University of Wisconsin - Extension

RICE LAKE, Wis.—A unique bio-energy conference will be held at the Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Conference Center in Rice Lake on March 9. The organizers of “Going Green: Bio-energy Opportunities for Northwest Wisconsin,” which will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., hope to reach an audience of local officials, farmers, landowners, those in forestry and food processing, conservationists, planners, economic developers, and energy stakeholders.

As the demand for alternative forms of energy grows, producers and the public need help to understand and make informed decisions about the economic, environmental and public policy issues surrounding the development of biobased forms of energy. The conference will address barriers and opportunities to the use of regionally grown biomass in northwest Wisconsin. Presenters will focus on the benefits to a community in hosting bio-energy production and steps communities might take to prepare for bio-economy opportunities.

Featured speakers will bring a wide range of expertise from university research, government and industry:

• Tim Baye, UW-Extension business development specialist and former CEO of Belmont Bioag; on leave as Executive VP of ReCon Associates
• Dr. John F. Katers, Focus on Energy, UW-Green Bay Department of Natural and Applied Sciences; with research in waste management, recycling, renewable energy and waste water treatment
• Mark Knaebe, USDA Forest Service, expert in roundwood engineering and wood composites; recent alpha tester for BioMax5, which generates electricity from wood pellets
• Jun Yoshitani, Bioenergy and Environmental, a renewable energy engineering consultant with expertise in farm specific solutions to recovering energy from waste
• Larry Krom, Business Sector Manager for Focus on Energy; L & S Technical Associates, engineering consultants addressing feasibility and design in energy, physical sciences and software development.

The conference features sessions on the bio-refinery concept; crop, animal, and forest resources in Northwest Wisconsin; state government’s role in the bio-economy; and, case studies of successful projects organized around three tracks: biodiesel, wood/crop biomass, and manure and food waste. The conference concludes with a participant and presenter dialogue on where we go from here.

Barron and Chippewa County UW-Extension, Barron County Economic Development, and Rusk County Development organized the conference. Conference partners include Jump River Electric Cooperative, Dairyland Power, Barron Electric Cooperative, Rusk County Development, Focus on Energy and SEH (Short Elliot Hendrickson). Program sponsors include Barron County Economic Development, Xcel Energy and UW-Extension.

For more information or to register, contact Andrew Dane at 715-537-6250 or email andrew.dane@ces.uwex.edu, or download a registration form at http://barron.uwex.edu. The registration fee is $20 and includes lunch. Mail payment to Barron County UW-Extension, Bio energy conference, 330 E. LaSalle Room 2206, Barron, WI 54812.