AMES, Iowa (AP) - A prominent Iowa State University biofuels researcher says he hopes the Iowa Energy Center will honor key funding commitments if it’s transferred to another agency.
ISU Bioeconomy Institute director Robert Brown said he wasn’t consulted before ISU announced Monday that it’s supporting utility-backed legislation to move the center to Iowa Economic Development Authority. He said he’s “wondering what the ramifications are” for the 27-year-old center, which he credited with helping make Iowa an ethanol leader.
Brown said his immediate concern is that the center honor its pledge to support a U.S. Department of Energy research initiative, which could bring millions to ISU to test new biofuels processing technologies.
Brown says the center pledged 20 percent for every $1 federal grant, a crucial commitment. He says he’ll work with lawmakers “to have a transition that makes sense for everybody.”
An ISU spokesman said it’s premature to assess the transfer’s impact.
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