It is my pleasure to invite you to attend the second annual Grow: Oklahoma Biofuels Conference.

Last year, we had overwhelming attendance with leaders in research, petroleum, refining, transportation, agriculture, state agencies and elected officials representing 18 states. Since then, Oklahoma has made strides in the biofuels industry, and I expect this year's conference to be even better.

In May of this year, I signed into law legislation creating the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center, a $40 million research collaboration to further the development of Oklahoma's biofuels industry.

For reasons of national security, economic well-being, protection of our environment and concern for our finite oil and gas resources, our nation has embarked on a policy to develop alternative transportation fuels and free ourselves from dependence on imported foreign oil.

With the establishment of the Oklahoma Bioenergy Center and other advancements, Oklahoma is playing a central role in reaching our national goals. Our rich native prairie grass resource, petroleum refining capacity, position at the intersection of the petroleum product infrastructure and the interstate highway system, the experience of its research community and, most important, the talent and determination of the people make Oklahoma a leader in biofuels.

The Oklahoma Biofuels Conference will bring together leaders in this effort to share their vision and knowledge. We know that this new industry will not reach its full potential overnight, but this important conference will aid in our advancements by raising the right questions and helping us move forward.

We look forward to welcoming you to Oklahoma.

 

Brad Henry
Governor