WALNUT, Calif., Oct. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VIASPACE Inc. (OTC:
VSPC) today issued an update regarding the progress of the Tibbar
Energy USVI, Giant King Grass fueled, 7-megawatt biogas power
plant on the island of St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands. The
power plant will provide the only base load renewable electricity
in the USVI. The majority feedstock is from VIASPACE Giant King
Grass (GKG). Tibbar will sell power for 25 years with a 5
year option to the Water and Power Authority (WAPA). Tania Tomyn, CEO of Tibbar, said, "Our project
is a balance of public and private relationships. This is a long
term commercial solution that gives the USVI fossil fuel
independence and low cost power. Executive Director
Hugo Hodge from WAPA and
Karl Knight from the DOE in the USVI
are finding real solutions such as LPG conversion and Solar to aid
the energy crisis and Tibbar is proud to be part of that long term
plan."
As previously reported, Tibbar Energy was issued a Virgin Island
Department on Planning and Natural Resources' Division of Coastal
Zone Management (CZM) final permit for construction on April 2, 2014. Those permits are now 90% complete
and the final design and modification before construction starts is
also being completed. Tomyn said, "We expect to start work the
first of the year (2015) and that will create 150 jobs between the
power plant construction and the farm development that will happen
simultaneously. After construction, the plant will employ around
35-40 staff for 25 years." Tibbar has already been operating farms
on the island of St. Croix growing GKG for over 2 years now with
great success.
Additionally, on June 23, 2014,
the Public Services Commission (PSC) held a public meeting on St.
Thomas where Tibbar Energy and WAPA together requested final
approval of the agreements between WAPA and Tibbar including the 25
year (with 5 year option) Power Purchase Agreement executed
last July and the Interconnection Agreement to the power grid. That
approval was granted by the Commission.
Tibbar's public and private relationships are important. For
example, as part of the agreement the Department of Agriculture
will receive 1,000 round bales per year for all three islands in
the USVI for small livestock farmers. Tibbar will provide free
fertilizer to small farmers on the island of St. Croix.
Tibbar is working with VI Waste Management Authority on its
existing long term agreement to recycle food waste and fats, oils
and greases to divert waste from the landfill and be used in the
digester to create energy. Tomyn said, "20% plus of all MSW
is organics and working with Waste Management Authority to recycle
these streams and divert them from landfills on St. Thomas and St.
Croix is the right thing to do for both the USVI and Tibbar.
This will have a major impact on landfill capacity over the next 25
years."
VIASPACE Chairman, Dr. Kevin
Schewe, commented, "The project with Tibbar Energy to use
Giant King Grass as a dedicated, renewable, green energy crop for
biogas electricity production on St. Croix is continuing to move
ahead. This represents a model, Caribbean renewable energy project that
creates significant local jobs, provides green, base load
electricity and multiple related benefits to waste management, the
island environment and local farmers. Tibbar's project will
be the Caribbean's first
carbon neutral base load, renewable power plant. We are very
pleased with our ongoing working relationship and partnership with
Tibbar Energy. We are in regular contact with Tibbar CEO
Tania Tomyn and her team. They
have become experts at cultivating and growing Giant King Grass on
St. Croix. VIASPACE will receive license revenues for 25 years
(with a 5 year option) as the Giant King Grass on St. Croix is
harvested for renewable electricity."
About VIASPACE Inc.
VIASPACE grows renewable Giant King™ 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 5 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 and Guyana. 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.