Farm to Fuel announces $25-million awards

The state handed out $25-million in “Farm to Fuel” grants on Tuesday, including $11-million for two biofuel producers that have projects around Tampa Bay. But the money won’t be spent on local projects.

U.S. EnviroFuels received $7-million from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for a $47-million sugar waste-to-ethanol facility in Venus. The company’s plans for an ethanol plant at Port of Tampa has been held up by a legal dispute.

Agri-Source Fuels, which has a biodiesel plant in Dade City, received $4-million for a new, $21-million biodiesel plant in Pensacola.

The state created the Farm to Fuel program to spur investment in biofuel production and research in Florida. The grants included research money for university programs around Florida. Projects include algae-to-biodiesel, citrus-to-ethanol and other emerging biofuel technologies.

-Asjylyn Loder, Times staff writer