C5-6 Technologies, BEST Energies awarded combined $1.35M for bio fuel research

[PRESS RELEASE]

Milwaukee, Wis. - Middleton-based C5-6 Technologies and BEST Energies of Madison, both members of the Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance (WBIA), have received a combined $1.35 million in state grants to develop new bio fuel technologies.

“BEST and C5-6 are two great examples of Wisconsin companies that are on the cutting edge of bio fuel technology development,” said Joshua Morby, executive director of the WBIA. “These grants are an important step in helping these companies bring new, exciting technologies to the market.”

BEST Energies, which operates an eight million gallon per year bio diesel facility in Cashton, WI, received a total of $1 million - $500,000 in grants and $500,000 in loans - to develop and implement technology that will allow its facility to use corn oil from ethanol plants as its feedstock for biodiesel. The corn oil is a co-product of the ethanol process that is unsuitable for use in food products.

C5-6 received $350,000 to help the company develop and commercialize new enzymes for bio fuel production that will allow ethanol facilities to increase the amount of ethanol they can extract from a bushel of corn.

Governor Doyle has awarded over $7 million in total grants in the past two weeks from the Wisconsin Energy Independence Fund (WEIF) to help fund renewable energy projects across the state. WEIF is a ten-year, $150 million grant and loan program designed to make Wisconsin a national leader in renewable energy development and production. The Wisconsin Bio Industry Alliance is a diverse group of businesses, environmental groups, and statewide and local organizations that have come together to build both public and legislative awareness of the Bio Industry in Wisconsin.

For more information about the Alliance, or to find out how to join, please visit our website: www.wisconsinbioindustry.com.