Workshop Schedule & Descriptions
-
To See the Saturday WORKSHOP SCHEDULE,
ENERGY FAIR WORKSHOPS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS
Community Energy Services would like to offer deep thanks our workshop leaders, panelists and speakers. All of the people listed in this program gave their time and expertise for free so that we can keep the North Country Sustainable Energy Fair truly affordable for everyone.
What follows are full descriptions, biographies of the presenters and times. It is listed in alphabetical order according to the presenter’s last name.
Jerry Bartlett
Creative Off-Grid Retrofits for Your Older Home
1-1:45, TheaterWhat can be done with an old North Country home? Crazy Jerry, the mad tinkerer, is back at the Fair again! His presentation this year will focus on a nuts-and-bolts approach to off-gridding your home with a slide show of his own place in Colton (you won’t want to miss it on the Home Tours Sunday morning!) You’ll see his bicycle and biodiesel generators, a unique moveable solar system, wind system, DC fridge, water and energy saving washer and amazing wring dryer and creative wood hot water system, as well as his biodiesel vehicles. His enthusiasm may set you on the trail to an endeavor within your skills and budget. Jerry promises a surprise: “those who attend will experience something new never before seen at the Energy Fair!” Also showcasing is Jerry’s biodiesel powered, 115 mpg motorcycle!
Jerry Bartlett lives off-grid using wind, solar, human and co-generation less than 50 feet from the nearest utility line. His latest projects have included a diesel converted 115 mpg biodiesel motorcycle, 375 rpm biofueled co-gen, and two on-site competing solar systems (old vs. new). He is currently employed at SUNY Canton as on Online Learning Technician.
Jerry Bartlett (with Pete Popiel)
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Make Your Own Biodiesel
Sunday, 1-4, Nevaldine Hall, $30, Limited enrollment
(Pre-registration required, call 315-379-9466, or patrica@ncenergy.org)Looking for relief from high gas and heating costs? Wanting to be more self-sufficient? Concerned about peak oil and climate change? Making and using biodiesel can be one solution to explore. In this workshop you will learn how to make your own inexpensive 15-gallon production system, how to get veggie oil and brew biodiesel from scratch and how to find, make minor adjustments to and run the right diesel car successfully on biodiesel in the North Country. In addition you’ll watch a biodiesel powerpoint, have your questions answered and get to network with others interested in fuel self-sufficiency. Special bonus: a CD of the important parts of the workshop to take home.
Jerry Bartlett has been brewing biodiesel at home and running his VW Bug and his converted motorcycle on it for years.
Jerry Bartlett (with Robert Best, Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, the Martins, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang, Bill Olsen and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza, followed by q&a session 1-1:45
Many new options are available besides the traditional gasoline vehicles most of us drive. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to own and drive these new alternative vehicles and to use non-fossil fuels, this is the place to find out. This round-robin of users will be frank about the day-to-day and overall changes these vehicles require and the mistakes they’ve made that you can avoid. They will answer questions about cost, mechanics, availability of fuels or making your own and what inspires them most about their new choices. Represented: hybrids (Insight and Prius), biodiesel and veggie oil vehicles, hydrogen-enriched pick-up, electric and other. Vehicles will be parked in the Plaza next to the tent so that you can examine them and talk to their owners after the workshop.
Jerry Bartlett will talk about his experience running his newer VW Bug on biodiesel and converting his motorcycle to diesel to run it on biodiesel. He has also altered these vehicles to get better gas mileage.
Ed Bennett & Scott Shipley
Energy, Environment and Faith: How Your Church Can Save Energy
11-12:30, TheaterEd will discuss the common threads weaving New York’s Faith Communities in their response to the issue of Global Warming. He will show the difference that 11,000 Houses of Worship can make in New York’s energy use. New York Interfaith Power and Light programs can help your church reduce its environmental impact and energy use and save you money in the process. He will provide a case study on how the Jonesville Methodist Church reduced its energy use and is currently saving more than $5,000 a year.
Scott will cover NYSERDA programs that benefit non-profit and faith communities including energy audits for lower energy bills and improved energy performance, the New York Energy Smartsm Loan Fund, and the Power Naturally solar PV program. He will present real world examples of ways to save energy and give information on funding support for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
Ed Bennett is president of New York Interfaith Power and Light and is a retiree from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation where he served for 32 years in the field of Air Pollution. Ed has worked extensively with NY’s Acid Rain, Global Warming and Energy Programs. He is the Environmental Justice Coordinator for Troy Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Scott Shipley, Director of Technical Programs for Community Energy Services, conducts energy analyses on residential, commercial, municipal and various public and private buildings to assist owners in identifying cost effective strategies to save energy. He is certified by the Building Performance Institute as a shell and heating specialist and is certified to conduct ratings and certifications of Energy Star®-Labeled Homes. In his spare time, he installs solar electric systems.
Robert Best (with Keith Pitman and Jim Monroe)
PANEL: Municipal Power In the North Country
9-9:45, Room 2
Massena fought hard in the early and mid-90s for their Municipal Electric Department (MED) and are now reaping the benefits of their victory. People outside the MED are green with envy at Massena’s low electric bills. Twenty-one towns and villages in St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties have formed the Alliance for Municipal Power (AMP) to muncipalize electrical distribution as Massena has done. What is municipal power and why do municipal power companies charge such low and stable rates? What were the challenges Massena faced when it decided to form a municipal power district and what are the new challenges AMP faces today with deregulation and Rule 52? What opportunities does municipal power offer for green energy?
Robert Best has been a commissioner since 1996 with the Alliance for Municipal Power, which has been working to bring municipal power to the North Country, and is now its Chair.
Robert Best (with Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza
(For a Full Description of the Workshop, see Jerry Bartlett.)Robert will talk about his love affair with his Honda Insight.
Matt Bullwinkel
Solar Hot Water Heating
4-4:45, Room 4Mention solar hot water and often the first response is that it’s too cold or there’s not enough sun in the North Country. Don’t believe it. Solar hot water heating can be used cost-effectively here and throughout the U.S. to provide a large amount of hot water needs. This talk gives an overview of system technology, performance, design and installation with emphasis on application to the North Country. Current efforts to provide incentives, training and certification of installers will also be discussed.
Matt Bullwinkel is an assistant professor at SUNY Canton where he is helping to develop the new Alternative and Renewable Energy Applications Program. He is also involved in research on Biodiesel Fuels and Anaerobic Digesters.
Roy Butler
Solar Photovoltaics
3-3:45, Room 1
Learn the basics you’ll need to use solar electricity at your home site. This workshop will discuss components, costs, pitfalls and how to size and site a solar electric photovoltaic or solar/wind hybrid system. Come with all your questions.
Roy Butler is owner of Four Winds Renewable Energy in Arkport, NY. He is a NYSERDA approved installer of grid-tied solar electric and wind systems.
Gay Canough
KEYNOTE SPEECH: A Polar Bear Ate My SUV and Other Excuses
10-10:45, TheaterWe Americans have the world’s largest carbon footprint. And yet, we are able to come up with an endless list of, call them what they are, EXCUSES, as to why we cannot live more sustainably. Why can’t we use energy efficient cars and appliances? What’s stopping us from reducing our consumption? In her presentation, Gay will illuminate some of the mind-set holding us back and help us all start to think of sustainable living as readily achievable, no more excuses needed!
Gay Canough, who has a PhD in physics, has been working in the solar energy field since 1993. Her company, ETM Solar Works has installed over 600 kW of photovoltaics. Originally she did aerospace work on space solar power, worked on the Lunar Prospector and found strong indications of water at the lunar South Pole. She is a Master Trainer and instructs electricians and other interested people in how to install solar systems. She has run the PV Installer’s course in New York and New Jersey over 80 times. She also serves as the treasurer of the New York Solar Energy Industry Association.
Jim Devine
From Frigid to Frisky: Windows That Really Keep Out the Cold
3-3:45, Room 4
Historically, windows were always accepted as the weak spot in a building envelope about which little could be done to improve efficiency. Now that fuel costs are spiraling out of control, window efficiency has become an important issue. We’ll review the best current methods of improving your windows and things to look for when buying new windows.
Jim Devine is owner and president of Windo-Therm, which makes a NYSERDA approved window insulating panel that offers an Energy Star® level of efficiency on old single-glazed windows.
Mike DeWein
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Codes and New Technologies—Building the Partnership
For Code Officers, Builders, Architects, Engineers and Contractors
CEUs for Code Officials and ArchitectsSunday 9-12:30, Nevaldine Hall, $30
(Pre-registration required. Call 315-379-9466, or email patricia@ncenergy.org)This course for will address code barriers, real or perceived, in the residential building codes, focusing on Residential and Energy Conservation Codes. These barriers will be addressed through a comprehensive look at the various code requirements and interpretations. Supporting materials from a variety of sources will be utilized to show options for alternative systems and approaches. A cooperative relationship between Code Officers and Builders will be fostered to promote the construction of High-Performance Buildings. A Madd Air House demonstration will be conducted to demonstrate the relationship between building systems and house pressures. This AIA and NY-DOS accredited course offers Continuing Education Credits for architects and code officials.
Mike DeWein is Technical Director of the Building Codes Assistance Project, a collaborative effort of the Alliance to Save Energy, The Natural Resources Defense Council and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. He has been in the energy efficiency business for most of his life, first as a builder and alternative energy retailer and later joining The NYS Energy Office with its Energy Code outreach and implementation programs. He has served on the boards of the Energy Efficient Builder’s Association and the Building Performance Contractor’s Association. He is a nationally renowned speaker on the subjects of building energy codes and applied building science.
Bob Ellison
Wind Power for Homeowners
1-1:45, Room 4
Wind power is the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world. Do you have a good site? Want to know how to measure wind velocity there? What kind of grid connect equipment will you need? How can you select the best turbine and size it correctly? What will it cost? How much battery backup will you need? What are the snags, problems and failures with the wind equipment available now? These questions and more will be answered in this workshop.
Bob Ellison has been installing wind and solar systems for 12 years. He is the New York state service person for the Jacob’s wind turbines, and he services Bergey Windmills as well, both off and on grid.
Ed Goldstein (with Robert Best, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang, Bill Olsen and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza
(For full description of workshop, see Jerry Bartlett)Ed will talk about his years of experience running older VW Rabbits and Jettas on both veggie oil and biodiesel.
Ann Heidenreich & Scott Shipley
NYSERDA Programs – Keeping Energy Dollars at Home
2-2:45, Room 2We are fortunate to live in a state that has sound programs to address energy issues. Ann will provide an overview of the technical and financial assistance available from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to help you make your homes, businesses, and other buildings more energy efficient. The presentation will also cover NYSERDA’s solar PV and small wind programs.
Scott will answer the questions, What is an ENERGY STAR®-Labeled Home and why should I build one? What incentives are available? What are energy efficiency considerations for new ENERGY STAR®-Labeled Homes? How do I get my new home certified? Scott will use an ENERGY STAR®-Labeled Home constructed with Habitat for Humanity in Rensselaer Falls as an example.
Ann Heidenreich is the Executive Director of Community Energy Services, a not-for-profit organization that promotes energy efficiency and renewable energy systems and coordinates NYSERDA’s North Country Energy Smart Communities Program. She has worked in the energy field for over 25 years on global and local energy issues. She lives in a super-efficient passive solar home with an indoor garden, a masonry stove, and an earthen floor, which will be on the Pyrites Home Tour.
Scott Shipley is Director of Technical Programs for Community Energy Services. He provides energy audits and consultations for residential and small commercial buildings. He is a Building Performance Institute certified Shell Technician and a Home Energy Raters System rater for ENERGY STAR®-Labeled Homes. Scott’s home is powered by 1200 watts of solar panels and a 900-watt wind generator. He also installs solar electric systems.
Jock Gill
Green Gold: From Field to Bio-Fuel
9-9:45, Room 5New York State has 1.5 million acres of unused or underutilized agricultural land, most of which is already growing grass and here is a startling fact: one 800 lb. round bale of hay used for pellets can produce heat equal to 20 barrels of oil! Sales of pellet stoves and furnaces are soaring. We can grow pellet feed stocks and produce pellets to promote a local economy, healthy environment and energy independence. The Vermont Grass Energy Collaborative is working toward establishing a northeastern a grass pelleting industry and Jock will share his experiences.
Jock Gill is president of the Vermont Grass Energy Collaborative and co-founder of Biomass Commodities Corporation (BCC). He is dedicated to the creation of a grass energy sector that produces biofuels and land stewardship tools to promote economic development, healthy environment and energy independence. BCC is working to develop and supply agricultural and forest based pelleted fuels and large-sized pellet boiler systems. It is researching among other things a portable, farm-scale, biomass pelletizer.
Jock Gill
PANEL: How To Be a Consumer of BioEnergy
Friday 7-9, Theater
(For a Full Description of the panel, see Susan Powers)Jock will cover the grass and wood pelleting section of the presentation.
Scott Gordon
Challenges and Opportunities for Small-Scale Biodiesel Production
4-4:45, Room 2Everyone’s telling us to use alternative fuels, but no one’s telling us where or how to get it. The big guys are talking slick mega-production facilities with prices most likely tied to the escalating cost of diesel fuel. But small-scale biodiesel production is also viable and may fit in more with the local down-home character of the North Country. Green Technologies of Winooski, Vermont is currently making biodiesel at a pilot plant using waste vegetable oil as a feedstock. Scott will share what he has learned from his involvement in this ground-breaking work-in-progress.
Scott Gordon Ph.D, founder and CEO of Green Technologies, LLC is an inorganic chemist by training, has published 20 papers in leading scientific journals and is an inventor in the area of environmentally benign oxygen bleaching. Green Technologies is a company dedicated to developing green products and processes. In 2006, it produced and sold 10,000 gallons of biodiesel made entirely from waste vegetable oil. The projection for 2007 is 30,000 gallons.
Scott Gordon
PANEL: How To Be a Consumer of BioEnergy
Friday 7-9, Theater(For a full description of the panel, see Susan Powers)
Scott will cover the biodiesel section of the presentation.
Stefan Grimberg
Energy From Cows: Anaerobic Digesters on Dairy Farms
2-2:45, Room 5Manure and other agricultural wastes are a great energy resource. Clarkson University is developing new technologies for anaerobic digesters to create heat and power for farm needs. Is your farm a good candidate to use an anaerobic methane digestion system? Come see how farm digesters work and hear about economic and performance data along with other farmers’ experiences.
Stefan Grimberg is a faculty member of the Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University. He and his students are investigating the most efficient process to convert farm waste into biogas using anaerobic digestion.
Daniel Haas
Wind Energy in New York State: Opportunities and Challenges
4-4:45, Room 1One of the answers to breaking our addiction to foreign oil is blowing in the wind. Wind energy is the fastest-growing electricity generating technology in the world and its US capacity has tripled in the last five years. The North Country is already the site of the largest wind farm east of the Mississippi and Noble Environmental Power is constructing wind farms in five towns in the eastern part of the North Country. Come and learn about the possibilities of this new indigenous clean energy source, job creation and the benefits and impacts of wind energy for our local communities and landowners.
Daniel Haas is managing director of engineering and construction at Noble Environmental Power. He oversees the design and construction of Noble’s wind energy facilities and is now working in the easterly part of the North Country where Noble is constructing wind farms. He is a graduate of SUNY Canton and member of the Advisory Board for the new program in Alternative Renewable Energy Applications. He has been in the energy industry for 20 years and has been responsible for the design and construction of over 1,000 wind turbines in the US, Europe and Central America.
Kirk Herander
Grid-Tied Solar Systems
4-4:45, Room 2
Solar has arrived with plug and play grid-connected systems where an overage of sun power can run your electric meter in reverse. It’s an idea whose time has come. Net metering provides the process and NYSERDA incentives and state and federal tax breaks provide the financial support.
Kirk Herander is owner of Vermont Solar Engineering based in Burlington, Vermont. He is a NYSERDA approved installer of grid-tied solar electric systems in New York.
Jan Hutslar, Moderator
PANEL: Living Off-Grid – The Day-To-Day Reality
11-12:30, Room 4
Ever wonder what’s really involved in living off-grid? Come and learn from the experts: your neighbors who are doing it! Off-grid is a term that means electric power is generated and stored on-site as opposed to being purchased from or connected to a central utility company, as in grid-tied solar or wind. Panelists will show and tell about their unique homes, their power systems and the required changes in lifestyle it takes to live off-grid. Systems represented are solar photovoltaics for home and workshop and micro-hydro with passive solar, super insulation and green building.
Jan Hutslar is an off-gridder who lives in Pyrites. You can see her passive and active solar home on the Pyrites Home Tour.
Other Participants: Bryan Thompson-DeKalb, NY; Erik Schulze-North Russell, NY; Betsy Kepes, Colton, NY
Jeff Jones
New Energy For Cities, Towns and Farms
2-2:45, TheaterEnergy efficiency and conservation are the keys to a successful energy future. Using less energy and using it more efficiently are the surest ways to cut energy costs for consumers and businesses and reduce the threat of global warming. The Apollo Alliance has proposed the most ambitious investment in our nation’s history─$300 billion over 10 years—to break our country’s addiction to foreign oil. This workshop looks at examples from municipalities around the country that are working to cut fossil fuel use while creating good jobs that help protect the environment.
Jeff Jones is the state coordinator of the NY State Apollo Alliance. He is a long time environmental and clean energy advocate based in Albany, NY.
Jim Juczak
How To Build a $20,000 House!
11-12:30, Room 5The concept of living mortgage-free and off-grid is alive and well, and you can do it! Alternative and recycled dwellings, salvaging and scrounging for materials to reduce costs, dealing with building codes and getting along with your family and friends while you build will be covered. Learn what you need to know about composting toilets, water supply, permits, wiring, plumbing, framing, etc? The basics and costs of alternative power systems will be examined, as well as what you have to learn to set one up yourself safely, efficiently and cheaply.
Jim Juczak has been a middle and high school teacher for 23 years. He has explored affordable alternative energy systems and housing for the past 20 years, most recently at the sustainable community he is establishing in Adams Center called Woodhenge, where he and his wife built a cordwood and papercrete house that uses solar and wind energy. The main goals of the community are to set up a ‘life boat’ example for when the difficult times of rising oil prices arrive. He has lectured around the country on diverse topics such as: the end of the oil age, homemade wind turbines, preserving food, creating stone circles without power equipment and off-grid energy systems.
Jim Juczak (and daughter Lisa)
How To Put Together A Cheaper Solar System
4-4:45, Demo Tent 1 in the PlazaPutting together solar systems does not have to be complicated and expensive! Participants will watch an assisted assembly by a ten-year-old (and possibly help assemble) of a complete two-panel 60w solar electric system suitable for a cabin or camp. Selection of photovoltaic panels, storage batteries, inverters, wire, switches and safety will be covered. The cost of this system is under $500!
Jim Juczak (with Steve Spence)
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Build a Bicycle Generator
Sunday, 9-12:30, Nevaldine Hall, Limited to 20 people, cost $30 plus materials(Pre-registration required. Call 315-379-9466 or email patricia@ncenergy.org)
What’s a way to lose weight and power a small appliance, TV or charge tools and batteries at the same time? Why it’s human energy using a stationary bicycle generator! Pedal away to create electricity. Never be without power again. In this workshop, master alternative energy tinkerers Jim Juczak and Steve Spence will offer their expertise to help you put together a bicycle generator from prepared kits they have made. Those who want to will be able to take home what they make for a materials fee of $100.
Jim Juczak (with Steve Spence)
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Build a Solar Food Dryer Sunday, 1-4:30, Nevaldine Hall, Limited to 20 people, cost $30 plus materials
(Pre-register by calling 315-379-9466 or email patricia@ncenergy.org)
Drying your fruits and garden produce is the most economical way to preserve them for use over the winter and what better way to do this than with the sun. Jim has come up with an original design with four drying trays for both a large and a small dehydrator kit. Wooden parts will be precut and predrilled for participants to put together. Those who want to take home their solar dehydrators will pay a materials fee of $25 for the small and $50 for the large (much less than in the catalogs, Jim reports!) Recipes and tips on dehydrating food will be discussed and samples will be available.
Katherine Lang (with Bob Washo & Heather Sullivan-Catlin
PANEL: Hungry for Answers–Where Does Local Food Fit In?
9-9:45, TheaterPresented by GardenShare, this panel will address the interface of energy considerations and our local food system. How can we build the local farm economy, help the environment and make healthy food choices in the North Country? We will look closely at the many ways to eat local food: Community Supported Agriculture, harvest-sharing, North Country Grown Cooperative, Farm-to-School program, food security, gardening and public policy.
Katherine Lang has worked and studied in the field of community food and nutrition, beginning with an apprenticeship through Maine Organic Farm and Garden Association. She works for Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County’s Food and Nutrition Education Program and serves on the board for GardenShare, Inc. and the North Country Grown Cooperative.
Katherine Lang (with Robert Best, Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Bill Olsen, Peter Romaniuk and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza
(For Full Description of the Workshop, see Jerry Bartlett)Katherine will talk about her 6 years of experience driving a Toyota Prius.
Gerry Loch
Save Energy, Save Dollars – It’s 10 AM, Do You Know What Your Water Heater’s Doing?
11-12:30, Room 3The typical American family spends close to $1,300 a year on home utility bills, often more in the North Country. A large portion of that energy is wasted. By using a few low and no cost energy efficiency measures, your energy use can be reduced by as much as 50%. You can achieve this by being aware of and managing the energy systems in your home. This interactive workshop will introduce you to a whole-house approach to saving energy. You will learn how to invest wisely and make your home safer and more comfortable.
Gerry Loch has been an electronics technician and a subcontractor on many building projects. He is the Energy Educator for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County and conducts energy trainings all over the area.
Jeff Luoma (with Steve Meyer, Greg Murray and Bruce Woodruff)
PANEL: Bioheat: Biodiesel, Pellets, Wood Gasification and Fire Wood
11-12:30, Room 1Home heating is typically 50 percent of an average home’s energy usage in the North Country. You no longer have to rely on fossil fuels to heat your home. Many people are experimenting successfully with mixtures of biodiesel in oil furnaces. B-5 or B-20 biodiesel is available locally now, as well as conversion kits that will allow the more adventurous homeowner to burn at 100 percent biodiesel. Pellet and corn stove and furnace sales are soaring. Find out what it will take for you to convert. Wood gasification and efficient burning of firewood, the original biofuel, will also be covered, as well as woodlot management.
Jeff Luoma is a Cornell Extension Support Specialist forester who studied at Yale.
Miles Manchester
Do-It-Yourself Weatherization
2-2:45, Demo Tent 1 in the Plaza
This hands-on workshop and display is for the homeowner and will focus on the basics of weatherizing buildings. The first step is to identify the sources of air leaks and other heat loss. Second step is to prioritize where to invest time and money to correct problems. A variety of weatherization products will be on display, including weather stripping, caulk, foam sealant, plastic storm windows and insulation. Proper use of appropriate tools for weatherization will be demonstrated and those who have not used caulking guns and foam sealants successfully will have a chance to apply them to displays. Removal and reinstallation of door and window trim with tools and tips will be demonstrated.
Miles Manchester began working summers and vacations in residential construction in 1967. After completing college, he had a 29-year career with the NYS Dept. of Labor. Now retired, he continues his life-long interest in carpentry, home building and remodeling and home maintenance.
John Manning
Global Warming and Geothermal Heat Pumps
1-1:45, Room 4Geothermal heat pumps can have a dramatic effect on our collective environmental footprint. The presentation will sensitize the audience to the current situation regarding greenhouse gas emissions and climate change by conveying information about atmospheric concentrations of CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and sulfates and the projected impact of continued escalation of emission rates. Manning will discuss geothermal heat pump technology: how it works, system benefits, expected installation costs and how this technology can be coupled with renewably generated electricity to create buildings that can be heated and cooled without producing any greenhouse gas emissions.
John Manning is founder and president of Earth Sensitive Solutions, an engineering and consulting firm committed to reducing our collective environmental footprint. He has over 25 years of experience with geothermal installation and holds six heat pump design patents.
The Martin Family
Running Vegetable Oil in Diesel Vehicles
9-9:45, Demo Tent 1 in the PlazaDid you know that diesel engines were originally designed to be run on vegetable oil? In this workshop you will get the benefit of years of experimenting with veggie oil in both on-road and farm vehicles. You will learn about conversion components for engines, the heat and switch method, see examples of good and bad oil, learn the pitfalls such as oil that is too thick or getting dirt in your fuel, fuel conditioners and thinners, collecting used oil, the filtering and settling process, plus the equipment and vehicles you run it in.
The Martin Family, father Luke and brothers Melvin, Daniel, Luray, Timothy and Nathaniel, run a local farm and farmstand, raise bees and run a sawmill. They have been collectively experimenting with alternative fuels in their machines and vehicles for years. No one knows as well as they do the ins and outs, frustrations and glory of using this free fuel.
The Martin Family
Pressing Oil Seeds With a Mechanical Screw Press
3-3:45, Demo Tent 1 in the PlazaThe next logical step for the Martin Family in their Make-Your-Own-Fuel adventure is pressing their own oil for both fuel and food. They will be bringing their new portable mechanical screw press to the Fair, pressing seeds and producing oil as you watch. Now they are buying sunflower and flaxseed to press, but the intention is to grow their own, giving them control of the whole process from field to fuel!
The Martins (with Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, Robert Best, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang, Bill Olsen and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza(For a Full Description of the Workshop, see Jerry Bartlett.)
The Martins will talk about their years of experience running on road and farm vehicles on vegetable oil.
Jim Merkel
Radical Simplicity in the Land of Plenty
2-2:45, Room 1Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes food, water, and all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare and education. How do you know how much to take and how much to leave for your neighbors behind you? In the face of looming ecological disaster and wars coupled with a stressful daily grind, many people feel the need to change their own lifestyles as a necessary step toward transforming our unsustainable culture. This workshop will explore using the ecological footprint method to track our progress toward measurable sustainability. Images and participatory exercises will highlight how to determine a sustainability goal for individuals and institutions.
Jim Merkel, author of the book Radical Simplicity, is the Sustainability Coordinator at Dartmouth College. Originally a military engineer and arms trader, Jim changed his life at the time of the Exxon Valdez disaster, quitting his job, downsizing his life to live on $5,000 a year and devoting himself to environmental service and world peace. He founded the Global Living Project and initiated its Summer Institute where teams of researchers attempted to live on an equitable portion of the biosphere by the ecological footprint method.
Jim Merkel
Creating A Sustainable College Campus
11-12:30, Room 2There is a serious and inspiring trend alive in Higher Education toward sustainable practices. From coast to coast, campuses are opening sustainability offices and getting down to the work of tracking flows of resources, setting targets and creating action plans. High on the priority lists are: addressing climate change, moving toward local, organic and in-season dining, green building practices, serious solid waste reductions, reforming procurement practices, creating new degrees in sustainability science and even greening the Greek system. Leading edge programs and methods for quantifying sustainability will be discussed as well as an overview of the programs taking place at Dartmouth College. Plan to be inspired!
Steve Meyer
PANEL: Bioheat: Biodiesel, Pellets, Wood Gasification and Fire Wood
11-12:30, Room 1(See full description of panel under Jeff Luoma.)
Steve Meyer has been experimenting with burning 100 percent biodiesel in his furnace for four years and will share info on tank location, storage, bi-fuel operations, Beckett burner upgrades and burner maintenance. He is a mechanic by trade and now works with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
Greg Murray
PANEL: Bioheat: Biodiesel, Pellets, Wood Gasification and Fire Wood
11-12:30, Room 1(See full description of panel under Jeff Luoma.)
Greg Murray has an MS in Mechanical Engineering from Clarkson and 13 years in the Process Engineering field. He will share his story of trying to implement a wood-gasification add-on for his boiler, his product search and a comparison to traditional outdoor boilers.
Mike Newtown
Energy for Everybody: A Look at Renewable Sources
9-9:45, Room 3The workshop will cover how the average home or small business owner can get involved in using solar, wind, geo-thermal, fuel cells, biomass and micro-hydro generation of energy. It will provide a basic understanding of these energy sources and give an idea of where people can start, what equipment is needed and where to get more information in order to become a green energy consumer.
Mike Newtown is an engineer and developer and director of the new Alternative and Renewable Energy Application program at SUNY-Canton and teaches courses and labs in thermodynamics, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, thermo-fluids and engineering.
Aileen A. O’Donoghue
The Science of Climate Change: What Can We Really Know?
3-3:45, Theater
What do we actually know about the Earth’s climate and how it is changing? There are many facts, but also many conjectures presented as facts. This presentation will try to unravel this knot to inform people what we’re fairly sure of and what goes into claims made on both sides of the debate.
Aileen O’Donoghue is a professor of physics at St. Lawrence University and a dynamic lecturer on the subject of climate change.
Bill Olsen
Operating Engines on Woodgas
3-3:45, Room 5
Woodgas is a nickname for a range of highly flammable gases that can be produced from the gasification of wood, charcoal, coal or other woody biomass. It has a long and proven history dating back to the industrial revolution. It was used for gas-lighting in major cities before the invention of electricity and during World War II to run over a million trucks, cars and buses. Gasification is the process of converting solid fuels, such as wood, into a gas composed primarily of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This gas can be used for a range of applications, including powering gas engines, heating water for boilers and indoor wood cooking. This workshop will focus on the use of woodgas to power mobile and stationary gas engines. There will also be a simple wood powered generator in the demonstration tent.
Bill Olsen has worked as the GIS/GPS Technician since 2002 at St. Lawrence University and has been involved in alternative fuels since 2003. He has been making biodiesel in his garage to fuel a 1990 VW Jetta. His VW mechanic, who used wood to power trucks in Germany during WWII, called his attention to woodgas. His current goal is to buy an old truck and get it to run easily on waste wood chips.
Bill Olsen
PANEL: How To Be a Consumer of BioEnergy
Friday 7-9, Theater(See Full Description of Panel under Susan Powers.)
Bill will cover the wood gasification section of the presentation.
Bill Olsen (with Robert Best, Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels – Up Close and Personal
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza(For Full Description of the Workshop see Jerry Bartlett)
Bill will talk about running engines with wood gasification.
Pete Popiel (with Jerry Bartlett)
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Make Your Own Biodiesel
Sunday, 1-4:30 pm, Nevaldine Hall
(For Full Description of Workshop see Jerry Bartlett)Pete Popiel became curious in 2003 about the possibility of small-scale production of biodiesel and its use as a home heating fuel blended with heating oil. He began collecting waste cooking oil from two local restaurants and using it to produce biodiesel. With positive initial results, Popiel has continued and expanded his home-based production, burning a 20% mixture in his oil furnace. In 2004 he acquired a 1981 Mercedes diesel car and has successfully fueled his car spring to fall with biodiesel. He continues to be an enthusiastic advocate of biodiesel through presentations and classes in the North Country. He is Professor Emeritus at the Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam.
Pete Popiel (with Ed Goldstein, Robert Best, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Peter Romaniuk, Katherine Lang, Bill Olsen and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: A Users’ Panel
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza
(For a Full Description of the Workshop, see Jerry Bartlett)Pete will talk about his years of experience running his older Mercedes on biodiesel.
Dr. Susan Powers, Moderator
PANEL: How To Be A Consumer of BioEnergy
Friday, 7-9 pm, Theater
Alternative fuels derived from biomass are getting lots of press as environmentally friendly and New York state has lofty goals for replacing imported oil. Everyone’s telling us to use them, but no one’s telling us how or where to find them and so far, suppliers are focusing on high population areas. As consumers in a rural area, creating enough demand to attract suppliers is an issue. Can you use biofuels in your furnace next heating season? What about in a diesel tractor, car or truck? Are there local industries using biofuel for energy? What can we do as a community to stimulate demand for and ensure supply of biofuels? Dr. Powers will give an overview of ethanol, biodiesel, pellets, wood gasification and methane. Scott Gordon will speak on biodiesel, Jock Gill will speak on wood and grass pellets and Bill Olsen will speak on wood gasification.
Sue Powers, PhD, PE, is Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University. She has worked on several projects related to the environmental impact of biofuels, and was an organizer and co-chair of the BioEnergy Summit that took place Clarkson in June 2006.
Joe Rappa
Biodiesel 2007 and Beyond
1-1:45, Room 2
Biodiesel, a fuel made from new or recycled vegetable oil, is gaining popularity with both commercial producers and home brewers as the price of oil escalates year by year. What is biodiesel? What are its advantages and disadvantages, both practical and ecological? What is the difference between home-brew and commercially-available biodiesel? And how can I make it or buy it? What is its compatibility with the new 2007 diesel emissions standards? And what is its future? Come and find out.
Joe Rappa is an experienced automotive technician and instructor with a personal and professional interest in diesel engines and alternative fuels, especially biodiesel. He has been a biodiesel homebrewer and user for seven years and is knowledgeable about the challenges of bringing this new fuel to market.
Peter Romaniuk (with Robert Best, Ed Goldstein, Pete Popiel, Jerry Bartlett, the Martins, Bill Olsen, Katherine Lang and others)
PANEL: Alternative Vehicles and Fuels: A Users’ Panel
11-12:30, Demo Tent 1 in Plaza(For Full Description of the Workshop see Jerry Bartlett)
Peter will talk about his hydrogen enriched Ford 150 pickup. He has installed a hydrolizer unit the produces hydrogen on board on demand with no storage tanks. The hydrogen enriched air-to-fuel mix significantly reduces greenhouse gases and creates a 28 percent decrease in the amount of fuel used. His company, Envire Industries of Montreal, is testing now and about to manufacture these units.
Jon Rosales
Post Kyoto Options: The Next Version of International Climate Change Policy
9-9:45, Room 4
With the Kyoto Protocol expiring in 2012, the focus has turned to the next version of the protocol. The primary goal is to avoid dangerous disruption of the global climate. In order to stabilize the climate, we need 80 percent greenhouse gas reductions from 1990 levels. The Kyoto target is 5.2% greenhouse gas reductions, assuming the US participates. Without the US, it will likely achieve 2-3% cuts. So what is the best way forward? Many good proposals have been developed by interested parties, including governments, environmental groups, industry and even clergy. We will explore some of these options against the backdrop of increasingly dangerous climate change.
Jon Rosales is a professor in the Environmental Department at St. Lawrence University where he teaches courses on climate change, sustainable development and forestry. He has been working on climate change science, impacts, policy and ethical considerations for the past decade.
Rob Roy
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP: Building Houses with Cordwood Masonry
Sunday, 9 – 12:30, Nevaldine Hall, $40
(Pre-registration required. Call 315-379-9466 or email patricia@ncenergy.org)
Cordwood masonry building is an ingenious low-cost method using mostly renewable forest resources abundantly available in the North Country. Well-known expert Rob Roy will show you with slides and placards how you can use this simple, inexpensive method on anything from a sauna to a house, and will explore the different styles of construction and cordwood “special effects”. You will get a chance to actually practice how to mix and place mortar, select and set the log-ends, insulate the wall and point the mortar for a pleasing texture and appearance.
Rob Roy has written a dozen internationally known books in the green building field. He is director of the Earthwood Building School in West Chazy, NY, which specializes in teaching owner-builders to construct homes and outbuildings using cordwood masonry, simple timber framing and earth-sheltering.
Rob Roy
Timber Framing for the Rest of Us
9-9:45, Room 1Timber framing with finely crafted wooden joints is admirable, but most owner-builders haven’t got the time or skills for it. Rob shows how excellent frames can be made quickly and easily with commonly available fasteners.
Rob Roy
Earth Sheltered Housing and Living Roofs
4-4:45, TheaterDo-it-yourself underground housing is extremely energy efficient. This workshop will explore how to do it with an accent on low-cost techniques such as plank-and-beam roofing and surface-bonded block wall construction. New developments in living sod roofs are covered.
Rob Roy
Mortgage Free!
1-1:45, Room 4This workshop talks about mortgages and why to avoid them, raising the grubstake for the owner-built home and for finding reasonably priced land. It will cover the four benefits of the temporary shelter and strategies for designing and building a quality green home at the lowest possible cost.
Norbert Senf
Masonry Stoves: The Most Efficient Wood Burning System
2-2:45, Room 3
Since humans discovered that stones around an open fire retained heat, there has been a steady development of masonry heating. Designs differ, but the operating principle remains the same: fuel is burned rapidly and the resulting heat is stored in a masonry mass. The heat then radiates evenly into the space over the next 12-24 hours. The workshop will describe and compare various wood burning stoves and systems with regard to efficiency, cost and environmental impacts. A properly designed masonry heater is safe, extremely efficient, does not produce creosote and generates almost no wood smoke emissions.
Norbert Senf has been a leader in the masonry heating movement in North America and has developed a standard pre-cast kit, which greatly reduces the cost. He has been a primary contributor to research and testing of masonry stoves and is part of a group called Masons on a Mission, which builds cook stoves in homes in Guatemala to replace open fires used for cooking and heating.
Erik Schulze
Passive Solar House Design
3-3:45, Room 2How much heat gain can you expect from orienting your house to the sun? How much glazing is optimal and how much is too much? What about thermal mass? This workshop will give an introduction to the concepts behind passive solar design, with an emphasis on a simple and inexpensive approach to heating and cooling with the sun. Even in our harsh northern climate, you can gain a tremendous amount of warmth and comfort by including passive solar features in your home.
Erik Schulze is a local builder who focuses on efficient passive solar homes. He is especially interested in smaller, more self-sufficient houses that use a high percentage of natural and local materials.
Robert Shantie
HydroPower in New York State
3-3:45, Room 3Much of New York State’s green power comes from its rivers. Brookfield Power, the largest independent producer of hydroelectric power in New York, owns and operates 32 generating stations in the North Country with a total capacity of 224 megawatts. Its eight sites on the Raquette River meet the Low Impact Hydropower Institute’s environmentally rigorous criteria. This workshop will look at the history and current state of hydropower in New York, small, micro and pico generation, the future of hydropower and jobs in the hydroelectric industry.
Robert Shantie, an engineer and graduate of Clarkson University, is Water Resource Manager for Brookfield Power in the St. Lawrence River Area.
Steve Spence
Off-Grid Energy & Living Systems
4-4:45, Room 3Based on his experiments as an off-gridder for the last twenty years, Steve will present interesting and innovative solutions for becoming more self-sufficient in areas of energy production in both rural and in-town settings. He will also discuss ways of reducing energy consumption and using energy more efficiently.
Steve Spence, an off-gridder and renewable energy advocate for over 20 years, lives in Hopkinton on his off-grid homestead. He gives seminars and workshops on biofuels and renewable energy, installs photovoltaics, wind and biofuel generators and designs veggie oil conversions for diesel. He has worked with Joshua Tickell of Veggievan, author of the first widely read biodiesel book called From The Fryer To the Fuel Tank.
Kevin Stack
A Systems Approach to Green Building
1-1:45, Room 3This workshop will integrate how to design, build and maintain green homes by adopting Building In Nature’s Image principles. Discussion will include how to identify and implement an ecological performance standard to quantify energy, ecological and human metrics to optimize ecological performance. Technologies, design and construction strategies that purify air, earth and water, close resou