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Michigan offers clean fuel grants, supporting biodiesel and ethanol usage

The State of Michigan will fund $30 million in clean fuel grants to replace commercial and mass transit vehicles with newer alternative fuel, diesel or electric models.

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has opened a request for proposals through its Fuel Transformation Program to replace medium and heavy-duty trucks, and shuttle and transit buses.  Future funds will be granted for airport and port cargo support equipment as wells as tug and ferry boats and other qualifying vehicles to reduce emissions.

Michigan Soybean Committee executive director Janna Fritz tells Brownfield biodiesel is a greener fuel source that’s available today.

“Any current diesel vehicle can run a level of biodiesel within their tank up to a B20 blend,” she explains.

She says biodiesel used nine billion pounds of soybean oil in 2020 and in Michigan added $80 million to the value of the state’s soybean crop. 

“Biodiesel provides on average an 80 percent reduction in your life cycle carbon emissions compared to traditional diesel,” she says.  “It is the best carbon reduction tool of any of the liquid fuels commercially available at this time.”

Almost three billion gallons of biodiesel were used last year throughout the United States to help cities and states reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Fritz directs consumers also interested in using a greener fuel to Biodiesel.org to find local sources and says they are open to partnering with any commercial fleet searching for alternative fuels.

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