HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0302.001 2006-2008 HAWAII COUNTY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY COUNCIL
47 Rainbow Drive
Hilo, Hawaii 96720-2013
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Tel: (808)961-2681/Fax:(808) 935-9213
April 17, 2007
Honorable Chair Naeole and Members:
Committee on Human Services and Economic Development
Hawaii County Council
TESTIMONY RE: COMM. 302
Honorable Chair and Members of the Committee,
I testify in support of developing a biofuel industry in Hawaii County. To this
end, Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) has been
conducting the following plant research for use as biodiesel and other biofuel
projects:
• HCEOC's Hawaii Biotech Tissue Culture Center (HBTCC) has
successfully germinated Jatropha Curcas seeds. Presently, 15,000 plant
starts are in cultivation for research, as well as, for seed to mass produce
plant starts for Meld planting. We anticipate a yield of over 10 million
seeds for one million plant starts and the remaining seeds dedicated for
diesel oil research and development.
• HBTCC has also initiated research on bamboo for its cellulose content
for biofuel.
HCEOC strongly believes a biofuel industry can materialize for this island.
Respectfully,
Geo e Y k ama
Executive Director
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