HCC Awarded $135,000 for Biofuels Project

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Last updated: Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 10:26 AM Posted: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 at 09:57 AM

Haywood Community College was recently awarded $135,000 by the Biofuels Center of North Carolina for a grant project entitled Haywood County Biofuels Production, Education and Training Project. This project is a county-wide partnership and initiative. Laura Leatherwood, Director of Community and Economic Development and Blair Bishop, Sustainable Development Initiative Coordinator and instructor, will serve as Co-directors.

The project will provide alternative fuel supplies for campus and county diesel vehicles; integrate biodiesel training into the college's existing Industrial and Automotive Systems Technology curricula and Continuing Education programs and incorporate it into a proposed Sustainable Technology certificate program; train members of the regional workforce in biofuels technology; and increase local and regional awareness and public education of biofuels and biodiesel production.

HCC is partnering with Blue Ridge Biofuels, LLC; Haywood County Government; Southwestern NC Resource Conservation & Development Council; NC Cooperative Extension; and Land of Sky Regional Council in this initiative.

The biodiesel facility will be used as a demonstration and training site. Individuals will learn how to install and operate their own reactors/refineries. Waste-oil collection from county sources such as Haywood County Schools and the college café will be recycled and used to fuel vehicles leading to savings on fuel expenses and reducing fossil-fuel use by county entities. HCC will also work with the NC Cooperative Extension to initiate a biomass crop production project at the research farm in Haywood County.

"The grant from the NC Biofuels Center will allow HCC to expand our sustainable development initiative with community partners by developing biodiesel refineries on campus and at the Haywood County Recycling Center that will be used for training, community outreach, and biodiesel production,” said Dr. Jim Hamilton,  HCC Forestry Program Coordinator. “We'll also be able to offer continuing education opportunities for folks who want to learn how biodiesel is made and perhaps who want to make their own refineries to produce their own fuel."

By integrating biofuels production and training into the Industrial and Automotive Technology programs, students will obtain background in the installation, maintenance, and operational production of biodiesel which will make them more marketable for their careers.

HCC’s sustainable development mission is to make Haywood Community College a leader in sustainable technology demonstration and education that reflects the environmental and economic needs for the short and long term benefits for our college and the community.