BINGHAMTON, NY – The SUNY Business and Education Cooperative of the Southern Tier (SUNY BEST) will host a presentation, titled “The Southern Tier Regional Bioenergy Partnership: Developing a Regional Renewable Bioenergy Industry Cluster in the Southern Tier” at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 4 in room LN 1324C of the Continuing Education and Outreach Department on the Binghamton University campus. This presentation is free and open to the public.

The Southern Tier Regional Bioenergy Partnership is designed to explore the potential for establishing a viable bioenergy industry cluster in the Southern Tier of New York State. The program brings together planners, community and economic developers, educators, farmers, business representatives and others to analyze the strengths and weaknesses related to bioenergy development. Based on their work, project participants agreed that the bioenergy sector has the potential to support regional development goals and are creating a plan with specific strategies designed to realize that potential.

Panelists involved with the project will describe the process they have been involved in, data and other information they have considered, and their ideas for moving forward.

Presentation panelists include Erik Miller, director of the Southern Tier East Regional Planning Development Board, Dee Gamble, Energy $mart Communities lead coordinator for the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority’s Southern Tier Region (NYSERDA), Elizabeth Keokosky, a former systems analyst at Cornell University, now working with Community Biomass Energy to develop a bioengineering business, and Heidi Mouillesseaux-Kunzman, an extension associate with the Community and Regional Development Institute (CaRDI) based in Cornell University’s Department of Developmental Sociology.

Pre-registration is required at http://ceo.binghamton.edu/bande/. For additional information, e-mail dhulbert@binghamton.edu.

SUNY BEST is a volunteer group comprised of senior staff members from key economic and educational institutions in the Southern Tier. The group works to forge strong alliances, strengthen industry specific needs and provide information and outreach for business.