Gov. Doyle: Announces $595,000 in support for Ace Ethanol

Contacts: Laura Smith, Office of the Governor, 608-261-2162

Tony Hozeny, Department of Commerce, 608-267-9661

Project to Retain 40 jobs

STANLEY – Governor Jim Doyle today announced $595,000 in support for Ace Ethanol to expand its operations in Stanley and retain 40 jobs. Commerce Secretary Aaron Olver made the announcement on behalf of the Governor today as part of Governor Doyle’s eighth annual Up North tour.

“My Administration’s top priority continues to be helping Wisconsin businesses create jobs and giving workers the opportunities to get those jobs,” Governor Doyle said. “I’m proud to support Ace Ethanol in its efforts to produce clean energy that creates good jobs for our residents.”

Ace Ethanol, LLC will receive $595,000 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds through the State Energy Program. The funds will support the company’s $850,000 project to expand and equip its operations. The company has committed to retaining 40 positions in Stanley.

“We greatly appreciate the confidence shown us by Governor Doyle and the State of Wisconsin,” said Ace Ethanol President Neal Kemmet. “We look forward to continuing to grow our business with state of-the-art equipment and doing our part to explore alternative energy sources.”

Ace Ethanol, LLC, was formed in June 2002, and was the first large-scale ethanol plant in Wisconsin. Ace Ethanol is a dry mill facility and produces over 40 million gallons of ethanol fuel annually. The company plans to install heat exchange equipment on the regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) to recover waste heat for process heating.

The project builds on Governor Doyle’s efforts to position Wisconsin for future growth by investing in clean energy and Wisconsin people and businesses. Since taking office in 2003, Governor Doyle has worked aggressively to create and retain jobs in Wisconsin. Governor Doyle’s budget last year created some of the strongest economic development tools in the nation to help businesses create jobs and get people back to work. Wisconsin now has powerful new tax credits to help manufacturers create and retain jobs, new tools to help investors create start-ups, and new incentives to spur research and development.