Colorado State University to Co-host Programs in Alamosa on Biofuels, Entrepreneurship

State Sen. Gail Schwartz, Colorado State University, San Luis Valley RC&D and Colorado Field Institute will co-host programs on turning algae into biofuels and on entrepreneurship in rural communities on Wednesday, Dec. 10, in Alamosa.

Hunt Lambert, associate vice provost of Economic Development for Colorado State, will lead a program titled "Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Rural Colorado – Building Lifelong Learning Communities" from 2-4 p.m. in Room 124 of Trinidad State Junior College, 1011 Main St., in Alamosa. The event is co-sponsored by the San Luis Valley RC&D, Trinidad State Junior College Valley Campus and Colorado State University.

Lambert will also introduce the speakers for Colorado Field Institute’s Winter Lecture Series program on how rural Colorado can benefit from the use of algae as a biofuel. Jeff Veres, president of American Bioresources LLC (ABR), and Chris Reim, vice president, will speak and lead an interactive discussion from 7-9 p.m. at Adams State College, Porter Hall auditorium. Light refreshments will be served at the event, which is co-sponsored by Colorado Field Institute, San Luis Valley RC&D and Colorado State University.

ABR is in a start-up phase and about 12 months from commercial operations. ABR plans to supply agriculture producers with the equipment and support required to improve income by adding algae production for fuel and feedstock to their land use. Veres and Reim will talk about ABR’s technology application, the potential positive economic impact on producers and the practical wisdom of growing algae, which requires limited water and can be grown on otherwise unproductive land.

The Winter Lecture Series is part of Colorado Field Institute’s mission to promote stewardship of natural and cultural resources in the San Luis Valley through education and research while increasing sustainable economic development in the region.

For more information, go to www.coloradofieldinstitute.org. For program information, call (719) 378-6384, e-mail coloradofieldinstitute@gmail.com or contact the office of Sen. Gail Schwartz at (303) 866-4871.

-30-