Growth Energy

Growth Energy is a lobbying group for the ethanol industry.

Ethanol is produced from the sugars contained in corn and other crops, and is used as an additive to displace petroleum-based gasoline fuels. It is cheaper per gallon than pure gasoline, but gets 30-40% lower mileage. Growth Energy seeks to counteract the idea that massive ethanol production will cause a shortage of corn available for food, and that massive production of crops for ethanol will destroy habitat. Some scientists also report that ethanol production is bad for the climate, as natural growth is increasingly destroyed to produce crops to produce ethanol.

In April, 2010, Growth Energy began running a $2.5 million, 6-month television ad campaign aimed at improving the image of ethanol by linking it to patriotism, energy independence and economic growth. Growth Energy seeks to increase the market for ethanol and claims on its Web site that it is carrying out "a proactive grassroots campaign" to expand the use of ethanol in the United States. The group's co-chairman is retired general Wesley Clark.

Related Sourcewatch resources

 * Burson Marsteller (section on "Pushing Ethanol")
 * Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy
 * Charles E. Grassley (section on support for ethanol)
 * Monsanto
 * Archer Daniels Midland
 * Glover Park Group (fueling opposition to ethanol)

External resources

 * Diane Farsetta and Daniel Price A Planted Story on Ethanol Plants: Five stations run an optimistic news feature that's secretly fueled by profit, PRWatch.org, April 6, 2006.

Contact
Growth Energy Washington, DC Lobbying Office 777 N. Capitol Street, NE, Suite 805 Washington, DC 20002 Tel: 202.545.4000 Fax: 202.545.4001

Jefferson City Office 3216 Emerald Lane, Ste. C Jefferson City, MO 65109 Tel: 573.635.8445 Fax: 573.635.5466