BioOhio's first tenant is building more than a business
Government and business leaders from across Ohio gathered at OARDC in Wooster Dec. 14, to celebrate a milestone in the development of the BioOhio Research Park – the dedication of the biodigester under construction by the first tenant, Quasar Energy Group, formerly Schmack BioEnergy."This is an exciting day," said Dr. Bobby Moser, OSU vice president of agricultural administration and dean of the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. "We've been waiting for this a long time and it's finally happening."
"When you see that digester and you think about what is going to happen in the future, what you're seeing is a glimpse of the future," said Moser, of the biodigester that will take waste products from the agricultural industry and turn it into electricity.
Projects like Quasar's biodigester are not only a tantalizing look into the future of a new alternative energy industry, it is a look into what may be the future of Ohio's entire economy.
"What this project does is validate what we've been saying for a number of years here in Ohio and that is we can rebuild our economy by the use of energy, bioagricultural products and our research and development here in the state of Ohio," said Robert Boggs, Ohio Department of Agriculture director, noting that projects like this allow Ohio to "lead the way for the rest of the country."
"This is not the time to be unsure of ourselves. This is the time to be aggressive - to be opportunistic - to be bodacious," said Boggs. "We will rebuild our future from the ashes of the old economy. We're building a new economy and this is one big step along the way."
"We have it all in Ohio," said Boggs. "It's just up to us to make it happen."
Mel Kurtz, Quasar Energy Group president, spoke about the challenging economic climate the company faced as it launched the project.
"It's a challenging environment and it's gotten more challenging by the year," said Kurtz.
"We need hope," he said, noting that "hope comes in many forms," including government officials like the Wayne County Commissioners, "who made us important when we weren't important."
"Today is a success story. Today it's easy to be on board but there were days when it wasn't so easy for the people who are here," said Kurtz. "We appreciate you taking a chance."
"The things that are happening here reflect so well on what I think Ohio is all about," said U.S. Congressman John Boccieri, of the "collaboration of local communities, working together with our state…and federal governments - all in sync, all in tune" to create energy independence for the country.
The BioOhio Research Park is not only the seed of what may be a major boom to the state's economy. It could also be a major factor in the growth of Wooster's local economy.
"This is an exciting time in our town," said Wooster Mayor Bob Breneman, noting that the BioOhio Research Park "is something that will be world renown by the time it is up and going."
Breneman added that the project grew out of the realization that "we have a wealth of knowledge on the south side of our city in OARDC."
OARDC's connection to The Ohio State University "opens so many doors and (generates) so much excitement for what can happen here," said Breneman, stating that in many ways OARDC and the Wooster community in general represents a unique synergy between agriculture, industry, education and research.