WALNUT, Calif., Nov. 13, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- VIASPACE Inc. (OTCQB:VSPC) today announced that Giant KingTM Grass is now growing in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The initial small shipment of Giant King Grass was received and planted by Tibbar Energy USVI LLC which is developing a 6 MW biomass energy project fueled by a 1,000 acre Giant King Grass plantation. The Giant King Grass was sent by VIASPACE from its California growing site.
On Sunday, November 12, 2012, Tibbar Energy placed a full-page advertisement in the St. Croix Avis which is the main newspaper on the island as part of its public education campaign. The headline in the ad reads "Tibbar Energy USVI Introduces Giant King Grass to St. Croix."
The text of the ad includes the following:
"How does GKG Help St. Croix?
Tibbar Energy USVI is developing a biomass renewable energy project on St. Croix. The Giant King Grass will be used as a feedstock for anaerobic digestion, generating biogas which will be used to produce electricity. No grass is burned in this process. Anaerobic digestion is a biological process.
The benefits of this project to the island are not only in the energy production. Additional benefits include:
- The branding of St. Croix as a renewable energy producer
- Helping to meet the Virgin Islands renewable energy goal of 22% by 2025
- Provides organic fertilizer for local farmers, agricultural scholarships and new agricultural activity
- Developing co-operative growing agreements with local famers
- Creates high quality permanent jobs.
- Converts 800 acres of underutilized land to agricultural use
- Invests millions of dollars into the island"
The advertisement also includes this picture of the sign posted on the South Shore of St. Croix announcing that "Giant King™ Grass is coming". If the photo is not displayed, click on this link http://pricetargetmedia.com/images/tibbarenergy_king_grass_sign.jpg.
The 20 year Tibbar project is slated to be underway in 2013, fully on-line by the first quarter 2014 and will generate over 20 full time jobs with a total projected economic benefit of $150 million (over the life of the project) to the community through its agricultural and power generation components. Tibbar has entered into an exclusive partnership with VIASPACE to grow Giant King Grass on St. Croix.
For more information on Tibbar Energy, go to www.tibbarenergy.com. A copy of the advertisement is on the VIASPACE website www.VIASPACE.com.
VIASPACE Chairman, Dr. Kevin Schewe, commented: "The VIASPACE project with Tibbar Energy on St. Croix is now moving forward with all due speed as evidenced by this public relations campaign to educate the people of St. Croix regarding the multiple, significant benefits of continuously renewable, green bioenergy using Giant King Grass to produce local electricity. Our partnership with Tibbar Energy on St. Croix will be a model green energy project that can be readily duplicated elsewhere.
VIASPACE also announced that it has established a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/viaspaceinc, and a Twitter account, www.twitter.com/viaspace. Through Social Media, VIASPACE will bring together investors and industry experts to bring awareness to VIASPACE, renewable energy and other industry news. We encourage the formation of our new online communities for users to collaborate, interact and network to share experiences and facilitate improvements. Follow VIASPACE around the globe through pictures and real-time updates. Through Facebook and Twitter, VIASPACE is eager to reach out to new audiences that are interested in clean, renewable green energy.
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 clean energy crop that does not compete with or displace food production.
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, 2011, and other factors over which VIASPACE has little or no control.
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.
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The following pictures are available for download:
| [Image] | "Giant King™ Grass is coming" |