UWSP ahead in bio fuels race

Thursday, June 01, 2006

A story by Carlos Gieseken in the Stevens Point Journal reports on the UW-Stevens Point plan to offer a minor in biofuels:

In January's State of the Union address, President Bush stressed the need to find alternative fuel sources, like ethanol, to be derived from corn, grass, wood chips and other organic materials.

It was the last potential source that most interested Gerry Ring, chair of the paper science and engineering department at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

"When I heard him mention wood chips to help alleviate our dependence on foreign oil, I knew I would be a little bit busier," Ring said.

The paper science and engineering department recently proposed a minor in bio fuels and bio-refinery. That program will train the paper scientists and engineers of tomorrow on how a paper mill, using the same materials it uses to produce paper, can produce liquid fuels, like ethanol, along with electricity that can then power the mill or be sold.