The project was funded by several contributors including the city of Cleveland and Bradley County each contributing $75,000 toward the project, the USDA Rural Development who contributed $99,000, and the Appalachian Regional Commission who invested $150,000 from their state and federal budgets.
“We are very excited about the ribbon cutting on Friday,” said Hurley Buff, Incubator executive director. “This has been nine years in the making. This is definitely a red letter day in the history of the incubator.”
The incubator will also be the home for Cleveland State’s Alternative Fuels Learning Laboratory. Grant funding was used to purchase the necessary equipment to convert food waste products to biodiesel blends of B20.
To support the Alternative Fuels Learning Laboratory, CSCC has developed the companion curriculum. The intent of the course is to train students on the science, technology, and manufacturing processes to convert waste cooking oil into biodiesel. In turn, these trained students can support the emerging alternative fuels industry.
According to Mr. Gentry, this class is available on demand. Once established with biodiesel, CSCC will evaluate offering courses in other alternative fuels, such as ethanol or electric vehicles.
In addition to the Alternative Fuels Learning Laboratory, there are two other committed tenants—Air Tight Spray Foam Insulation and Tennessee Automation Services.
Mr. Buff said, “We really hope to house businesses who have “reinvented” themselves to leave a drastically reduced impact on the environment. Basically, in some way or another, these businesses are all going to help the environment and our dependence on foreign energy resources.”
Mayors Rowland and Davis will both speak at the ribbon cutting on Friday. A representative from Congressman Fleischmann’s office will be present, as well as Gary Farlow with the Chamber of Commerce, David Collett from USDA Rural Development, and Phil McMullan representing the Appalachian Regional Commission.
For more information on the ribbon cutting or on becoming a tenant of the Cleveland/Bradley Energy Center, contact Hurley Buff at 478-6476 or email him at info@cbbi.net.
CONGRATULTIONS CLEVELAND!!!!!
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