The reason he does not think there is a downside is because solid waste material that normally would go into landfills will be used to create energy, and one of the byproducts is fertilizer.
Strickland also said because of the payout, in terms of electricity, the investment could be recouped in a relatively reasonable period of time, and there also is the potential of 10,000 jobs in Ohio.
The technology is something the state should continue to support and promote, Strickland said.
Ohio, through the Third Frontier program, has lent its support to the project to the tune of a $500,000 grant for the construction of the anaerobic digestion facility. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded quasar a $500,000 grant to assist with the $3 million venture.
Tony Logan, the Ohio director for the USDA, told Strickland this was a great opportunity in which to collaborate with the state.
Because waste is converted to power and fertilizer is produced in the process, Halene said, "it is not the silver bullet, but it is not bad."
Ohio first lady Frances Strickland has visited quasar twice, and Strickland said she convinced him of the project. He also spoke with Bobby Moser of Ohio State University about it. This was his first opportunity to see it for himself, he said.
During the visit, Kurtz said the waste generated in Ohio could support 7,000 digesters.
Germany, where the technology has been in use for more than 15 years, has about 4,000 digesters, Halene said.
By comparison, there are only 250 in the United States, Kurtz said. Germany has about 80 million people living in an area about the size of Montana, he added.
"We've got some catching up to do," Strickland said.
Earlier in the day, the governor was with Sen. Sherrod Brown and others in Cleveland to discuss efforts to get wind deployed in Lake Erie.
"We use a lot of energy in Ohio and America, and I would love for us to work toward energy independence," Strickland said. However, the state cannot do that without working on all sources of energy, he adding, noting he is a supporter of solar, wind, clean coal and nuclear power.
David Benfield, associate director of OARDC, said it was a privilege to have the governor visit and also to have him as a supporter of the Third Frontier project and OARDC. His visit also helps bring more attention to what is going on at the research center, Benfield said.
"It takes someone to make something happen, and the governor coming here makes this important," Kurtz said, adding the technology being implemented by quasar can really make a difference in Ohio. "It's always an honor when the governor comes to your town," Mayor Bob Breneman said. "We're happy to have him here."
Breneman said he did not pitch any projects to Strickland, rather he wanted to welcome him back to the city.
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