WALNUT, Calif., July 14, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VIASPACE Inc.
(OTCQB: VSPC) today announced that the company has entered into a
research collaboration with the University of
California Agriculture and Natural Resources Division
(UCANR). The objectives of the research are to:
- Compare the growth of Giant King Grass using subsurface drip
irrigation with flood (furrow) irrigation
- Compare individual node and whole stalk planting methods
- Evaluate yields when cut every 6 months for bioenergy
applications
- Evaluate yields when cut every 2 months for animal feed or
anaerobic digestion to produce biomethane
- Evaluate growth of Giant King Grass in a very hot dry
climate
UCANR is the division of the University of
California that operates the Cooperative Extension Program
and nine Research and Extension Centers that link California farmers and ranchers to
agricultural and veterinary researchers at the UC Davis,
Riverside and Berkeley campuses. VIASPACE is
collaborating with the 255 acre Desert Research and Extension
Center, located in Holtville,
California.
VIASPACE provided some funding for the research, and Dr.
Oli Bachie is the research
collaborator. Dr. Bachie earned his Ph.D. in Plant Biology at UC
Riverside. Dr. Bachie is the UC Cooperative Extension advisor for
Imperial, Riverside and San
Diego counties specializing in agronomy.
Giant King Grass seedlings were
harvested from the VIASPACE propagation nursery in California and were planted at the
Holtville farm. The first
animal feed harvest will be in August. Giant King Grass is a perennial grass, and the
research project is planned to continue for multiple years.
VIASPACE CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen,
reported, "I received a great undergraduate education (in Physics)
at UC Davis which is one of the world's outstanding agriculture
universities, and I have recently served on the Dean's Advisory
Council. I am pleased to be able to collaborate with UC on
this research project which will add valuable independent
information to our extensive data base. VIASPACE is now
growing Giant King Grass in 11 locations in 8 countries on 4
continents, and it has been extensively tested by third party
laboratories for electricity production, biogas, biofuel, pellet
and animal feed applications."
VIASPACE Chairman, Dr. Kevin
Schewe, commented, "The University of
California Research Center in Holtville is located in the Imperial Valley,
relatively close to where Mesquite Lake Water and Power, LLC is
working with VIASPACE with a 22 acre propagation nursery of Giant
King Grass for an 18 MW biomass power plant and a companion
advanced biofuels facility which are a part of the Mesquite Lake
Energy Park. Although this region is a desert, with high
temperatures and low average rainfall of three inches per year, the
economy is heavily based on agriculture due to irrigation, supplied
wholly from the Colorado River via the All-American Canal. The
readily available irrigation combined with the sunny, hot climate
make for conditions that we believe are excellent for very high
yields of Giant King Grass to be used for bioenergy development and
animal feed."
Dr. Schewe, continued, "In addition to working as the VIASPACE
Chairman, I am one of the largest individual investors in VIASPACE
and continue to regularly increase my common share investment in
this company. From a business perspective, having a Giant King
Grass research collaboration with the prestigious and respected
University of California is a
remarkable achievement for our company with multiple potential
benefits. First, this project will add well-regarded and
UC-validated data to our Giant King Grass data base and that
ever-expanding data base makes our product more valuable and more
creditworthy. Second, we see California as a large and significant domestic
market for both green, renewable bioenergy/biofuels and animal
feed. This relationship and project increases our exposure and
reputation with local and state governing authorities. Third, there
is extensive networking between private and public businesses and
industries and the University of California—this opens new doors
and fosters relationships important to our future. Finally,
VIASPACE now has its established propagation nursery and this new
research project with UCANR where we can show and demonstrate the
biomass platform strength and animal feed utility of Giant King
Grass to prospective clients."
Dr. Schewe, concluded, "We are at the half-way point through
2014 and we are continuing to build our company and sign new
contracts that are expanding our business pipeline and global
footprint. The now competitive economics of carbon-neutral,
renewable green bioenergy plus the important global political and
environmental mandates of decreasing dependence on fossil fuels and
thereby reducing carbon emissions are all working in our favor. In
addition, the earth's population is growing and animal feed
applications of Giant King Grass will naturally grow as a result.
We are creating a robust pipeline of business and future revenues
to accomplish our objectives to grow the value of our company.
VIASPACE is at the leading edge of this industry and we are growing
in global recognition and business momentum."
About VIASPACE Inc.
VIASPACE grows renewable Giant KingTM Grass as a
low-carbon fuel for clean electricity generation; for
environmentally friendly energy pellets; and as a feedstock for
bio-methane production and for green cellulosic biofuels,
biochemicals and biomaterials. Giant King
Grass is a proprietary, high yield, dedicated biomass energy
crop. Giant King Grass when it is
cut frequently at 4 to 9 feet tall is also excellent animal feed.
The USDA granted approval for planting Giant King Grass throughout
the US and cooperates in exporting by performing the required
inspections and issuing the phytosanitary certificate needed for
import into foreign countries. Giant King
Grass is being grown in California, Arizona, Hawaii, St. Croix Virgin Islands, Nicaragua, South
Africa, China, Myanmar, Pakistan, Guyana and Jamaica. For more
information, please go to www.VIASPACE.com or contact Dr.
Jan Vandersande, Director of
Communications, at 800-517-8050 or IR@VIASPACE.com.
Safe Harbor Statement
Information in this news release includes forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements relate to future
events or future performance and involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results,
levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially
different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking
statements. Such factors include, without limitation, risks
outlined in our periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange Commission, including Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2013, and
other factors over which VIASPACE has little or no control.
SOURCE VIASPACE Inc.