W. Steven Burke, president and CEO of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina, speaks to the Lumberton Rotary Club about the benefits of developing efficent and affordable biofuels. | Photo by John Charles Robbins
That’s the message of biofuels champion W. Steven Burke, president and CEO of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina.
He brought his message of a cleaner and sustainable energy future to Lumberton on Tuesday, speaking to the Lumberton Rotary Club.
Based on a recent study, the predicted economic impact of an active biofuels industry is substantial, according to Burke. The study focused on the economic gain to growers, producers and distributors from varied feedstocks converted to biofuels.
Based on a model of seven production facilities statewide, by 2017 the biofuels industry could result in:
— 3,317 new jobs in rural and agricultural counties in North Carolina.
— Estimated starting salary for the new rural jobs of $39,700 a year.
— New wages of more than $131 million a year.
— $939 million, the conservatively estimated annual output of the plants.
“We can grow so much — this is an enormous opportunity,” Burke said.
Burke became president and CEO of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina in March 2009.
The Biofuels Center is a private non-profit corporation established by the state o craft and implement a policy commitment for a sustained statewide biofuels initiative.
State Sen. Michael Walters, who introduced Burke, said the center is the nation’s only agency working within a long-term and comprehensive framework for all aspects of biofuels development.
Burke asked the Rotarians how many drove to Tuesday’s meeting in vehicles using biofuels. No one raised their hand.
“I share your embarrassment,” Burke said. “That will change.”
He then asked how many in the room favored improving the percentage of biofuels used to power our motor vehicles and all hands went up.
The long-term task of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina is to develop a statewide biofuels industry to reduce the state’s dependence on imported liquid fuels. North Carolina imports 5.6 billion gallons of liquid fuel every year.
“We must gain alternatives,” Burke said. “The plan is at hand.”
The goal of “North Carolina’s Strategic Plan for Biofuels Leadership” is that by 2017, 10 percent of liquid fuels sold in North Carolina will come from biofuels locally grown and produced.
Burke called the plan ambitious, bold and feasible.
A priority for the Biofuels Center is identifying the state’s feedstocks and biomass capabilities. Feedstock crops such as miscanthus, switchgrass, sorghum, sugarbeets, and woody biomass hold realistic promise to be grown in sufficient quantities, enabling the state to achieve its goal of 600 million gallons of biofuels annually, according to the center.
In 2007, the state General Assembly created the Biofuels Center to implement this plan so that the state’s farmers, biofuels manufacturers, biofuels workers and consumers will benefit from this new multimillion dollar home-grown industry, according to Burke.
“What an extraordinary opportunity. We will gain a new economic sector (that will have a) statewide impact,” he said. “We will have manifestly changed this state.”
Burke said it is vital, through this process, that people honor and protect the state’s agricultural land.
It’s important to ensure the biofuels industry be “totally sustainable,” Burke said, and those leading this charge must be economically, agriculturally and environmentally responsible.
Biofuels hold significant promise in increased energy security, reduced green house gas emissions, and local economic development, says the center’s mission statement. However, biofuels have also been criticized for their possible adverse impacts on the environment, food security and land use.
The Biofuels Center of North Carolina is located in Oxford, and can be reached by calling (919) 693-3000. For information, visit www.biofuelscenter.org.
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