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Alternative Crop and Energy Company Looks to Plant Self in Region
A Peoria-based alternative energy company is targeting West-Central Illinois farmers to harvest their oil-rich seeds.

Pennycress Energy is hosting an open forum to introduce the crop to local farmers July 18th at Galesburg's Sustainable Business Center.

Global Strategies Director of the EBI Network, Gary Camarano, tells WGIL the Pennycress philosophy isn't too demanding on farmers.

"They'll plant the seed for them, pay the farmer $25-dollars an acre to harvest it, and then buy the seed from that farmer-- and it will be used as a source of bio-diesel feedstock," Camarano said. "So it's a good situation, I think. (It's) early in its development-- recently out of the USDA research labs-- and now it's going to commercial development."

Camarano says the pennycress seeds yield 36-percent oil, compared to 18-percent from soybeans. He says the cover crop doesn't compete with food crops either because it can be grown during the winter.

According to Camarano, it's a "farm to fuel pump" solution. He says the bio-diesel fuels that come from crushed seeds would lessen the dependency on foreign oil. The Galesburg-area could eventually be home to a crushing facility if enough acreage is attained through the program.

Pennycress is presently in the stages of finalizing a lease agreement for a satellite office at the SBC.
07 10 12 by Newsroom
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