JACKSON -- Mississippi manufacturers, agricultural producers and economic developers can learn ways to reduce dependence on fossil fuels during a March 25 and 26 conference.

The Mississippi Renewable Energy Conference will address how the use of alternative fuels can create jobs and reduce the environmental impact of energy production and use.

Mississippi State University's Extension Service and the Mississippi Biomass Council are sponsoring the conference at the Clarion Hotel in Jackson.

Registration fees are $165 before March 17 or $195 after that date. To attend the legislative reception only, the cost is $25.

Duane Motsenbocker, management specialist with the MSU Extension Service's Food and Fiber Center, said using biomass as a fuel source instead of fossil fuels will reduce reliance on foreign imports. Instead, crops and residues can be converted to fuels for vehicle or industrial use.

Topics during the general sessions include Mississippi fuels for the future, an update on renewable energy projects and the feasibility of the ethanol industry in the state. Concurrent technical sessions will address ethanol, solar and green energy as well as bio-oil, bio-diesel and renewable fuels policy.

The registration form is available on the Internet at http://www.ms-biomass.org. Contact Ann Sansing in the MSU Extension Service's Food and Fiber Center at (662) 325-2160 or [email protected] for more information.