UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and a number of private businesses will team up to offer a glimpse at the future of "green" energy in the Keystone State at Ag Progress Days, Aug. 14-16.

The latest in alternative energy sources derived from farms and forests will be on display in the Agricultural Renewable Energy Tent on West 10th Street. "Visitors can see how agricultural crops and the state's abundant forest resources can provide the raw material for biofuels and electricity," says Tom Richard, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering.

"They can learn how biodiesel is helping the environment and decreasing our reliance on foreign oil, and how anaerobic manure digestion can provide electricity for the farm while reducing odor." Penn State researchers, state officials, energy company representatives and agricultural producers will be on hand to answer questions about green energy. Displays will focus on wood-based ethanol, biodiesel, anerobic digestion of manure and alternative grain fuels.

Also attending will be commercial vendors interested in working with farmers on agricultural energy projects, including Keystone Biofuels, Amerigreen Energy and Chemtool Inc. Equipment company New Holland -- which has supplied three tractors to Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences for a demonstration project involving the use of 100 percent biofuel -- will also be present. The state Department of Environmental Protection will also be represented in the tent.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 14; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 15; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 16. Admission and parking are free.

For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

###

EDITORS: Contact Tom Richard at 814-865-3722 or by e-mail attlr20@psu.edu.

Jeff Mulhollem Writer/editor 814-863-2719 jjm29@psu.edu