While Detroit may seem more and more focused on the automobile industry – after all it is the car capital of the U.S. – they’re never leaving other methods of transport out of the green equation. Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA), operator of Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and Willow Run Airport (YIP) is partnering with the Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Office to create bio-energy crops on airport-owned property.

Together DTW and YIP have more than 1,700 acres of potentially suitable land for bio-crops of which include canola and oriental mustard seed. The Agri-Energy Technology Demonstration project is the first of its kind in the Midwest and is great supported by a $476,000 grant through the Michigan Energy Office of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Aside from international airport property, the grant also covers land not traditionally used for bio-crops, like vacant lots and highway right-of-ways.