Focus on Biofuels and Biomass
Public invited to workshop on ‘Energy and Value-Added Products from Biomass’

July 26, 2006

Contact Information:Dr. Ed Clausen, Professor of Chemical Engineering, UA, Fayetteville. 479-575-5412, eclause@uark.edu

Dr. Lalit Verma, Professor and Head, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, UA, Fayetteville. 479-575-3610, lverma@uark.edu

Ritta Basu, College of Engineering Communications, UA, Fayetteville, 479-575-5697, rbasu@uark.edu

Howell Medders, Division of Agriculture Communications, Fayetteville, 479-575-5647, hmedders@uark.edu
Elizabeth Fortune, Division of Agriculture Communications, Little Rock, 501-671-2117, efortune@uaex.edu
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biofuelscombine5x7.jpg This rice combine and other equipment on the Stobaugh Brothers Farms near Atkins run on a biodiesel fuel blend. Robert, Barry and Bart Stobaugh favor policies to encourage production of biofuels in Arkansas.
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 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 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 Arkansas; 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.