conference program 2012

2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page

June 21-22, 2012

Produced by

2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ 012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2222

Featured Speakers

Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO NYS Energy Research Development Authority

Stephen Bird, Assistant Professor of Political Science Clarkson University

Conference Workshops The content is organized into five concentrated areas and a special Topics:

SOLAR: with moderator Carol Murphy, Alliance for Clean Energy NY

WIND: with moderator Katie Malinowski, Tug Hill Commission

HYDRO: with moderator Dan Parker, KEI (USA) Power Management, Inc.

BIOMASS: with moderator Dr. Amanda Lavigne, St. Lawrence University

CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY: with moderator Ann Heidenreich, Energy Consultant

SPECIAL TOPICS: with moderator Dan Mason, Conference Director

Attendees are encouraged to either follow one track throughout the day

or pursue a multi-disciplinary approach.

Conference Planning Team ANCA Leadership Team

Dan Mason, Conference Director Stephen Erman, President of the Board Adirondack North Country Association Adirondack North Country Association

Ben Dixon Kate Fish, Executive Director St. Lawrence University Adirondack North Country Association

Ann Heidenreich Laurie Campbell Energy Consultant Adirondack North Country Association

Jon Montan Melissa Hart St. Lawrence County Adirondack North Country Association

2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference

2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ 333

Agenda

4:00 – 5:30 PM

REGISTRATION (Ground floor lobby)

Reception, Poster Session ( Edelweiss)

5:30 – 6:00 PM WELCOME (Lussi Ballroom) Dan Mason & Kate Fish

6:00 – 7:00 PM Featured Speaker (Lussi Ballroom) Stephen Bird

7:00 – 9:00 PM Dinner, Networking Dinner, Networking Dinner, Networking Dinner, Networking (Lussi Ballroom)

FRIDAY JUNE 22

7:30 – 8:30 AM REGISTRATION (Ground floor lobby)

Coffee ( Edelweiss)

8:15 – 8:30 AM WELCOME (Lussi Ballroom) Dan Mason

8:30 – 10:00 AM SESSION 1

Track Sessions

10:00 – 10:30 AM Coffee Break, Networking Coffee Break, Networking Coffee Break, Networking Coffee Break, Networking (Edelweiss)

10:30 – 12:00 PM SESSION 2

Track Sessions

12:00 – 1:00 PM Featured Speaker Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch (Lussi Ballroom)

Francis J. Murray

1:00 – 2:30 PM SESSION 3

Track Sessions

2:30 – 3:00 PM Coffee & Snack Break, Poster Session Coffee & Snack Break, Poster Session Coffee & Snack Break, Poster Session Coffee & Snack Break, Poster Session (Edelweiss)

3:00 – 3:30 PM SESSION 4

Track Session Close Outs

3:30 – 4:30 PM WRAP-UP (Lussi Ballroom)

General Session – Tracks share closeouts

Track Session Moderators & Dan Mason

4:30 PM Final RemarksFinal RemarksFinal RemarksFinal Remarks Dan Mason & Stephen Erman

THURSDAY JUNE 21


Francis J. Murray Jr., President and CEO NYS Energy Research Development Authority

Francis J. Murray, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), a post he assumed in January 2009. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Murray served as Senior Advisor at the international environmental consulting firm Ecology and Environment, Inc., where he provided strategic policy and market development guidance on environmental and energy issues to a number of private sector and not-for-profit clients. Mr. Murray also represented the Pace Energy and Climate Center and the Natural Resources Defense Council in the New York Public Service Commission proceeding to establish an energy efficiency portfolio standard program. From 1996 to 1997, Mr. Murray was policy advisor to the United States Secretary of Energy, assisting in the development of the Clinton Administration’s national energy policy.

Stephen Bird, Assistant Professor of Political Science Clarkson University

Professor Bird specializes in energy and environmental politics, social and policy networks, and U.S. politics. He has served as a consultant or expert to a variety of entities including the U.S. State Department, Harvard’s Electricity Policy Group, and Massachusetts’ Department of Environmental Protection. His research and publications address energy policy, policy networks, electricity liberalization and governance, and environmental risk. He has held lecturer appointments at Boston University, Simmons College, and Northeastern University. He was Board Chairperson for five years at the Energy Consumer’s Alliance of New England, a non-profit with over 25,000 member customers. He holds a Master’s in government from Harvard University and a PhD from Boston University.

Featured Speakers


About the ConferenceAbout the ConferenceAbout the ConferenceAbout the Conference How the Conference was created

The idea for this conference came out of the winning North Country Economic Development Council Plan's vision and goals that called for "Creating the Greenest Energy Economy in the State." Following a presentation at the North Country Symposium in late 2011, the Symposium’s energy action team felt it was critical to outreach the clean energy portion of the regional strategic plan across the region, to align efforts of all stakeholders working in the field. Ann Heidenreich, chair of the Symposium’s energy team, and Dan Mason, NC Clean Energy Conference Director and NC Regional Economic Development Council Clean Energy Director presented the idea of a regional energy conference to the energy team and Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), and ANCA took the reins as the hosting organization and with members of the Symposium’s energy team and ANCA providing organizational and outreach support.

Conference Objectives

To provide a forum for educators, practitioners, community leaders, industry professionals and others to share information about clean energy opportunities in the North Country, with goals to:

• Share techniques, technology and project learnings related to North Country clean energy projects

• Assist participants in identifying potential projects, and lead organizations, who would consider submitting projects in the next round of proposals that will be considered by NY State

• Share technical, staffing and regulatory issues as related to clean energy projects • Share funding sources and opportunities for clean energy projects


Solar Track Moderator Carol Murphy — Executive Director, Alliance for Clean Energy NY

Carol E. Murphy is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York, Inc. (ACE NY), a New York non-profit corporation formed in 2006 to promote clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency. She was named as a member of Governor Cuomo’s Energy and Environment Transition Committee and served on Governor Spitzer’s Energy and Environment Transition Policy Advisory Committee. She was a member and Committee Chair of Governor Paterson’s Task Force on Renewable Energy. She also serves as a member of New York’s RGGI Advisory Board, Climate Action Council Advisory Panel, New York City’s Energy Policy Task Force and the Solar City Advisory Board. She is a board member and past president of Women in Communications and Energy, a non-profit organization providing networking and mentoring opportunities for women in the energy and communications industries.

Solar Track Presentations

An Overview of NYSERDA’s Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Programs — Frank Mace, Project Manager, NYSERDA and

Marci Brunner, Associate Project Manager, NYSERDA New York State through NYSERDA's programs provides a variety of incentives (rebates and funding) for the installation of solar thermal and PV systems. The presentation will discuss the types of incentives that are available for homeowners, nonprofits and commercial customers, eligibility requirements, and how to apply for funding. Mace is the Solar Team Leader in NYSERDA’s Advanced Technology Group of the Residential Efficiency Services Program. Brunner’s responsibilities include the management of projects served by NYSERDA’s Solar Photovoltaic Program and the newly released Solar Thermal Program.

New York’s Policy on Solar, recent changes to the law — Carol Murphy, Executive Director, ACE NY

New York has made recent changes to its energy laws that enable more solar and wind to be installed. Recent changes to the net metering law and legislation affecting New York's solar program will be presented.

Passive solar heat –designing new houses to take advantage of this free source of heat and light — Nancy Bernstein,

Timberframer, Amstutz Woodworking and Kara Page, The Wild Center Widely used in Europe, this building design approach simply and inexpensively saves an estimated 70-80% off the cost of heating homes in northern climates using a combination of southern exposure, superinsulation and architecture conducive to air convection, thermal mass, and ventilation controls as needed. Learn how passive solar design eliminates the need for most combustion-based heating sources from the time the house is constructed, saving the homeowners thousands of dollars and the planet tons of carbon emissions. Bernstein lives in Vermontville in a passive solar home with off –grid PV electric power, which she built herself. Page is project manager of the ADKCAP and CEEM projects at the Wild Center and also works on grants and government relations.

Solar thermal hot water-what works best in the Adirondacks? A case study of Wild Center’s dual solar thermal

array — Pete Skinner, Principal & Founder, E2G Solar and Dave St. Onge, Facilities Manager, The Wild Center Solar thermal hot water is estimated to be one of the least expensive and most effective renewable technologies for northern climates. A case study of the Wild Center’s solar thermal array preheats water for the gasification pellet boiler heating system and has added to the Museum’s savings on fuel costs from the new, integrated system. Skinner designs, installs, repairs, researches and teaches about residential and commercial solar thermal systems. St. Onge is responsible for the development and maintenance of The Wild Center’s renewable energy heating system and lighting control system.

Practical Considerations for PV Systems — Shaun Chapman, East Coast Deputy Director, Government Affairs, Solar City

and Scott Rakowski, Project Manager, Hudson Solar

Solar installers will discuss the benefits of solar for customers, evaluation and installation process for PV systems in New York State, and the financing structures that are available including leasing. Shaun Chapman is the Deputy Director of Government Affairs serving the Northeast for Solar City. Scott Rakowski is a state eligible solar installer with extensive experience designing and installing photovoltaic (solar electric) systems in upstate New York.

Solar


Extending the Range of Solar Thermal Through Hybrid Systems — John Ciovacco, President, Aztech Geothermal, LLC

The benefits of solar thermal installations can be greatly extended by combining with, and contributing to other building systems. This presentation will cover the basics of solar thermal and discuss a variety of ways to extend the utilization of the resulting thermal energy. More familiar applications, like heating domestic hot water or performing space heating, will be discussed along with innovative combinations. Ciovacco is an IGSHPA Accredited Geothermal Installer, a Building Performance Institute (BPI) Certified Contractor and a Certified Green Professional with the NAHB.

Solar


Wind Track Moderator

Katie Malinowski — Natural Resources Director, Tug Hill Commission

Katie Malinowski is the Associate Director of Natural Resources at the NYS Tug Hill Commission. She has also served as a natural resources and GIS specialist with the Commission, beginning in 1998. Katie has worked on a variety of projects at the Commission, including such topics as watershed management, alternative energy, and recreation. She received her Master of Science in Environmental Science degree with a concentration in Water Resources from the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. Her undergraduate studies were completed at SUNY Binghamton with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, concentration in Environmental Planning. Prior to joining the Commission, Katie was employed at the Cayuga County Soil & Water Conservation District and an environmental consulting firm.

Wind Track Presentations

Large Scale Wind Energy Development in New York: A Look at the Past, Present, and Future — Jenny Briot, Senior

Business Developer, Iberdrola Renewables Jenny Briot is responsible for leading the development of 6 wind energy projects totaling more than 500MW in New York and New England. Her responsibilities include all aspects of development of wind-projects, including land acquisition, real estate documentation, permitting, and preliminary engineering. In addition, she manages and implements community outreach efforts and works closely with Local, State and Federal Government Officials, including environmental communities.

Small Scale Wind Installation — Roy Butler, Owner, Four Winds Renewable Energy

Roy will be talking about certification in the small wind industry. Specifically, certification of small wind installers and certification of small wind turbines.

Installer Experiences — Steve Wilke, Director of Sales, Sustainable Energy Developments

As Sustainable Energy Developments’ (SED) Director of Sales, Wilke directly reports to the company’s CEO, Kevin Schulte, and is responsible for all sales activities for distributed scale wind and solar projects ranging from 10kW through multi-megawatts. Wilke is an established wind salesman having worked as the Sales and Customer Service Manager at Bergey Windpower, Co. for the past 11 years. During those 11 years with the preeminent small wind turbine manufacturer in the U.S., Wilke was directly responsible for the sale of more than 16MW of wind projects.

NYSERDA Programs and Rebates — Mark Mayhew, Project Manager, NYSERDA

Mayhew will provide an overview of the on-site wind incentives available through NYSERDA, and will give examples of onsite wind turbine installations in a variety of settings with different turbines and cost scales. Mark Mayhew is a Project Manager with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. He has been employed by NYSERDA for the last sixteen years, where he heads-up the On-Site Wind Turbine Incentive Program. The responsibilities of this position include reviewing and approving installer, turbine, and customer incentive applications. He was responsible for molding the program into its current design. He serves on the Board of Directors for the Small Wind Certification Council and received the Wind Advocate Award at the 2011 National Small Wind Conference.

Educational opportunities for installers, operators & owners — Scott Buffett, Assistant Professor, Clinton Community

College

Scott will discuss Clinton Community College's Wind Energy & Turbine Technology degree program and employment opportunities in the renewable energy field.

Wind Energy Hotspots in the North Country — Cullen Kasunic, Vice President, Wind Analytics

A presentation of the areas of highest wind energy project potential in the North Country, based on wind resource, space availability, proximity to transmission infrastructure, permitting, environmental fit, and other factors.

Wind


Hydro Track Moderator Dan Parker — New York Regional Manager of Operations & Maintenance, KEI (USA) Power Management, Inc.

Dan Parker is currently the New York Regional Manager of Operations and Maintenance for KEI (USA) Power Management, Inc. He oversees 17 hydroelectric generating units located at 10 plants throughout New York and Rhode Island. Dan has over 27 years of hydroelectric experience in the northeast U.S., having worked at 250-kilowatt to 912-megawatt hydroelectric power plants. His areas of expertise include operations and maintenance, licensing, permitting, environmental management, and emergency preparedness.

Hydro Track Presentations Municipal hydro ownership, development and operation: opportunities and issues — David Fenton, Village of

Potsdam Administrator A case study of one municipality that is developing small hydropower on an existing dam and the challenges they are facing. Potsdam has been operating one small hydro plant on the Racquette River since 1983. A second plant has been in the works for several years with construction beginning in 2007. Numerous delays have been caused by a contractor who experienced financial difficulties, and failed to supply the required turbines on time. The Village has been forced to procure parts directly from vendors and become actively involved in the construction operation. After several years of getting the parts together, the turbines are now nearly 100% complete. Currently, the Village is working out an interconnection with National Grid. The interconnection is being complicated by the increased presence of generation facilities on the local grid, and the need to control inputs into the grid to make sure the grid is stable. Fenton has been Village Administrator since 2010, and was the village treasurer for a decade before that. He is a graduate of SUNY Potsdam with a degree in economics.

Small private hydropower ownership and operations — Matt Foley, Managing Partner, Azure Mountain Power

The challenges and issues of small hydropower operations in today's energy environment from the perspective of a private operator. Foley has been involved in hydro projects since the mid-70s. His work includes consulting on the purchase, rehabilitation, operation and expansion of Wadhams hydroelectric plant to 500 kw and the design, permitting, financing, construction and operation of Azure Mountain Power Company hydro plant in St. Regis Falls, as well as other national and international projects.

Turbines for small hydro applications — Ken Kemp, owner Microrenewable Solutions, LLC

A discussion of possible solutions to develop hydropower at small, low head dams. Kemp is an engineer by education and has worked in the hydroelectric industry for many years, as staff engineer, licensing specialist, and most recently, as the owner of Microrenewable Solutions, focused on providing feasible solutions to smaller hydroelectric operations and developers.

NYS Dam Safety Program — Alon Dominitz, Chief of the New York Dam Safety Section

New York State's dam safety program- what is required and how to comply. Dominitz holds Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Science degrees from The Cooper Union in Manhattan. After college and before joining the Dam Safety Section, he worked in New York City office of the Department of Environmental Conservation.

Hydro


TRACK SESSIONS Gore Room Whiteface Room Intervale Room

8:30 AM – 10:00 AM

Session

1

Track 1 – Solar NYSERDA programs and rebates

(NYSERDA) NY’s policy on solar, recent changes

to the law (ACE NY)

Track 2 – Wind Large wind projects (Iberdrolla

Renewables) Small scale wind installation (Four

Winds Renewable Energy)

Track 3 – Hydro Municipal hydro ownership, development

and operation: opportunities and issues (Village of Potsdam)

Small private hydropower ownership and operations (Azure Mountain Power)

Gore Room Whiteface Room Intervale Room

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Session 2

Track 1 – Solar Passive solar buildings (Amstutz

Woodworking/The Wild Center) Case study of solar thermal in the

North Country (E2G/The Wild Center)

Track 2 – Wind Installer Experiences (Sustainable

Energy Developments) NYSERDA programs and rebates

(NYSERDA)

Track 3 – Hydro Turbines for small hydro applications

(Microrenewable solutions) Managing small hydro development (NY

Dam Safety Section)

Gore Room Whiteface Room

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Session 3

Track 1 – Solar Installer experiences, practical

considerations for PV systems (Solar City/ Hudson Solar)

Solar Thermal hybrid systems (Aztech Geothermal)

Track 2 – Wind Educational opportunities for installers,

operators & owners (Clinton Community College)

Wind energy hotspots in the North Country (Wind Analytics)

Gore Room Whiteface Room Intervale Room

3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Session 4

Track 1 – Solar

Close Outs – Learnings/Needs

Track 2 – Wind


Track 3 – Hydro



TRACK SESSIONS

Legends Room (2nd floor) Van Hoevenberg Room

Track 4 – Biomass

Fuels Central Heating with Wood Pellets (New

England Wood Pellet) Clean Tech processing of woody biomass

(Applied Biorefinery Sciences) Chemical Characterization of Wood Chips and

Pellets (Clarkson University) Wood Energy Technical Assistance (US Forest

Service)

Track 5 – Conservation & Efficiency

Residential Panel Deep Energy Retrofits (NYSERDA) GJGNY Funding for energy efficiency (ANCA) Contractor Training (SUNY Canton CREST) Net zero energy home in Adk (Black Mountain

Design Build)


Track 4 – Biomass

Technology & Resources High Efficiency Wood Boilers (Clarkson

University) Boiler Efficiency (ACT Bioenergy) High Efficiency Wood Pellet Heating (NYSERDA) Model Neighborhood (Northern Forest Center/

Wild Center) Community Roadmap to Renewable Biomass

Energy (University of New Hampshire)


Commercial & Industrial Panel Squeezing Watts with Lighting Control (Lutron

Electronics) Harnessing Polar Energy for Refrigeration

(Freeaire Refrigeration) Technical & Financial Assistance for energy

efficiency (CITEC)

Legends Room (2nd floor) Van Hoevenberg Room Intervale Room

Track 4 – Biomass

Success Stories Wild Center Biomass Heating System (Wild

Center) North Country School (North Country School) Roadmap Workshop (University of New

Hampshire)


Municipal Panel Why energy codes are important (Alliance to

Save Energy) Community Energy Efficiency Management

(Community Power Network of NYS) A pragmatic approach to energy conservation

(Barton & Loguidice)

Track 6 – Special Topics

Cleaner Greener Communities: Opportunities for the North Country (Ecology & Environment/ANCA)

Renew North Country web portal (Blue Springs Energy)

Anaerobic Digestion in North Elba (Pace Energy and Climate Center)

Current State of North Country Gas Pipeline (Saranac Power Partners)


Track 4 – Biomass

New Developments Biomass Gasification (ZeroPoint Clean Tech) Grass Energy (St. Lawrence County)





Biomass Track Moderator

Dr. Amanda Lavigne, Ph.D. — Assistant Professor Environmental Studies, St. Lawrence University

Dr. Lavigne was born and raised in Saranac Lake. After studying ecology as an undergraduate at Brown University and completed her graduate work at Clarkson University in the interdisciplinary Environment Science and Engineering program, she began her career as an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at St. Lawrence University in 2007. Amanda’s research has focused on understanding the sustainability of fuel ethanol supply systems that utilize traditional and non-traditional biomass sources as feedstocks through life cycle modeling and the analysis of industry-partner data. Recently, she has become involved with several regionally-focused projects that are striving to foster the development of appropriate alternative energy sources for the Adirondack region, including grass energy and low-head hydro.

Biomass Track Presentations Central Heating with Wood Pellets in the Adirondack North Country: Opportunity and Challenges — Charlie Niebling,

General Manager, New England Wood Pellet

Throughout New York, space heating with stoves remains the primary technology, but boiler systems and bulk delivery of pellet fuel are making early inroads. Industry efforts to promote central heating with pellets have gained interest in New York, but the high capital cost of advanced pellet systems remains an obstacle to their broader adoption. This presentation looks at the hurdles and how the industry is working to overcome them.

Clean Tech processing of woody biomass to yield Energy, Chemicals, Materials, and Jobs — Joel Howard, CEO, Applied

Biorefinery Sciences, LLC

Applied Biorefinery Sciences (“ABS”) is commercializing biorefinery technology that cooks wood chips, in water only, to solubilize, extract, separate, and recover commercially valuable chemicals, while leaving the structural portion of the wood largely intact, but improved for use in manufacturing traditional wood products such as fuel pellets or pulp and paper. This manufacturing technology holds the potential to help create biorefinery manufacturing clusters that will optimize total economic value from woody biomass by processing wood chip feedstock.

Chemical Characterization of Wood Chips and Pellets — Dr. Philip Hopke, Director, Institute for a Sustainable Environment,

Clarkson University

Increase in wood combustion pose potential environmental problems related to ash disposal. The Pellet Fuel Institute (PFI) in the United States (US) has some limited standards for US wood pellets, but these are only voluntary standards. In this study, the chemical composition of 23 wood chip samples and 132 wood pellet samples manufactured in United States were analyzed for their energy and chemical properties.

Wood Energy Technical Assistance in northern New York — Lew McCreery, Woody Biomass Coordinator, U.S. Forest Service

The Forest Service and NY DEC are working together to provide pre-feasibility studies for facilities interested in converting from oil or propane to wood energy systems. The results of several of these pre-feasibility studies will be discussed. Lessons learned from conversions in NY and across the Northeast will be shared.

Efficiency Measurements from High Efficiency Wood Boilers — Sriraam Ramanathan Chandrasekaran, Student, Clarkson

University

ASHRAE standard 155p is the new performance evaluation protocol. This method provides a method for determining the thermal efficiency including the partial load efficiency of individual commercial scale boilers. It also provides a method for determining application specific seasonal efficiency under steady state conditions. This procedure was applied to determine the efficiency of advanced wood combustion boilers installed at Clarkson’s Walker Center and The Wild Center in Tupper Lake.

Features of Successful Commercial-Scale Biomass Boiler Projects — David Dungate, President, ACT Bioenergy LLC

This presentation will identify key questions/considerations for customers and design professionals interested in installing a commercial-scale biomass boiler system. Advanced boiler operational features and system configurations will be presented and recent project examples will be provided.

Biomass


Biomass High-Efficiency Wood Pellet Heating in NYS — Ellen Burkhard, NYSERDA

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) supports in-state manufacturers of heating technologies to develop and commercialize advanced, high-efficiency designs for the heating market. In doing so, NYSERDA also requires the evaluation of energy and emissions performance by third parties. The results of high-efficiency wood-pellet heating demonstrations will be presented and compared with similar evaluations of competing fuel types and heating system combinations. A case will be presented that high-efficiency biomass combustion will be essential for the expansion of the biomass heating market. Current best practices for achieving this will be presented and new pellet heating demonstrations will be announced.

Wild Center Model Neighborhood Project — Maria Leonardi, Northern Forest Center and Kara Page, The Wild Center

The Northern Forest Center’s Model Neighborhood Project goal is to help the Northern Forest region move away from dependence on imported oil toward a local energy source that will create jobs and strengthen the forest economy. Switching to heating with wood pellets made from fiber grown and processed in the Northern Forest will retain 100% of the money spent on this alternative fuel in the local and regional economy.

Overview: Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy — Sarah Smith, University of New Hampshire

The Community Roadmap to Renewable Woody Biomass Energy (the Roadmap) is a civic decision-making tool—a document—designed to help a community or group systematically work through an information gathering and decision-making process to assess whether a woody biomass energy project is an appropriate option. The web-based publication is chocked full of worksheets, which can be filled out electronically or with paper and pencil forming the basis for a full feasibility study.

The Wild Center Biomass Heating System — Stephanie Ratcliffe, Executive Director, The Wild Center

The Wild Center is working with The Northern Forest Center as a partner to explore a New York specific Model Neighborhood Project. The Wild Center has served as a leader in biomass implementation through the museum’s demonstration pellet boiler. This presentation will discuss how this demonstration has served as a model for biomass implementation in the Adirondacks.

North Country School Biomass Heating System — John Culpepper, The North Country School

Lake Placid's North Country School, a boarding school for 4th through 9th graders is moving aggressively to slash both its carbon footprint and its energy bills. These clean energy initiatives culminated in the 2010 construction of a state-of-the art energy net zero student and faculty residence. The rationale, planning, and execution of these clean energy initiatives will be highlighted in this presentation, and plans for future green initiatives will be outlined.

UNH Community Roadmap Workshop — Sarah Smith, University of New Hampshire

A walk through of the web-based publication/civic decision-making tool designed to help a community or group systematically work through an information gathering and decision-making process to assess whether a woody biomass energy project is an appropriate option. This workshop will look at the web-based worksheets, which can be filled out electronically or with paper and pencil forming the basis for a full feasibility study.

Biomass Gasification: Distributed Biomass to Power — Jonathan Parry, Business Development, ZeroPoint Clean Tech, Inc.

ZeroPoint Clean Tech, Inc. was formed in 2006 in collaboration with Clarkson University. The company operated a pilot scale biomass gasification technology in the Potsdam economic development park for 3 years before commercializing the technology. ZeroPoint currently has projects operating in Germany and Northern Ireland, converting biomass to renewable heat and electricity.

The Promise of Grass Energy — Jon Montan, St. Lawrence County

The term “grass energy” is shorthand for a class of solid bio-fuels that are produced by agricultural cropping. Grass energy offers many significant benefits as a component of the total biomass resource picture. Wood is currently the dominant biomass resource, but with proper development, grass energy could become important. Choice of crop, production, harvesting, processing, distribution and end use will be covered. Additional research needed to bring this bio-energy resource to commercialization will be described.


Conservation & Efficiency Track Moderators

Ann Heidenreich — Energy Consultant Ann Heidenreich has been promoting energy efficiency and clean energy systems for over 40 years at local and international levels, as editor of an information newsletter, director of an energy program, co-founder and director of an energy company, and energy consultant. She served as NYSERDA’s North Country Energy Smart Community Coordinator and as Point of Contact for NYSERDA’s North Country Local Government Focus Program. She currently convenes the Energy Task Force in St. Lawrence County and is trying to retire.

Conservation & Efficiency Track Presentations

Session 1 – Residential Panel

Implementing a Regional Strategic Plan Through ‘Deep Energy Retrofits’ that Make a Difference — Greg Pedrick,

Project Manager, NYSERDA’s Building R&D Sector. Pedrick will present on his research and hands-on experience in “deep-energy retrofits” in four wood-framed homes in Utica, New York, describing the scope, costs and savings of the projects and making a pitch for widespread investment in deep-energy retrofits in the North Country. He manages a wide range of projects focusing on buildings, transmission and distribution issues as well as combined heat & power (CHP) projects.

Green Jobs Green New York Funding for Energy Efficiency — Jamie Rogers, Energy Program Coordinator, Adirondack

North Country Association

Jamie will describe the ways NYS homeowners can access funding for energy efficiency upgrades through NYSERDA’s Green Jobs Green NY program.

Contractor Training — Art Garno, Program Coordinator, SUNY Canton CREST (Center for Renewable Energy and

Sustainable Technologies) Garno will give a brief overview of Building Science and how it relates to energy efficiency and conservation. CREST works to expand the Workforce Development Training Programs. Since joining SUNY Canton, Garno has achieved BPI Building Analyst and Envelope Professional Certifications in the building science field.

Net Zero Energy Home in the Adirondacks: Case Study — Jesse Schwartzberg, owner, Black Mountain Design Build LLC

Schwartzberg will present a case study of a 3500 sq.ft. residence under construction near Lake Placid that is super-efficient, powered by renewables, and going for LEED Platinum certification. He has a Master’s degree in Architecture and holds LEED AP and Certified Passive House certifications.

Session 2 – Commercial & Industrial Panel

Squeezing Watts with Lighting Control — Brent Protzman, Lead Architectural Engineer in Energy Solutions, Lutron

Electronics Protzman will present a case study on lighting controls and effective energy management at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake. His presentation will include a rationale for load-side energy management and “load-shedding” as an essential element of a smart grid. He will argue that it is much cheaper to utilize light management control systems than to generate additional renewable electricity. Protzman is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), a LEED GA, Lighting Certified (LC), has a Ph.D in Architectural Engineering from the University of Nebraska and is the author of several published articles on human factors in lighting and lighting energy.

Harnessing Polar Energy for Refrigeration — Richard Travers, President, Freeaire Refrigeration

Travers will discuss the general concept of using outside air for cooled spaces. He will describe how these systems and other efficiency measures save energy and improve the reliability and performance of traditional compressor-based refrigeration systems used in commercial applications such as supermarkets, convenience stores, refrigerated warehouses, server rooms, and commercial kitchens, reducing energy use by as much as 60%.

Conservation & Efficiency


Technical & Financial Assistance for Energy Efficiency — Robert Oram, Business Development Director, CITEC Oram will provide an overview of programs and resources available for energy efficiency projects in the North Country and how companies can connect to them through CITEC, an organization that works with manufacturers and organizations throughout the North Country providing outreach and education on energy programs opportunities on behalf of NYSERDA and local utility companies.

Session 3 – Municipal

Why Energy Codes are Important to Implementing a Regional Energy Strategy — Mike DeWein, Technical Director,

Alliance to Save Energy

DeWein will make the case that effective Energy Code compliance is key to Communities in the North Country. This session will help you understand why the Energy Code and its proper implementation are so important to our State and Communities. He will also outline its position in energy sustainability, as well as take a look at a recent NYSERDA pilot here, the Community Energy Code Advisory Project, and what has been learned from it. DeWein has been working in the building energy efficiency for over 30 years, in the North Country, New York State and the World. He has lead a number of initiatives in the North Country, first in building energy efficient homes and remodels, then developing a remote renewable energy grant program, and now with the Community Energy Code Advisors pilot.

Community Energy Efficiency Management in Three Adirondack Communities — Jennifer Monroe, Community Power

Network of NYS

Monroe will present a case study on a pilot Community Energy Efficiency Management (CEEM) Project in four Adirondack towns, providing details on the CEEM model with success stories, lessons learned and projected energy savings from the pilot communities. CEEM is a process by which communities can benchmark and track energy usage, while planning and carrying out energy efficiency projects to reduce their carbon footprint, reduce energy consumption, save money and create or retain local jobs.

A Pragmatic Approach to Energy Conservation at Municipal Water Treatment Plants — Richard Straut, Principal

Engineer, Barton & Loguidice

Straut will present case studies of wastewater treatment plant improvement projects in which green technologies have been implemented, and for which budget cost savings have been realized. Tight budgets usually dictate that decisions to go green are based on a solid cost-benefit analysis. Approximately 35% of a typical municipality’s energy budget goes to pay for energy consumed for water use and treatment.

Conservation & Efficiency


Special Topics Track Moderator

Dan Mason — Conference Director, Adirondack North Country Association

Daniel Mason retired in 2006, after more than 30 years in the petroleum industry where he worked domestically and internationally on exploration, development, production, refining and research. He holds a patent in Process Monitoring Technology and one of his last activities was the assessment of “refining of the future,” including new control schemes and enhanced automation. He is currently the leader of the NC Regional Economic Development Councils Clean Energy Team, a member of the Adirondack North Country Associations board of directors and he is on the board of East Branch Friends of the Arts. Dan holds a degree in mechanical engineering from New Mexico State University, where he focused on Solar Power. Mason lives in Keene, New York.

Special Topics Track Presentations

North Country Homegrown Sustainability Plan — Kate Fish, ANCA and Chris Rohner, E&E

The current New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Cleaner Greener Communities Grant Program has awarded the North Country Consortium a $1 million grant to develop a GHG Inventory, Sustainability Plan and Implementation Strategy. The development of the plan is led by a consortium of County leadership, led by Essex County. The presentation will provide an overview of the program which is expected to produce strategies and recommendations that will reduce carbon emissions, increase energy savings, and enhance economic development. Kate Fish is the Executive Director of Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), the longest running rural development organization in the North Country. She is on the North Country Regional Economic Development Council. Chris Rohner is the Ecology and Environment, inc. (E & E) Project Manager for the NYSERDA North Country Homegrown Sustainability Plan.

A Look at the Renew North Country web portal — Larry Simpson, Blue Springs Energy

The Town of Clayton, through a NYSERDA grant, created a one-stop shop and Ask the Expert resource for Federal, State, and Utility clean energy incentives available in the North Country. The presentation will give the background and demonstration of www.RenewNorthCountry.org

Anaerobic Digestion of Source Separated Food Wastes in North Elba — Tammy Morgan, Pace Energy and Climate Center

Morgan is working on a feasibility study in conjunction with Pace University for the Town of North Elba. The project calls for source separation of municipal food wastes. Wastes will be delivered to an anaerobic digester located at the North Elba transfer station. Heat and electricity produced by the digester will be used to produce local produce in a commercial greenhouse that uses liquid digestate as fertilizer and hydroponic growth medium. Morgan is a high school science teacher and independent consultant for the Pace Energy and Climate Center, Pace Law School. In addition to teaching advanced placement environmental science and biology she has also worked with Clarkson University on a NASA sponsored Climate Change Curriculum Development project and was a member of the Wild Center’s Climate Change Education Finland Exchange Program “Connecting Finnish and Adirondack Communities: Science Museums Facilitating Awareness and Action on Climate and Energy”

Current State of North Country Gas Pipeline — Steve Wible, General Manager of Saranac Power Partners and North

Country Gas Pipeline Wible’s presentation will discuss the current state of the North Country Gas Pipeline and provide a quick overview on current operations of the Saranac Power Plant in Plattsburgh.

Special Topics


Sustainability at Paul Smith’s College — Jennifer Perry, professor, Paul Smiths College Clean, Green and Wild: Clean Energy and Global Protected Areas — Renewable Energy Study Abroad Course in Germany

and Switzerland, Paul Smith's College; Contributor Dr. Phillip Taylor, Dean of School of Commercial Applied and Liberal Arts,

and Kate Glenn, AmeriCorps Sustainability Coordinator Campus Sustainability Fund Project: Draft Horse Agricultural Equipment — Jacob Schultz and Ali Barner, Paul Smith's

College

Dormitory Motion Sensor Lighting — Leif Amber, Clarkson University Economic Renewable Energy Generation for Small Farms For Energy Security and Dairy Industry Sustainability —

Daniel Hilderbrandt, Clarkson University

Reducing Fuel Consumption Using Active Flow Control on Class 8 Vehicles — Jordan Janas and Kenneth D. Visser,

Clarkson University

A Vacuum Energy Storage Concept — Scott Carey and Kenneth D. Visser, Clarkson University Optimizing Small Wind Turbines for Maximum Energy Production — Ben Kanya and Kenneth D. Visser, Clarkson

University

On the Possibility of Diffusers for Hydro-kinetic Turbines — Ian Smith and Kenneth D. Visser, Clarkson University

Improved Utilization of Low Exergy Energy Sources — Taylor Brown, Eric Panipinto and Kenneth D. Visser, Clarkson

University

Improving Energy Efficiency in the North Country: The New Industrial Assessment Center at Clarkson University —

Dan Barron, Matt Russell, Mike DiLorenzo, Clarkson University

Grass Energy for the North Country — St. Lawrence County Grass Energy Working Group

Poster by St. Lawrence University students; Contributor: Jon Montan, St. Lawrence County Planning Office

Energy Efficiency — Multiple Posters with various topics; students, Ginger Storey-Welch, teacher, Colton-Pierrepont School Food Transportation and carbon emissions — Morgan Rosser, student, Canton Central School (Tom Vandewater, teacher)

Unknown topic — Mary Warner, teacher, Keene Central School

Clean, Green and Wild: Clean Energy and Global Protected Areas — Dan Plumley, Partner, Adirondack Wild

Poster Session

2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ 12 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 2012 North Country Clean Energy Conference ~ Page 20202020

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Notes


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Notes

conference program 2012

Documents