Into Opportunities
Frequently Asked Questions
- When was BioTown, USA, founded?
- BioTown, USA was founded September 13, 2005.
- Why was BioTown, USA, created?
- BioTown, USA was created to:
- Develop local energy production to become independent from foreign oil sources,
- Create a cleaner environment,
- Implement solutions to animal waste management issues, and
- Develop new markets for Indiana agricultural products and by-products.
- Why was Reynolds, Indiana, selected to become BioTown, USA?
- Reynolds was selected because of its size, road and rail access and proximity to livestock farms. Reynolds has a population of about 500, large enough to make an impact and small enough to manage. It is located near many main roads, including I-65, making it an easy town to access by road and rail. Not only is the town easy to access, but also is near one of Indiana's top research universities and surrounded by large-scale livestock farms.
- What happened in Phase I of BioTown, USA?
- During Phase I of BioTown, USA, residents were offered the chance to win a flex-fuel vehicle or purchase one at a discount, the town's fleet was replaced with alternative fuel vehicles and the BioIsland fueling station was installed.
- What does Phase II emphasize?
- Phase II emphasizes generating electricity from organic waste (biomass).
- What is the BioTown Technology Suite?
- The BioTown Technology Suite is a system that converts animal waste (manure), corn waste (stover) and municipal waste (sewage) into heat, steam or electricity.
- What is gasification?
- Gasification is the use of high temperatures and controlled oxygen to breakdown organic materials, producing a gas that can be burned to generate heat, steam or electricity.
- What is anaerobic digestion?
- Anaerobic digestion is the process of breaking down liquid waste to make methane gas and a high-value fertilizer.
- From where will the organic waste come?
- The organic waste will come from local farms, businesses, cities and towns that have crop, livestock and sewage waste.
- When will BioTown, USA, begin producing electricity?
- BioTown, USA will begin producing electricity in the summer of 2007.
- Is ethanol more beneficial than gasoline?
- Yes, because ethanol reduces Indiana's dependence on foreign oils and is environmentally friendly.
- Ethanol, unlike regular gasoline, does not add new carbon dioxide to the Earth's atmosphere when burned.
- As gasoline consumption increases, so does the United State's dependence on foreign oil. Ethanol blended into our gasoline extends our fuel supply, which reduces the amount of oil the United States must import. Since ethanol is produced from corn, using our own resources shifts some of this dependence back to the heartland of America.
- How many ethanol and biodiesel production plants are in Indiana?
- Visit the biofuels Web site at http://www.in.gov/isda/biofuels/ and click on Production Plants.
- What is biodiesel?
- Biodiesel is fuel made from soybean and vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant grease.
- What are the benefits of biodiesel?
- Biodiesel is:
- Cleaner-burning and better for the environment,
- Made from renewable resources,
- Creates lower emissions compared to traditional diesel and
- Reduces engine wear and cleans the engine.
- What is a flex-fuel vehicle?
- A flex-fuel vehicle is a vehicle designed to run on any blend of ethanol from zero percent to 85 percent.
- How do I know if my vehicle can use E-85 fuel?
- Check you owner's manual or visit www.biofuelsindiana.com.
- What is biomass?
- Biomass is organic renewable resources such as farm crops, wood or municipal waste.
- How can biomass generate energy?
- Biomass generates energy through burning, gasification, fermentation and anaerobic digestion
- Where can I find E85 or biodiesel pumps?
- Visit www.biofuelsindiana.com to find E85 or biodiesel pumps.
- How many jobs will BioTown create?
- The Technology Suite will produce a few jobs, but most of the jobs will come from businesses such as research companies and manufacturing companies wanting to relocate. This will bring jobs and investment to Reynolds, which will help lower taxes, improve the infrastructure and enhance the community.
- How much electricity does Reynolds use?
- At peak usage, Reynolds uses 1.9 MW, with an average of 1.2 MW at any given time.
- How much power will be generated?
- Phase II will produce electricity. The system is designed to produce 3 to 3.5 MW of electricity at any given time.
- If I live in Reynolds, will my electricity and natural gas bill go down?
- The goal is to keep energy bills the same, or lower them. Electricity and natural gas prices are highly regulated, mostly to protect consumers' supply of safe, reliable and consistent energy. Electricity, natural gas and sewage bills are considered the "utility bundle." The goal of BioTown is to reduce the price of the utility bundle.
- When will BioTown be complete?
- Phase II will be complete in the summer of 2007, and Phase III is on track to conclude in fall of 2008. Even when all phases are "complete," the possibilities will continue. BioTown will be ever-changing, constantly educating the public, developing and adopting the newest and the next best technology and looking for ways to expand the mission.
- How much will BioTown cost?
- BioTown will cost roughly $9 million to convert waste to raw BTUs in the form of steam, methane gas or bio-oil. The electricity generating equipment will cost an additional $3.5 million.
- Who is paying for the system?
- It is imperative to have private industry involved so the model can be used to help other towns. In fact, all $12.5 million for generating electricity will be private investment.
