Biofuel – Biofuels can be described as the fuel for the future. While solar power and wind turbines are alternative sources of electricity, these technologies do not reduce our need for transportation fuels. All biofuels and bio-based products come from “biomass”, a term that covers all living or recently living biological material which can be used as fuel or for industrial production.
Biofuels can be separated into three basic categories: ethanol (primarily used in cars; alcohol, usually made from corn or sugar cane), biodiesel (a substitute for diesel fuel, used mostly by truckers in US, but is increasing popularity in diesel cars…commonly made from soybeans…based on oils), and other biomass (used for generation of electricity or heat…for example collecting methane from manure piles).
In the SEBREA region, there is potential for bio refining, growing more energy crops, and for exploring more renewable and alternative energy industries.
Oil and Gas – The economic development professionals at SEBREA have an open mind about energy production in our region. Oil and gas exploration provides significant income for some landowners in Kiowa and Bent Counties. Colorado Interstate Gas has a pumping substation located 13 miles north of Eads along US Highway 287. Fracking is another active and growing industry in Colorado. Our region has acreage available for profitable fracking sites.