The Houston Area Chamber of Commerce’s traveling luncheon is Tuesday at GoldStar Charcoal east of Houston.
GoldStar is a subsidiary of the Missouri Deputy Sheriff’s Association and produces charcoal to support the retirement benefits for Missouri officers. Marco Tapia, executive director of the Missouri Deputy Sheriff’s Association and director of operations for GoldStar Charcoal, will give a tour of the plant.
GoldStar produces charcoal daily, but is also involved in the development of alternative fuel sources with an emphasis on utilizing available bio-based resources as a sustainable energy source. The emphasis at GoldStar has been in the application of pyrolisis of multiple bio-based feedstock into energy.
“Waste to Energy. The principals of bio-based conversion through pyrolisis, and the development of associated ‘value added by-products’ is a daily routine at the plant,” Tapia said. “Currently, I spend a lot of time lecturing and teaching community leaders and police officers about the threat of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Living in this world has heightened my awareness of an essential need to strengthen our domestic energy position through production and de-centralized distribution.”
GoldStar is not only producing charcoal. The kilns are also producing other by-products and facilitating alternative energy methods to not only run the kilns, but offer energy to others.
The luncheon, which requires a RSVP to the chamber by Friday, is open to anyone interested in this innovative energy facility. Lunch will be catered by Catering by M LLC and is $7 per person.
RSVP by emailing chamber004@centurytel.net or call 417-967-2220. For more information about chamber events, visit www.houstonmochamber.com.