WALNUT, Calif., June 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- VIASPACE Inc.
(OTCQB: VSPC) today announced that CEO, Dr. Carl Kukkonen, was an invited speaker at the
17th Annual Platts Private Power in Central America
Conference held June 12-13, 2014 in
Panama City, Panama. The
conference covered fossil fuel and renewable electricity projects
in the region, and the Nicaragua Energia Reino Verde project was
presented as a case study. Kukkonen's presentation, titled
"12 MW Biomass Power Plant with 840 Hectare Energy Crop
Plantation," described the power plant project in Nicaragua and other applications of Giant King
Grass in the Central American region.
Kukkonen reported, "The Platts Conference in Panama was attended by over 300 delegates and
provided a good overview of electricity production in Central America. Expensive bunker oil provides
most of the electricity in the region. The most important goals in
the Central American countries are to reduce electricity costs and
to provide additional, reliable generation capability. Other goals
include reduced carbon emissions, and renewable energy. Liquefied
natural gas (LNG) imported from the US or the Middle East was viewed as an attractive
large-scale future option and LNG projects are in development in
Guatemala and Panama. Liquid petroleum gas (propane) was
also discussed. Liquefied natural gas requires significant
infrastructure development and the resulting price is only slightly
below bunker oil, but carbon emissions are lower."
Kukkonen continued, "There were three presentations on renewable
energy: one on wind, one on solar and my presentation on biomass
energy. A very good aspect about this conference is that there were
not parallel sessions and all of the delegates heard all of the
talks. In my presentation, I pointed out that Giant King Grass
electricity is 30% cheaper than electricity from bunker oil and has
zero carbon emissions. I described the Nicaragua project and emphasized that biomass
energy provides reliable, 24/7 green electricity in contrast with
wind and solar that are intermittent and require additional,
reliable and quick reacting backup electricity generating sources.
On average, solar photovoltaic electricity is only available 25% of
the time-- during daylight and sunny hours-- and requires a bunker
oil generator the rest of the time. Wind electricity production is
proportional to windspeed and this is quite variable. In a constant
power application, wind, on average, only provides 34% of the power
and the rest must be provided by bunker oil. Including the
backup power, Giant King Grass electricity is considerably less
expensive than solar or wind. I received many questions after
my presentation and expressions of interest from investors and
potential projects in other countries."
VIASPACE Chairman, Dr. Kevin
Schewe, commented, "The Platts Private Power in Central
America Conference is a prestigious, annual regional event that
attracts key business, financial and government representatives
interested in developing additional electricity production for
Central America where there is a
true need for expansion. Dr. Kukkonen gave the only presentation on
renewable, biomass electricity generation and his talk effectively
highlighted our planned 12 Megawatt Energia Reino Verde power plant
project in Nicaragua and
emphasized using Giant King Grass as the dependable,
well-characterized feedstock to create that electricity. As opposed
to wind and solar power, our Giant King Grass continuously
renewable biomass solution provides green energy electricity 24/7,
and like wind and solar power, it reduces dependence on fossil
fuels and is carbon neutral. As we have recently reported, VIASPACE
is continuing to make excellent progress for renewable, green
energy development in Central
America and the Caribbean
and we are in the process of increasing our footprint in that
region."
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 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.