Tours
Participants will have the opportunity to visit three tour sites on Friday, September 7th. A coach bus will transport tour guests to each site.
Tour Stop 1:
BECON (Biomass Energy Conversion)
Bridging the gaps between laboratory research and real world applications is a hallmark of the Iowa Energy Center. In this tradition, the Energy Center created the Biomass Energy CONversion facility (BECON), located in Nevada, Iowa. BECON is a focal point for developing value-added products from Iowa's abundant biomass resources. It provides credible, firsthand information on biomass technologies to create fuels and chemicals, as well as demonstrations of pilot-scale biomass conversion systems.
Tour Stop 2:
Lincolnway Energy Corporation
Lincolnway Energy, LLC was formed for the purpose of building, owning and operating a dry mill fuel ethanol plant to be located near Nevada, Iowa. Lincolnway Energy
Board of Directors determined that the production facility should be designed for 50 million gallon annual capacity and that coal should replace natural gas as the plants primary power source. Their mission is to provide clean renewable energy, maintain a safe and rewarding place to work and maximize shareholder value.
Tour Stop 3:
Couser Cattle Company
Participants will have the opportunity to visit a typical cattle feeder in the Midwestern United States. Couser Cattle Company will allow participants an inside view of his their beef operation. The feedlot is located north of Nevada, Iowa, and is well known for it's innovative and pioneering practices. Bill Couser is a full-time farmer who runs the cattle-feeding operation. He is vice president of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and serves on the board of Lincolnway Energy.
ON-YOUR-OWN TOUR OPTION: If you arrive in Ames early or are planning to stay a day late, take advantage of the current exhibit at Reiman Gardens. The exhibit is not part of the ProBeef 07 Conference, but it may be a relaxing and education diversion for you while in Ames.
Biowalk Tour - Biorenewable Plants and Sustainability in the Gardens Tour
Everyone is talking about the biofuel industry and sustainable gardening. Visit Reiman Gardens and take the Biowalk to see what biorenewable plants look like, learn about their cultivation requirements, weigh the issues that surround biorenewable plants, learn about our new Sustainable Rose Garden, and how you can incorporate sustainable practices in your own garden.
This self-guided tour includes a free audio tour that you can take using your cell phone. This self-paced cell phone tour allows you to call at anytime from anywhere and hear more information about biorenewable plants and sustainability in the garden.
