LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A workshop for legislators, the business
and manufacturing community, community leaders and interested
citizens on the potential for producing energy and value-added
products from biomass in Arkansas is set for Aug. 24 and 25 at the
Embassy Suites Hotel in Little Rock.
U.S. Rep. Marion Berry (D, AR, 1st District) will deliver an opening
address and former Senator Dale Bumpers will be the keynote luncheon
speaker on Aug. 25.
Milo Shult, the U of A System's vice president for agriculture, said
speakers will include leaders of companies now producing biofuels and
other biomass products, including Cal McCastlain of Patriot biofuels in
Stuttgart, Gary McChesney of Viceroy Acquisition Corporation (formerly
Eastman Chemical) at Batesville, and Tommy Smith of Potlatch Corporation
at Warren.
The first day, Aug. 24, will begin at 2:00 p.m. with "Bioenergy 101,
a pre-conference primer" by Ed Clausen, UA College of Engineering; Michael
Popp and Matthew Pelkki, U of A System's Division of Agriculture, and Jim
Wimberly, Winrock International.
Shult said major topics for presentations and audience discussion on
Aug. 25 are biomass feedstocks, biodiesel and other biofuels,
biorefineries, value-added products, economic development benefits,
environmental considerations, business opportunities and state bioenergy
policies.
To register for the workshop, visit www.uark.edu/ua/biomass/ or
contact Jerry King, UA professor of chemical engineering, at 479-575-5979
or biomass@uark.edu. A registration fee of $30 ($50 after Aug. 7)
includes a reception, lunch and workshop materials.
Shult said the workshop is partially funded by a U.S. Department of
Energy grant from the Southern States Energy Board (SSEB). Other sponsors
of the workshop are: Agricultural Council of Arkanasas, the Arkansas
Department of Economic Development-Arkansas Energy Office; Arkansas Farm
Bureau; the College of Engineering at UA, Fayetteville; the Poultry
Federation; the U of A System's Division of Agriculture; and Winrock
International.