An internationally known scientist is bringing just the kind of attention and experience the new Center for Bioproducts and Bioenergy at Washington State University Tri-Cities needs.
Birgitte Ahring is renowned for her work in alternative fuels, especially converting byproducts like wood debris or wheat straw into ethanol.
Ahring is also the CEO of BioGasol, a company that is building a biofuel demonstration plant in Boardman with Pacific Ethanol. That project is being paid for with a $24.3 million grant from the Department of Energy.
That gives Ahring two substantial reasons to make her new home here in Tri-Cities, half a world away from her current life in Denmark.
WSU-Tri-Cities and its partner Pacific Northwest National Laboratory will dedicate the new Bioproducts, Science and Engineering Laboratory on
May 8.
The facility includes classrooms, offices and laboratories. The center will focus on turning products that have historically been considered waste into fuel, similar to the task of BioGasol's Boardman demonstration project.
The university's lab will look at ways to use dairy waste, wheat straw, forestry byproducts and other waste products.
Ahring's position at WSU was supposed to be paid through the state's Entrepreneurial Stars Program, which would have also brought a key researcher to the University of Washington.
Money for the stars was stripped from the House budget but included in Senate version.
A compromise spending plan is expected at 10 a.m. today. Herald correspondent Chris Mulick will post details at www.olympia
dispatch.com as soon as they're available.
Whatever the outcome, Ahring is on her way to WSU-Tri-Cities, bringing along a string of research contracts, staff members and her plans for BioGasol's plant.
Her status and expertise are sure to have a huge impact on the Mid-Columbia.
Ahring expresses an admirable reason for doing what she does: to save the world. We're glad she will be carrying out that mission here.
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