Bio Refinery Opening Pittsboro, N.C.-On Monday, October 6th, 2008, Piedmont Biofuels will cut the ribbon on the newest wing of their biofuels facility, known as the Bio-Refinery. The first facility of its kind in the state of North Carolina, the Bio-Refinery will dramatically reduce the ecological footprint of each gallon of fuel which comes from the plant, and improve the sustainability of the biodiesel production process. Specifically, the facility will allow large-scale methanol recovery, reducing the inputs required and turning waste streams into useful co-products. The event will begin with a tour at 3:00 p.m. with a tour of the facility, continue with speeches from local, state, and federal officials at 4:00, and continue with festivities at 5:00. Confirmed speakers include U.S. Congressman Bob Etheridge, N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler, N.C. Senator Bob Atwater, N.C. Senator Ellie Kinnaird, Speaker Joe Hackney of the N.C. House, President Steven Burke of the N.C. Biofuels Center, and Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller. The event will be open to the public. The Bio-Refinery was built in part by a loan from the North Carolina Biofuels Center, a grant from the USDA, and money from private investors. Piedmont Biofuels is a successful grassroots movement fighting for sustainable food and fuel and eschewing dependence on foreign oil. Beginning as a three-person co-op in 2002 it has since climbed to a coalition of over 600 members. Piedmont Biofuels is now nationally recognized as the premier center of sustainable biodiesel education, advocacy, and expertise on the eastern seaboard, and a model of small-scale, locally-based biodiesel production. It is the only community scale biodiesel plant with BQ-9000 quality certification from the National Biodiesel Board. Piedmont Biofuels has worked in partnership with the NC State Energy Office, the NC Division of Air Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the North Carolina Solar Center, the North Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Triangle Clean Cities, the NC Biomass Council, and the NC Biofuels Center on their quest for sustainable biodiesel production. Join us if you can.