KENNEWICK, Wash - The groundbreaking for the joint WSU-PNNL Bio-Products Research Center in Richland is Thursday. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) said Wednesday the new Bio-Products facility is the "cornerstone" of this country's efforts to break the dependancy on foreign oil.
More than 50% of our country's oil needs are met by foreign sources, Cantwell said; it will take innovation and federal investment to change this. Research done at the new facility can help produce techniques for more efficient and cheaper sources of alternative fuels.
According to PNNL, the Bio-Products lab will be a "multipurpose facility including operating space for all activities required in the research and development of the science and engineering of processes for bio-based product manufacture."
The building is being planned for a site on the campus of Washington State University (WSU) Tri-Cities, approximately one mile south of the main campus of PNNL.
