Rockford company gets biofuels grant

A Spokane County company has been awarded a $90,000 grant to continue developing a process that converts bluegrass straw into biofuels.

Farm Power, based in Rockford, will use the U.S. Department of Agriculture money for further work on automating controls and feedstock systems, according to a joint statement from Washington senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray.

Farm Power’s technology, with patents pending, produces methane and carbon monoxide that can be burned to produce electricity.

Farm Power Director Jack Zimmer said the grant will help move the technology towards commercialization.