RENEWABLE
The recent surge in fossil fuel prices highlights the fact that farms
in
The Center is networking with partners across the state to develop and
collect information that can help farmers make good decisions about
using renewable energy. The 2006 Annual Report from Vermont’s
Sustainable Agriculture Council summarized alternative energy
enhancement activities underway in
Working with the Gund Institute and the Vermont Alternative Energy
Corporation, the Center surveyed dairy farmers about their interest in
growing and processing biodiesel crops. A model was developed to better
understand the economic conditions and business structures under which
an agriculturally-supported biodiesel industry could be developed in
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil, alcohol and lye. To the extent
that these ingredients can be produced and processed on the farm, a
significant degree of energy independence can be gained and a more
sustainable fuel-food cycle realized. In 2006 the
Other
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets recently published
an overview of renewable energy options for
Other links to energy information:
VSJF
Report on feasibility of a mobile oilseed/biodiesel production unit for
Vermont
$450 "Clean Burn" rebates for woodstove change-outs
Grass Energy
website (new 2008)
25x25
Offers Recommendations to Congress, New Administration
Farm
Energy Innovation in Vermont: 2008 SAC
Report by Ed Delhagen
Vermont's
Local Food Landscape: Ginger Nickerson's 2008 SAC Report
Summary of Poznan Climate Change Meeting 2008
On-Farm Energy Report VT Sustainable Jobs Fund, 2005
Energy,
Greenhouse Gases, and Farming - http://www.climateandfarming.org/eghg-f.php
National Renewable Energy Lab - http://www.nrel.gov/
Grass Bioenergy - http://www.grassbioenergy.org/
Vermont Biofuels Association - http://www.vermontbiofuels.org/
Biodiesel
Magazine - http://biodieselmagazine.com/index.jsp
Anaerobic Digestion of Manure - http://www.manuremanagement.cornell.edu/HTMLs/AnaerobicDigestion.htm
"The Food
and Energy
Crisis" from "AG Matters", http://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/AGMattersnewsletter.pdf
Vermont #4 in
energy independence, http://www.uvm.edu/sustainableagriculture/Documents/VTenergyindependence.pdf
Political
Economy and Ecology of Biofuels, Monthly Review article by Fred
Magdoff
Bioenergy
in Central European Cultural Landscapes - Dr. Tobias Plieninger
presentation at UVM, November 19, 2008
Last modified April 03 2009 10:44 AM
