Hawaii's ethanol use doesn't make it more independent

By Associated Press

Hawaii's consumption of foreign crude oil has dropped, but a law requiring ethanol in gasoline isn't making the state any more energy independent. That's because there are no local ethanol sources, and oil companies have been importing the grain-based fuel from countries such as El Salvador. It's now been more than a year since the state began requiring most gasoline sold in the islands to be blended with alternative fuel. But no local ethanol plants have broken ground. Five companies have announced plans to produce ethanol locally. Kauai Ethanol plans to start construction on a 35 (m) million dollar facility in Kaumakani later this summer. Hawaii imported more than 55 (m) million gallons of ethanol in the first year since the law. At the same time, the state's import of foreign crude oil declined about two percent to nearly two (b) billion gallons.