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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-11-15, Page 9The Huron Expositor • November 15, 2006 News Page 9 Centre for Applied Renewable Energy aims to educate locals about alternate energy sources SusanHundertmark As windmills pop up throughout the countryside and stories surface of people using soybean oil for fuel in their diesel tractors, a Centre for Applied Renewable Energy is open- ing in Brussels to help Huron County residents take advantage of renewable energy. The Huron Business Development Corporation (HBDC) has begun a yearlong $150,000 project, funded by Service Canada and partnered with Countryside Energy and the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association. Aimed at the renewable energy sector, the project will train a dozen local people in the various types of renewable energy, hoping to provide a skilled workforce for existing renewable energy businesses. The centre will also provide a source of information about renew- able energy for local farmers, busi- nesses and homeowners interested in using new technologies to reduce their costs or lessen their environ- mental impact. "There are already a number of renewable energy projects going on around here," says project coordina- tor David Blaney, pointing to Nott Farms in Clinton, which is researching biofuel crops and Lynn Farms in Lucan, which is research- ing anaerobic digestion. As a number of wind farms have begun along Lake Huron, Blaney says there are many other forms of renewable energy. "We are investigating the tech- nologies that could help make farm- ers more self-sufficient and their farms more economically viable," he says. Farmers, especially those with larger operations, could use renew- able energy technology to create their own energy to heat barns using biomass technology. Biomass involves using crops such as switchgrass, flax husks or other organic material to produce your own fuel, that can run tractors or generators. • "It sounds like science fiction and horribly complicated but it's not that complicated," says Blaney. Farmers with as many as 250 head of cattle or 2,000 broiler chick- ens could also benefit from anaero- bic digestion, another way of creat- ing energy, this time from manure. "We grow things in Huron County and we've got a lot of raw materials sitting in our fields. It would be really nice to figure out how to use every single part of the things we grow," says Blaney. As part of the project, people will be trained to identify potential sites for community hydro generation along regional watersheds, figure out the feasibility of creating biofuel out of fibre crops or restaurant waste and determine the economic feasibility of developing anaerobic digestion facilities using human and livestock waste. As well, others will be trained to analyse and install small, farmer - owned wind turbines, engage home- owners on passive solar, photovolta- ic cells and geo-thermal technology and educate the public about energy conservation. Still others will be trained about community -owned renewable ener- gy projects, cooperative manage- ment, learning opportunities relat- ed to renewable energy and strate- gic planning for a permanent Centre for Applied Renewable Energy. The Centre is holding a public opening of its new offices at 437 Turnberry Street in Brussels on Thursday, Nov 16 (tomorrow) at 1 p.m. Story ideas? Call Susan or Jeff at 519-527-0240 Brussels 4-11 Show and Sale $$ Grand Champion Beef - Brent Martin Buyer - Teeswater Concrete Carrie Powe Hensall Cattle Company • L.S • 4 Milli SNOW Morgan Powe Corsetti Meats Grand Champion Lamb — Laura Higgins Buyer — Neil Edgar & Jones Feed Mill Thank You! Amber Brodie Hensall Cattle Company Brussels 4-H Show and Sale was held Oct. 7 at Brussels Livestock. The 4-H members would like to give thanks to Len Gamble and staff and the following buyers (listed below) and cash sponsors - Keith Cardiff, Howick Insurance, Howatt Trucking, Howick Mutual Insurance, Trillium Insurance and Bob Thompson. Also thanks to the judges, Craig Emke - Iambs, Ron Stevenson and Doug Howatt - calves; and to Brian Rintoul, auctioneer. Teeswater Concrete, Neil Edgar, Jones Feed Mill, Delaney Capital, Smyth Welding, Farm Jeffery Gibson Vincent Farm Equipment Fraser Falconer Huron Feeding Systems Sara Baker McKillop Insurance Business Consultants, Snobelen Farms, Lucknow Co-op, OMNI Insurance, Lucknow Village Market, Elliott Fencing, MTS Feeds, Huron Tractor, Metzger Meats, Thompson Feed & Supply, Blue Oak Farms, Bruce Bar & Grill, Miller Insurance, Green's Meats, Craig MacDonald Redden Insurance, Ivomec, Wingham Wool Depot, Brussels Livestock, Les Enterprises, McGavin Farm Equipment, McKinnon Transport, Paul Johnston, Brussels Agromart, Dauphin Feed & Supply, Cinnamon Jim's Restaurant, Townsend Tire, Doug Howatt Transport, Shayrana Sheep Farm, Wallenstein Feed & Supply, Walton Inn, Ontario Plowmen's Association, Fleming Feed Mill.