A documentary called Freedom, about America's dangerous dependence on oil and how biofuels are reducing that dependence, was aired in a special screening in Raleigh at the North Carolina Museum of History at 7PM on October 25th.  The documentary was viewed by more than 70 people and was made by the filmmakers of the Sundance award-winning movie Fuel.  Louisiana native Josh Tickell began shooting Freedom after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico when he began examining the true cost of America's addiction to oil and the billion dollars a day it takes to keep crude flowing from places like the Middle East to the U.S.  Tickell also investigates alternatives to petroleum, including corn and cellulosic ethanol as well as biofuels made from municipal solid waste.  In the panel discussion after the movie, he said that he chooses E85 deliberately to support U.S.-produced fuel over imported oil.  "At least with E85, I know where 85% of my dollars are going."  He said fuels like E85 can break the oil monopoly by providing a choice to American motorists. 

Steven Burke, President and CEO of the Biofuels Center, said during the Q&A session that North Carolina was providing leadership to the United States with its working approach to creating cellulosic biofuels at scale from feedstocks other than corn in locations other than the midwest, something that was critically needed for the U.S. to move beyond 1st generation biofuels. 

A recurring theme among questions and comments from the audience was where to find filling stations selling biofuels to the public, something that is answered by the Fill Up map of stations at the NC Biofuels website.

The panel after the screening, right to left: Josh and his wife Rebecca; William McDow for the Environmental Defense Fund; Steven Burke (speaking); Adam Monroe, President of Franklinton, NC-based Novozymes North America; and Dennis Leong, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at the Wilmington, NC-based Chemtex International.

Novozymes is the largest supplier of enzymes to the biofuels industry in the U.S. and a leader in enzyme technologies for advanced biofuels.  Chemtex International is a global leader in the engineering and construction of advanced cellulosic biofuels and biomaterials production facilities. McDow specializes in rural land management, with an emphasis on biomass energy, Farm Bill programs, tax policy and new market incentives. 

The trailer of Freedom is below.