Gov. Kim Reynolds may have a degree from Iowa State, but she thinks Iowans can learn a thing or two from the University of Iowa.

In her first stop at UI since becoming governor last month, Reynolds visited campus Wednesday for a roundtable discussion on biomass fuels as part of her Building a Better Iowa tour.

Officials spoke with Reynolds and acting Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg about UI's goal of going coal-free by 2025 and generating 40 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.

Reynolds called the goal "very ambitious."

"But my money is on them," she said. "I think they're going to get it done."

Currently, UI generates about 17.3 percent of its energy from renewable sources on average, although one day last year that number was as high as 60 percent, according to Erin Hazen, UI's renewable energy business development manager.

Growing Iowa's renewable energy sector was one of the goals Reynolds laid out in her inaugural address, and she called the visit to UI a chance to find out what works and what can be improved. Biomass fuels provide one way to grow business and job opportunities in the state, she said.

"The more that we can scale what they’re doing here at the University of Iowa, again, that helps drive the supply chain, and that helps drive the market," she said.

Hazen said the two biggest things UI needs to do to meet its renewable energy goals and go coal-free are recruiting additional growers and working with the private sector to cut down supply chain and logistics costs.

"We’d like to expand our use of the existing biomass fuels and further that research that’s already been done," Hazen said. "And also keep developing new fuels so we have that long-term, stable supply chain that we need to replace coal."

Part of the university's renewable energy strategy includes planting 2,500 acres of miscanthus grass, which is grown as an energy-producing crop and also has benefits for soil health and runoff prevention.

Dan Black, who grows 16 acres of miscanthus on his farm west of Iowa City as part of the university's pilot program, said he talked during the roundtable about what brought him into the program.

"From a personal sense, I just love the concept of growing energy," he said. "To be able to grow energy for the state of Iowa just seems to make all kinds of sense."

He said he was encouraged by Reynolds' attitude toward the program.

"I think she has an interest in it," Black said. "I think it plays into their energy policy and programs that they’ve developed, and I thought she seemed really excited about it."