Other views: New biofuels plant could have huge impact on Kentucky

From The Independent, Ashland, Ky.:

Another biofuel company is planning to build a plant in Kentucky, but instead of using corn to produce ethanol, Patriot Bioenergy Corp. hopes to turn sugar beets into fuel.

The company, which already has an office in Williamsburg, has announced it plans to construct an energy facility in Whitley County within the next 24 to 28 months.

"This is not new technology, but has been in use for hundreds of years," said Patriot CEO Roger Ford, adding his company had been working for a number of years on an "energy project" in the area.

What is new is energy sugar beets as a cash crop in Kentucky. Patriot has had more than 20 acres of energy beets growing throughout Whitley County to test growing conditions.

Field trials on the energy beets have been going on in the area since the spring of last year. In the spring, field trials were expanded by Patriot in Whitley and Adair counties. ...

According to Patriot Biofuel's letter of intent, the job creation target for Whitley County would be 100 permanent jobs with an average annual salary of $35,000. These positions would be filled after the completion of Phase I of the project, which is the building of the transportation fuel facility.

The construction of the facility, along with necessary infrastructure, will create an estimated 500 temporary construction jobs.

Phase II, which is the building of a power plant that would eventually sell power to the utility companies, will create an additional 50 permanent positions and an estimated 300 temporary construction jobs.

In short, the biofuels plant has the potential of having a tremendous economic impact for rural Whitley County.

Not only will the plant create good-paying industrial jobs for its workers, but it also would provide a new cash crop for farmers.

Using sugar beets to produce fuel has been successful in Europe for years.

If it works in Kentucky like it does in Europe, it could boost the state's economy while reducing the nation's dependence on fossil fuels.

Even in a state like Kentucky, which still has an abundant supply of fossil fuels, that is important.