Who: Media in Iowa City and the surrounding region; agriculture and biomass trade media.

What: The University of Iowa Biomass Fuel Project will plant a 13-acre pilot field of giant miscanthus. Information about the Biomass Fuel Project and dedicated energy crop production will be available. Representatives from REPREVE RENEWABLES (rhizome supplier and specialty planting contractor) will be available to discuss their biomass production system.

Where: 3590 Highway 1, S.W., Iowa City, IA 52240 (0.5 miles west of Menards)

When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 7 (rain or shine, tent provided)

Why: To provide information about the agronomics and economics of growing giant miscanthus in Iowa for biomass production.

REPREVE RENEWABLES will demonstrate the planting of giant miscanthus rhizomes as part of a commercial-scale biomass production system.

The landowner and representatives from the UI and REPREVE RENEWABLES will be available for interviews.

About the UI Biomass Fuel Project

The UI has a sustainability goal to procure 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. The goal builds on the success of the oat hull fuel project started in 2003. Biomass is co-fired (mixed) with coal and burned in boilers, reducing the university’s fossil fuel usage. Biomass from dedicated energy crops (miscanthus, switchgrass), timber stand improvement projects, opportunity wood (storm damage, emerald ash borer, etc.), and organic industrial byproducts (oat hulls, paper sludge, etc.) are being developed as part of the renewable fuel portfolio.

In 2013 the UI planted a 16-acre pilot miscanthus field in Muscatine County. The University has contracted with REPREVE RENEWABLES to supply the rhizomes and plant the 2014 field which, along with the 2013 field, will be used to better understand growing miscanthus in southeast Iowa, as well as demonstrate planting and harvesting techniques to potential growers. The university is planning to plant an additional 2,500 acres of miscanthus by 2016 to produce up to 25,000 tons per year of biomass fuel.

For more information, visit this website.

About REPREVE RENEWABLES

REPREVE RENEWABLES, LLC, headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, provides comprehensive renewable solutions for the biomass market. It is committed to developing renewable solutions for bio-based markets by leveraging crops grown on under-utilized or marginal land to create sustainable biomass production.