U Wisconsin biomass lecture series

Jan. 28, 2010, Stevens Point, WI – The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point has
organized a series of public presentations on renewable wood resources for
energy. The series begins Wednesday, February 3, 2010, and will focus on
opportunities to use woody biomass to meet our energy needs today and in the
future. The free lectures are open to the public and will be held on Wednesdays
at 4 p.m. in Room 170 of the Trainer Natural Resources Building.

Eight regional and national speakers will define what woody biomass is and how it is
harvested and used as a feedstock for direct heat and power generation. They
will give an overview of the opportunities and potential of biofuels from woody
biomass, the state of technology to extract biofuels from biomass, and where
this industry is heading in the next five to twenty years.

The first lecture, “Introduction to Forest Biomass,” will be presented on February 3 by
Don Peterson, president of Renewable Resource Solutions. He will discuss the
basics of woody biomass to potential end-use markets, as well as compare and
contrast the positive and negative aspects of woody biomass from extraction to
use.

The next presentation will be on February 17. Bob Govett, University of
Wisconsin-Stevens Point professor of resource management, will present
“Comparative Boiler Basics – Comparative Energy Potential and Costs.” Future
presentations will be announced later.

The series, co-sponsored by the College of Natural Resources and the biology
department in the College of Letters and Science, is coordinated by John
DuPlissis, forestry outreach specialist, 715-346-4128.