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Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Ind. Econ. Dev. - More on turning Reynolds into "Biotown, USA"

Updating the ILB entry from yesterday, see this story today in the Lafayette Journal & Courier. Some quotes:

REYNOLDS -- Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels came to this White County community Tuesday to celebrate the beginning of the Reynolds "BioTown, USA" project.

The effort, which has yet to receive a price tag from state officials, involves the conversion of all energy sources in Reynolds to renewable energy, placing it among the first communities in the United States to undertake such an endeavor.

"We'll put Reynolds on the map for all of America to see," Daniels said during his speech to about 300 people, including the 120 students of Reynolds Elementary School, at the White County Fairgrounds.

While no formal timeline was disclosed, phase one of the BioTown plan centers on biofuels. An E85 fuel pump, which is 85 percent ethanol, will be located in Reynolds to support the flex fuel vehicles already in the town, Daniels said.

Phases two and three include plans to transform animal waste from area livestock farms into electricity and natural gas. More than 150,000 hogs are within a 15-mile radius of Reynolds as well as several sources of organic waste products, making it an ideal location for a manure gasifier or some similar type of technology to turn manure and biomass into energy for homes and businesses.

Ethanol. A related story today in the Crawfordsville Journal Review reports:
Seeing the creation of 60 agriculture industry jobs with a new Demeter Enterprises LLC ethanol plant scheduled at Linden means a boost in the economy, Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman said Tuesday night. * * *

The plant, to be adjacent to Cargill AgHorizons, is another 100-million gallon facility. There was an announcement in July of a 60-million gallon plant to be constructed in Putnam County.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on September 14, 2005 08:20 AM
Posted to Environment | Indiana economic development