Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Tapping into our Agricultural Energy Sources

Today, I chaired a meeting of the Texas Bioenergy Policy Council. This council of private, academic and state policymakers is charged with ensuring the state continues to lead in biofuel and biomass production through sustainable, equitable and defensible policies.

Select Milk Producers presented a new construction project currently underway to use dairy waste to power their farms and milk trucks. Some of the larger dairies will even have the ability to sell electricity or renewable natural gas to their neighbors. Another project presented to the council came from BP Biofuels and revolves around energycane being planted in the Beaumont area. The energycane, a crop that can grow to be over 16 feet tall, can be used for next generation biofuel production that does not directly compete with food and feed demands.

These projects, among many others, are helping diversify our state’s energy supply, bringing jobs, investment and capital to a state that continues to lead in both energy and agriculture. You can learn more about the work of the policy council and research committee on the Texas Department of Agriculture's Web site www.TexasAgriculture.gov/bioenergy.

No comments: