Small Town News

Bio-mass -- the future is now!

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An area alternative energy group spoke at the Redwood Area Development corporation meeting October 22

WALNUT GROVE -- The Redwood Area Development Corporation met at the Walnut Grove School recently to hear a presentation by a group of area people involved with alternative energy methods. Members from the Walnut Grove EDA and City Council, and School Board members listened to the presentation.

Redwood Area

Development chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked for all to introduce themselves.

Board member Bruce Johnson of Walnut Grove spoke about a trip he was on to Sweden to see how they are using bio-mass energy there. He said what they are doing there is incredible.

Redwood Falls native Dan Reed explained the company's Logic Model Approach to Renewable Energy for Rural Communities.

The process outline includes, community evolvement of energy inventory. They looked at the school boilers and other energy factors. It would consider a variety of technologies, evaluate the total cost of ownership, look at economic optimization of best practices, draft a report for approval, and concept a plan of development.

Community psychologist Mary Ryan, talked about program action -- the need of asking the community what they want. The situation, priorities and public education are very important in the short term. In the long term assumption part of the job will be to facilitate the involvement of the people and get them committed to the project.

Reed listed some of the steps to be done in the community. Feasibility and research and development; energy inventory; review previous audits; prepare site drawings; consider technologies; study capital - ownership - cost - pay back; and return on investment for investors.

Their Energy efficiency policy calls for the best use of a variety of fuel sources including fuel oil, ag pellets, natural gas, hydro, wind and solar.

Community Energy Modeling -- would determine the energy use of an entire community and finding ways to involve the community to make a comprehensive plan to affect the whole concept.

Design Build Teams -- would use locally produced energy from various sources that might include Bio-mass, or possibly wind or methane.

Policies and Ordinances -- focusing on community based projects utilizing alternative fuels, conservation along with developing plans for community energy use.

Bob Ryan of Bird Island is the founder of a company called

European Energy Connection. The company deals with bringing European energy resources to be developed in the U.S.

Ryan is very excited about bringing bio-mass technology to this area. Fuel pellets can be made from corn stalks and corn cobs along with other field residue. For Agriculture it is an additional revenue source with virtually no input cost to the farmer. The removal of these residues only removes about $1.73 per ton of N and K from the field. The output from three hundred thousand tons of the the product would be equal to 52,800 gallons of LP fuel.

Ryan told the group the technology has been used in Sweden for several years to power bio-mass boilers for homes and industry.

"Wood chip boilers are used to heat entire communities in Europe," he said.

Methane, Bio-gas and natural gas are used extensively in Europe.

City waste from sewage is used to capture Methane gas something that would work well with Walnut Grove's sanitary sewer facility.

Ryan said the technology is not new, it has been used in Europe for over 25 years.

Sweden has increased their Gross National Product by 48 percent since the nineties. This change came about after the Swedish Government imposed carbon caps, something environmental groups have been pushing for in this country.

Another area they are ahead of the US is in wind generators. The units they are using now are 28 percent more efficient than the ones that are being installed in the United States.

Ryan said, "we have a great opportunity to develop these alternative fuels locally."

When asked about the cost of converting to methane fuel, Ryan said, "where it has been done, it pays for itself in three years. Where else can you get a return on investment like that."

If a federal energy grant is pursued it would have to be on a community wide basis involving the school, city, and citizens. It also might be feasible to include the school in Westbrook along with the community.



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© 2010 Sentinel Tribune Westbrook, Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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