8-19-2008
New Renewable Energy Organizations & Activities PDF...
Download a a copy of Overview of Vermont Renewable Energy Organizations and Activities, a summary of over 30 energy organizations and activities, as well as a listing of Vermont renewable energy studies.
8-19-2008
The Department of Public Service is now accepting proposals for the Clean Energy Development Fund Grant program, which funds renewable energy and combined heat and power technologies that generate electricity and are grid-connected. The Department expects to award $2 million in funding for projects in the following categories: Pre-Project Financial Assistance, Small-Scale Systems, Large-Scale Systems, and Special Demonstration Projects. There is a maximum award of $25,000 for Pre-Project Financial Assistance, $60,000 for Small-Scale Systems, and $250,000 for all other projects. Proposals are due on Wednesday, October 1, 2008.
02-19-2008
New Report Released: Homegrown Feed, Food & Fuel: The Market Potential of Farm-Scale Oilseed Crop Products in Vermont
The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund and Vermont Biofuels Association commissioned an oilseed crop market potential and economic feasibility study, Homegrown Feed, Food & Fuel: The Market Potential of Farm-Scale Oilseed Crop Products in Vermont, in order to explore whether Vermont farmers could sustainably, economically, and competitively produce some portion of Vermont’s liquid fuel and livestock feed demand. We were also interested in the requirements for and characteristics of small-scale, Vermont-made biofuels for local use, as an alternative to industrial-scale biofuel production.
This report provides important market data and analysis that will be of use to farmers, policy makers and entrepreneurs who are interested in further exploring the opportunities for various oilseed products.
As part of this research project, we have created an Enterprise Budget to assist farmers in making important economic decisions about whether or not to go into the oilseed crop business, based upon current market prices and known variables.
Click here to download this report and the biodiesel production enterprise budget.
2-15-2008
Shortly after my return from the Sustainable Biodiesel Summit in Orlando Florida, last week, a story ran in the national media and The New York Times, "Biofuels Deemed a Greenhouse Threat". The story highlights the findings of two recent biofuel studies published in the journal Science, and points to the possible consequences of utilizing lands to produce biofuel feedstocks, especially corn-based ethanol and biodiesel from palm oil. This has generated an understandable amount of concern among Vermont biodiesel users, fuel suppliers and the research and agricultural community.
We are convinced that "Not all biofuels are created equal" and so we are writing to you today to explain where Vermont Biofuels Association stands in relation to these issues unfolding on a global scale.
2-1-2008
Download VSJF's 2007 Annual Report and Ten Year Retrospective
Click here to read VSJF's 2007 Annual Report and Ten Year Retrospective.
Since 1997, the VSJF has made grants of over $2.7 million to 150 recipients—who utilized these funds to leverage an additional $11.8 million to implement their projects, test their ideas, and assemble the building blocks of a green economy. VSJF grants have benefited over 8,800 businesses and created or retained at least 800 jobs. Our technical assistance programs have assisted 15 Peer to Peer Collaborative clients (representing 384 employees), 132 Business Coach clients and hundreds of other businesses who have sought some form of assistance over the past 10 years.
10-30-2007
New Report Released: Homegrown Fuel: Economic Feasibility of Commercial-Scale Biodiesel Production in Vermont.
The second report of the Feed & Fuel Project, Homegrown Feed, Food & Fuel: The Market Potential of Farm-Scale Oilseed Crop Products in Vermont, explores the feasibility of small-scale biodiesel production, its environmental impacts and the effects of key macro and micro-economic variables on the venture, especially the rising cost of crude oil and livestock feed. This research project also received funding from the Vermont Sustainable Agriculture Council.
Click here to access this report.
10-9-2007
VSJF on VPR's Vermont Edition!
Click here to listen to VPR's Vermont Edition program on biofuels, featuring John Williamson from State Line Farm, VSJF's Executive Director, Ellen Kahler, and Netaka White, Executive Director of the Vermont Biofuels Association.
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