DAS AND STEINER WITH CENIPALMA IN BOGATA

University of Georgia representatives Drs. K.C. Das and Christoph Steiner travelled to Bogata, Colombia, August 23-31, 2008 in collaboration with Cenipalma for field research and to attend the conference "Biomasa, una oportunidad mas para la agroindustria de la palma de aceite en Colombia."

Drs. Das and Steiner work with Jesus Alberto Garcia Nunez, a former student of Dr. Das and current Director of Cenipalma's Processes and Use Division. Cenipalma is a leading company in Colombia's palm oil industry that has been collaborating with UGA since 2003. UGA provides research support and collaboration for developing technologies for use of residue biomass from the palm oil industry for energy and biochar production, as well as biochar land applications. Drs. Das and Steiner travelled with three objectives in mind; to identify biomass streams in palm oil plantations and at the oil mill, to identify suitable pyrolysis/carbonization techniques, and to assist in field trials of biochar utilization. They also presented the biorefinery concept at the Fedepalma Conference hosted for industry partners and researchers.

Carbonization and gas measurement team at the Unipalma plantation near Villavicencio		Fruit bunches are delivered and empty fruit bunches are returned as organic fertilizer
Abundant biomass at renovation (every 20 to 30 years)		K.C. Das and former UGA student Jesus Alberto Garcia Nunez
Dr. Das presenting the Biorefinery Concept at Fedepalma headquarters in Bogota		Jesus Alberto Garcia Nunez, Christoph Steiner, K.C. Das, and Boris Hernandez Salame at Tertulias Palmeras