ASU Hosts Renewable Energy Conference

A plant grown in Eastern Europe may very well help to fuel bio-diesel programs as well as vehicles for an Arkansas town, an official with Arkansas State University’s College of Agriculture and Technology said Friday.

Dr. Steven Green, an associate professor in soil and water conservation, was one of several speakers to talk at the college’s Renewable Energy Conference.

One of the topics discussed at the conference was the use of the Camelina plant.

Green said researchers at Montana State University began researching the plant, akin to canola. The study led researchers to grow the crop in a short season.

“Since then, there has been an interest in growing,” Green said.

Green said the plant is crushed, with the oil extracted.

The city of DeWitt plans to use the oil to fuel up its truck fleet and waste fleet, while the school plans to use the oil to fuel school buses, Green said.

The city now uses vegetable oil to fill up the gas tanks.

A micro bio-refinery is also in the works, with project officials working at the Marion Berry Renewable Energy Center at Mid-South Community College in West Memphis.

Several people who were in the audience said the Camelina plant has other uses as well. In addition to jet fuel, there are some kinds of cosmetics that have the plant as an ingredient.

Green said today’s conference combined agricultural, energy and engineering officials as well as policy makers to talk about issues.

“It helps to raise awareness and gets everyone together,” Green said.