President Ronald D. Liebowitz and the members of the Middlebury College Board of Trustees cordially invite you to join them for the opening of the College's new biomass energy plant.
Middlebury scholar in residence and noted environmentalist and author Bill McKibben will speak on What Gives a College Power:
On Being a Learning, Teaching Community at a Moment of Change.
The lecture will be followed by a virtual tour of the biomass plant.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
4:30 p.m. Light refreshments, 5:00 p.m. Lecture McCullough Student Center, Middlebury College Middlebury, Vermont
The biomass facility is the cornerstone of the College's efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by 2016. The new "green" energy plant, which burns wood chips and other forms of biomass to produce heat and electricity, will reduce Middlebury's carbon emissions by 40 percent and cut its use of fuel oil by a million gallons each year. The College hopes that by proving the practicality and cost effectiveness of this alternative technology, it will inspire other institutions and businesses to step toward greater use of renewable fuels and reductions in carbon emissions.
Space is limited. RSVP by Friday, February 6 to 888.846.6433 or vermont@middlebury.edu
Friday, January 30, 2009
Town Energy Planning
Check out this reading list is, geared specifically to town energy planning issues.
12 slides briefly explain how energy planning fits into the State of Vermont Planning Goals, as well as into other land use planning. (You can also visit the VNRC Energy Program site.)
Energy Coordinator
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns presents the roles and responsibilities of a Town Energy Coordinator.
Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Renewable Energy
The Vermont Land Use Education and Training Collaborative presents Appendix A to their Implementation Manual.
Related Documents
Climate Change at the Local Level
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns presents brief summaries of recent climate change research and the tools (state law and nonprofit resources) available to municipalities that wish to address climate change at the local level. Includes an Energy Saving Checklist of efficiency measures for towns to consider implementing.
If committee members have trouble downloading documents, they should contact the RRPC to have a digital copy sent to them.
12 slides briefly explain how energy planning fits into the State of Vermont Planning Goals, as well as into other land use planning. (You can also visit the VNRC Energy Program site.)
Energy Coordinator
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns presents the roles and responsibilities of a Town Energy Coordinator.
Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Renewable Energy
The Vermont Land Use Education and Training Collaborative presents Appendix A to their Implementation Manual.
Related Documents
Climate Change at the Local Level
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns presents brief summaries of recent climate change research and the tools (state law and nonprofit resources) available to municipalities that wish to address climate change at the local level. Includes an Energy Saving Checklist of efficiency measures for towns to consider implementing.
If committee members have trouble downloading documents, they should contact the RRPC to have a digital copy sent to them.
Vermont Community Climate Change Grants
The Vermont Community Climate Change Grant Program has been established by the Department of Environmental Conservation to enable Vermont communities to implement measures that will improve energy efficiency and reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions in the near term. Grants of up to $12,000 are available to Vermont municipalities and non-profit organizations to support community based projects that will be implemented within twelve months of the grant award.
This grant program is intended to assist with implementation of projects planned or identified by town energy committees and local energy groups. In that regard, these groups and committees are encouraged to partner with their municipality or a non-profit organization to submit a grant application.
Proposals will be considered in two separate funding rounds, with application due dates of February 2, 2009 and April 1, 2009. Contact the RRPC at 775-0871 or through our website.
Read up on Energy Planning in Vermont
One of the RRPC Energy Committee's goals will be to assist towns who want to start an Energy Committee. At present, four towns in the Region have town energy committees: Benson, Middletown Springs, Rutland City and Tinmouth (let us know if you have an energy committee that is not listed here). The Vermont Rural Energy Council has produced a report that should provide a helpful guide to major energy issues in our State.
Take a moment to become familary with the Statewide conversation on energy:
Take a moment to become familary with the Statewide conversation on energy:
Strengthening Vermont's Energy Economy: Final Report and Recommendations of the Vermont Rural Energy Council (2007)
Friday, January 9, 2009
Upcoming Workshop - March 2009
Energy Conservation and the Municipal Plan
March 5, 2009
Sponsored by VLCT Municipal Assistance Center and Vermont RPCs
Location: Vermont Interactive Television sites throughout Vermont
Time: 7:00 pm
Contact: Amanda Moshinskie (info@vlct.org)
Phone: 802/229-9111
Fax: 802/229-2211
Price: TBA
Delivered in the evening via interactive television, this workshop will focus on the requirements of the Energy Element within the Town Plan. Particular attention will be paid to the connection between energy conservation and land use, energy policy and implementation strategies, and the role of the Energy Coordinator.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
December VECAN Conference - Handouts
You can now access handouts and power point presentations from the 12/6/08 Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network statewide conference at the VECAN website:
www.vecan.net
Just click on the "VECAN Hosts Successful Energy Conference" link. And check out the rest of the site while you are there.
VECAN is encouraging energy committees to begin adding informaton about your activities to your "Energy Committee" page. To begin editing your page on the VECAN site, you must first contact John Odum (jodum@vnrc.org or 802-223-2328 x121) and tell him what you would like to use for a user name and password. The user name should be specific to you as each committee can have multiple editors. John will then assign those for you and you will be set to start adding information on your energy committee's page. John can give you more information on adding material to your page. If your committee is not currently listed on the VECAN site, when you contact John, please send him your committee's name, contact person, phone # and email address, along with your user name and password, and and ask him to set you up.
www.vecan.net
Just click on the "VECAN Hosts Successful Energy Conference" link. And check out the rest of the site while you are there.
VECAN is encouraging energy committees to begin adding informaton about your activities to your "Energy Committee" page. To begin editing your page on the VECAN site, you must first contact John Odum (jodum@vnrc.org or 802-223-2328 x121) and tell him what you would like to use for a user name and password. The user name should be specific to you as each committee can have multiple editors. John will then assign those for you and you will be set to start adding information on your energy committee's page. John can give you more information on adding material to your page. If your committee is not currently listed on the VECAN site, when you contact John, please send him your committee's name, contact person, phone # and email address, along with your user name and password, and and ask him to set you up.
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