COD Receives $35,000 for Green Fuels Depot Project

College of DuPage will receive $35,000 for use in 2011 to participate in a U.S. Department of Energy grant awarded to the Packer Foundation DBA Center for Applications Based Learning.

The Green Fuels Depot Project is a joint endeavor with Packer Engineering of Naperville, the lead and fiscal agent, the City of Naperville, Argonne National Laboratory and College of DuPage.

Packer Engineering plans to design and market a stand-alone piece of equipment that will allow farmers to turn farm waste into a variety of fuels, including ethanol, hydrogen and thermal energy. A pilot plant in Naperville will be created for the city to use the technology to transform yard waste into fuel for its transportation fleet.

College of DuPage will use the depot as an educational tool and will develop training materials for new jobs, mentor and train students in the production of fuels at the pilot plant, and perform ad hoc research on gasification to characterize the technology and optimize conditions.

This cutting-edge initiative has been in the planning stages for two years. The program offers COD the opportunity to participate in a collaborative model of distinction with industry representatives, a national lab and local government officials to impact energy conservation, green technologies and sustainability. In addition, this initiative advances teaching and learning in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), providing opportunities for students to participate in undergraduate research.

For more information, contact Chemistry Professor and Project Manager Richard Jarman at (630) 942-2451, e-mail jarman@cod.edu