A Bowling Green inventor is continuing his 30-year effort to bring energy independence to the United
States.
Albert Calderon told BG’s Board of Public Utilities Monday night he has come up with a renewable
agricultural source for the biomass needed to fuel plants that would produce electric power, gasoline
and fertilizer. Calderon said building 15 plants in Ohio would create 188,000 jobs and generate billions
of dollars in taxes. He said there would be no carbon dioxide concern because that gas would be used to
manufacture the fertilizer.
His Energy Independence of America Corp. has built and is operating a pilot plant in Bowling Green.
Reina Calderon said the firm has been "being educated" about agricultural issues by Ohio State
University experts and a representative of the Ohio Farm Bureau was in BG last week to view the pilot
plant in operation.
After his initial biomass proposal using wood products for fuel met with opposition, Calderon set about
finding another source. He learned that farmers in Missouri have been using better drainage and
irrigation ponds to increase corn and soybean yields. He believes these increased yields will free up
land that can be used to grow miscanthus, a renewable crop that will provide the biomass for the plants.

Calderon said the key is getting the first full-scale plant built and operating. He is confident that
other municipal utilities around Ohio would be interested in developing their own plants and that
financing would be easier when one plant has been proven.
His long range goal is 2,000 plants across the U.S. in communities with municipal power systems like
Bowling Green. He used Liberty ships during World War II as an analogy. "Those ships were built
with bonds and these plants could be built with bonds, energy bonds. This could generate 15 million jobs
for the country and energy independence."
The board also:
¥ Agreed to seek bids for substandard sewer relining or replacement on portions of Hillcrest Drive, Lyn
Road, North Grove Street, West Evers and the alley between Court and Pike east of Enterprise Street. The
estimated cost of the work is $538,300.
¥ Approved seeking bids for substandard waterline replacements on portions of Third Street, Donbar Drive
and North Prospect Street. The estimated cost is $526,500.
¥ Approved a revised late payment charges policy that matches how the business office already operates.

¥ Learned Harold Smith, superintendent of the water distribution and wastewater collection division will
retire this summer after 37 1/2 years with the city.