IDEAS Center to hold third BioEnergy Symposium

The UNC Charlotte IDEAS Center will hold its third annual BioEnergy Symposium on Tuesday, April 9, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center Salons.

This year, the symposium will focus on anaerobic technologies, considered a source of renewable energy as anaerobic digestion can produce a biogas. Mel Kurtz, president of quasar energy group, one of the nation’s industry leaders in creating affordable renewable energy by providing businesses with sustainable waste management strategies, will be the featured speaker during the opening session.

Perry McCarty, the luncheon speaker, is one of the founders of anaerobic digestion, and the afternoon sessions will feature experts discussing successes and challenges of projects from North and South Carolina and California.

The Infrastructure, Design, Environment and Sustainability (IDEAS) Center, part of the Lee College of Engineering, is hosting this third symposium as a way to provide meaningful information and dialogue on sustainable practices, according to Regina Guyer, associate director of the center. “The IDEAS Center BioEnergy Symposium is uniquely designed to convene academics, state and local officials, municipal agency representatives, business owners and the general public for education and discussion.”

The cost to attend the symposium, which starts at 8:30 a.m., April 9, is $150, and registration is online. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available. For more information, email Guyer at rguyer@uncc.edu. The symposium agenda is available of the Web.