About BioTown
Why do we need BioTown, USA?
BioTown, USA is vital to the future of Indiana residents, due to the rising costs of energy. While the price of electricity has risen 8 to 9 percent over the last five years, the price of crude oil, unleaded gasoline, coal and heating oil have nearly doubled. That is a 100 percent increase. The price of crude oil topped $70 per barrel in 2005, while up to that time $40 per barrel had set an 'upper limit.' The price of natural gas nearly tripled over the last five years, peaking at $12 per million BTUs. With the increasing energy price shocks of 2005, it was clear we needed to focus on biomass energy.
Why was Reynolds selected as the pilot area?
Reynolds, located in northwestern Indiana, has several attributes that will contribute to BioTown's success.
- Size - Reynolds has a population of 547 people, which is large enough to make an impact and small enough to manage as a pilot project. Reynolds also has a good mix of residential, commercial and industrial energy users, which is important to understanding the energy needs of each sector.
- Quality infrastructure - The town has good rail and road access. Not only is it located near heavily traveled state roads and I-65, but it is close to a major research university.
- Sources of organic waste - Reynolds is within 15 miles of more than 150,000 hogs, as well as a municipal waste system and several other sources of organic waste such as corn stover and paper fluff.
