Culver promotes Midwest biofuels in Brazil

Gov. Chet Culver was in Brazil Monday representing the Governors' Bio-fuels Coalition at an international academic and policy conference, according to Culver's office.

The Iowa governor, whose travel was sponsored by the coalition, was invited to give a presentation on the development of bio-fuels and biomass in America's Midwest region, Culver's office said Monday. He was expected to focus on the Iowa Power Fund, which has supported 32 projects drawing and helped leverage more than $271 million in private investment in three years.

“I believe energy security and the development of all forms of renewable energy are the most important issues in the world today,” said Culver, who is chairman of a coalition which has 35 member U.S. governors and representatives of five international representatives - including Brazil. “One of the most daunting challenges we face is our nation's worsening dependence on imported oil,” he added in a statement.

The conference in Brazil was hosted by DIBANET (Development of Integrated Biomass Approaches Network), a research consortium of Latin American and European experts working to develop bio-fuels production technology. Much of the meeting focuses on the harvest, transport and storage of cellulosic materials, according to Culver's office.