EERC announces regional biodiesel workshops The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) will hold a series of regional workshops on biodiesel fuel; two half-day workshops in South Dakota, and one full-day workshop in North Dakota. The South Dakota workshops will be held at the Hampton Inn in Rapid City Tuesday, March 27, and at the Best Western Ramkota in Sioux Falls March 28. Both workshops in South Dakota will run from 9 a.m. to noon. The North Dakota workshop will be held Thursday, March 29, at the Holiday Inn in Fargo from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. “As one of the nation’s leaders in renewable energy and biomass utilization, the EERC is providing numerous opportunities for the renewable fuels industry, agricultural industry, and for increasing the energy security in this country,” said EERC Director Gerald Groenewold. The workshops in South Dakota will feature content focused on the implementation of biodiesel fuel in vehicles and are targeted toward managers of city and school bus, private, state, and GSA fleets. Attendees will gain useful information that will enable them to make well-founded decisions on biodiesel utilization. Sponsors of the South Dakota workshops include the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The North Dakota workshop will have a very different focus and will address a full spectrum of biodiesel-related topics including grower issues, the refining process, transportation issues, and marketing and incentives. North Dakota workshop sponsors include the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the North Dakota Department of Commerce Division of Community Services, and DOE. “The Dakotas are in a very enviable position in regard to biodiesel, and these workshops are all about spreading that message,” said EERC Deputy Associate Director for Research Chris Zygarlicke. “We have farm lands that can grow soybeans in the south and canola in the north. We have large biodiesel plants being erected. We have excellent research promoting biodiesel, including several EERC projects related to improving the efficiency of the biodiesel process. And we have people and entire communities that want to learn how to better utilize this indigenous fuel.” The registration fee for the South Dakota workshops is $10 per person and includes workshop materials, a continental breakfast, and a midmorning refreshment. The registration fee for the North Dakota workshop is $25 for the full day. This fee includes course materials along with a continental breakfast, lunch, and morning and afternoon refreshments. For more information and to register, log onto the EERC web site at www.undeerc.org/biodiesel or call (701) 777-5246. -- EERC.