Raymond Huhnke, OSU professor of biosystems and agricultural engineering was among the experts on the alternative fuels panel at this week's OSU Energy Conference in Tulsa. He serves as team leader for a project that is working to convert low cost biomass, such as perennial grasses and crop residues, into liquid fuel known as "GRASSohol." Huhnke's team is using a gasification-fermentation process designed to get three units of energy from every one unit that is input. Huhnke is also co-investigator on a project evaluating the potential of on-farm production of ethanol from sweet sorghum. The Energy Conference, hosted by the Spears School of Business at OSU, drew more than 800 to the Renaissance Hotel where the theme was the continued diversification of the energy industry. Presentations ranged from seeking new sources of oil on the outer continental shelf of North America to the use of biofuels and sun and wind power. The keynote speaker for the conference, John Hofmeister, president, Shell Oil, urged participants to diversify their companies and pointed to Shell's sizeable investments in alternative energy sources as a sign that his company intends to lead the way.