U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback picked up a container filled with light-colored biodiesel fuel and sniffed it, then held it up to show the audience. Then he displayed another bottle containing a darker-colored version of the fuel.
The first sample was made of chicken fat, and the second sample was derived from used cooking oil. Both samples were produced by Emergent Green Energy, a small-scale biodiesel plant in Minneola.
Brownback said he would like to see Kansas produce more biofuel, but he thought small-scale plants might work better than mass production.
"We've got to get the tax credit, the tax support in place," he said. "That's going to be key to keeping these going.
"But I've also been concerned that we need to do these, maybe, on a scale basis. Instead of massive biodiesel plants, doing more on the scale of what we're looking at here."
Brownback visited the Minneola plant Monday at the invitation of Emergent President Matthew Jaeger, whose family owns and operates the plant.
The Jaegers collect used cooking oil from area restaurants, then convert it and other materials into biodiesel fuel. Their plant produces approximately 1.2 million gallons of the fuel each year and sells it to farmers, trucking companies and anyone who has a diesel engine.
Jaeger said his family launched the plant about three years ago as a way to encourage Americans to explore alternatives to foreign oil.
"We just hope that we can play a part in helping the United States become energy independent," he said.
He said production was down slightly this year because a federal tax credit for biofuel plants expired in 2009.
Brownback said Kansas has the potential to lead the nation in producing renewable fuels.
"With ethanol — we produce ethanol cheaper than any other state in the country," he said. "With biodiesel, with wind energy. We've got a series of possibilities for us to be huge."
He said he was not discounting the importance of coal, natural gas and other sources of fuel.
The Republican candidate for governor used the visit to tout his proposal for creating an office of the repealer, which would identify regulations that should be eliminated.
"Because regulations are often the bane of small businesses," he said. "These small businesses, they can't hire enough lawyers or accountants to handle all the regulations. Because if they hire them, they don't have enough money to run the plant and build products."
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U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback picked up a container filled with light-colored biodiesel fuel and sniffed it, then held it up to show the audience. Then he displayed another bottle containing a darker-colored version of the fuel.
The first sample was made of chicken fat, and the second sample was derived from used cooking oil. Both samples were produced by Emergent Green Energy, a small-scale biodiesel plant in Minneola.
Brownback said he would like to see Kansas produce more biofuel, but he thought small-scale plants might work better than mass production.
"We've got to get the tax credit, the tax support in place," he said. "That's going to be key to keeping these going.
"But I've also been concerned that we need to do these, maybe, on a scale basis. Instead of massive biodiesel plants, doing more on the scale of what we're looking at here."
Brownback visited the Minneola plant Monday at the invitation of Emergent President Matthew Jaeger, whose family owns and operates the plant.
The Jaegers collect used cooking oil from area restaurants, then convert it and other materials into biodiesel fuel. Their plant produces approximately 1.2 million gallons of the fuel each year and sells it to farmers, trucking companies and anyone who has a diesel engine.
Jaeger said his family launched the plant about three years ago as a way to encourage Americans to explore alternatives to foreign oil.
"We just hope that we can play a part in helping the United States become energy independent," he said.
He said production was down slightly this year because a federal tax credit for biofuel plants expired in 2009.
Brownback said Kansas has the potential to lead the nation in producing renewable fuels.
"With ethanol — we produce ethanol cheaper than any other state in the country," he said. "With biodiesel, with wind energy. We've got a series of possibilities for us to be huge."
He said he was not discounting the importance of coal, natural gas and other sources of fuel.
The Republican candidate for governor used the visit to tout his proposal for creating an office of the repealer, which would identify regulations that should be eliminated.
"Because regulations are often the bane of small businesses," he said. "These small businesses, they can't hire enough lawyers or accountants to handle all the regulations. Because if they hire them, they don't have enough money to run the plant and build products."
