentives
available
through
the
USDA. |
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5/26/2011 8:12:00 PM
Greenville gas
station is 'visionary'
in alternative fuels
Jessica Dudenhofer-Staff
Writer
jdudenhofer@staffordgroup.com
GREENVILLE - A
national representative
from the United States
Department of
Agriculture made a
special visit to
Greenville Wednesday
afternoon to visit a
visionary businessmen
making strides beyond
his peers in alternative
fuel technology.
USDA
Rural
Business-Cooperative
Service Administrator
Judith Canales was the
guest of honor at
Petersen Oil & Propane
on the north end of
Greenville, as she
sought to learn more
about flex fuel pumps.
Petersen Oil & Propane,
owned by Michael
Petersen, is one of the
only local fuel stations
that provide
ethanol-based fuels,
E-20, E-30, E-40 and
E-85 for flex fuel
vehicles.
"You're
definitely visionary,"
Canales said to
Petersen, explaining how
USDA Rural Development
is now providing grant
funding and loan
programs to help
Michigan fuel station
owners to stall flexible
fuel pumps.
Michigan ranks 18th
overall among the states
with a ratio of 5,255
flex-fuel vehicles per
flex fuel station.
Illinois, Indiana and
Ohio are much better
ratios, meaning it's
easier for flex-fuel
drivers in those states
to find alternative
fuels.
"We're
having these
conversations all over
the state," Canales
said. "It's exciting.
We're opening new
markets."
All
vehicles are approved to
run on regular unleaded
fuel, which is 10
percent ethanol. "Flex
fuel" engines, becoming
more common in newer
vehicles are designed to
run on higher
percentages of
environmentally friendly
ethanol, such as E-20
(which is 20 percent
ethanol and 80 percent
unleaded). However,
flex-fuel stations are
few and far between
across the state.
The
closest station that
provides mid-grade
ethanol fuels besides
Petersen is in eastern
Michigan.
"It's
still fairly new,"
Petersen said. "I wanted
to differentiate myself
from the competition and
I believe in keeping
money in the local
economy."
He said
he enjoys supporting his
agricultural customers
by buying their produce
indirectly through
ethanol fuels.
"There
are definite economic
advantages to ethanol
fuels," said Gabe Corey,
of CarbonGreen Bioenergy,
who supplies ethanol to
Petersen Oil & Propane.
"You know where it's
coming from since it's
locally produced."
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