Indian Hills Community College (IHCC) requests funding for a Planning Grant to research the feasibility of establishing a Regional ATE Center focused on bioenergy called the Bioenergy Technology Education Center (B-TEC). The goals of this planning grant are to: 1) Determine the current and future bioenergy workforce need in a 12 state Midwest region; 2) Identify the colleges serving this need or wanting to serve this need; 3) Determine additional educational resources required to meet current and future need; 4) Identify how the Bioenergy Technology Education Center could support colleges serving the bioenergy industry; and 5) Determine what partner resources and management systems are needed in order to sustain an ATE Regional Center.
This is a well-conceived planning grant that could potentially lead to a Center that focuses on a growing industry. The development of alternative fuels, especially biofuels, could be an important economic resource in the near future.
