GoodFuels

Reflections from the Father of Ethanol

Merle Anderson is often called the “Father of Ethanol” because in 1977 he helped to start the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE) . He even has an award named after him, which this year went to David Hallberg who formed the Renewable Fuels Association in 1981.

Looking back over the years, Merle thinks the ethanol industry has done well. “We’ve done some really good things,” he said in an interview at the 22nd annual Ethanol Conference and Trade Show. “I think we’ve helped farmers an awful lot. I think we’ve done what’s right for America. When you talk about the transfer of wealth, I think we’ve helped a little bit –could of and should have done more. And I always have an interest in supporting our troops.”

Anderson says ethanol could do more to lessen our dependence on foreign oil if the auto industry would “stand up and admit that their vehicles will operate successfully on higher blends.”

“We’ve been successful in creating production,” he said. “We haven’t worried enough about selling the product, and we have got to solve this if the industry is going to move forward.” Anderson helped to get some of the first blender pumps installed in Minnesota and he knows that “higher blends is the answer to our problems.”

Listen to an interview with Merle Anderson by Domestic Fuel reporter Joanna Schroeder here: