Green Mountain College Gives CVPS Cow Power(TM) Big Boost
October 26 2006 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
Providing a significant surge of support for renewable energy,
Vermont dairy farms and an improved environment, Green Mountain
College has become the first CVPS Cow Power� (NYSE: CV) campus �
and the largest customer enrolled in the farm-to-consumer renewable
energy program. �Green Mountain College is focused on
sustainability at every level, from how we teach to how we use
energy,� GMC Provost Bill Throop said during a tour of the Blue
Spruce Farm today. �Enrolling in CVPS Cow Power� will fundamentally
change our environmental footprint and provide an excellent
educational opportunity for our 750 students.� GMC, one of
America�s top environmental liberal arts colleges, has committed to
50 percent CVPS Cow Power� for its main campus in Poultney, and
enrolled the Killington Campus, president�s house, campus farm, an
inn and the alumni house at 100 percent. GMC is expected to
purchase 1.2 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy through
CVPS Cow Power� annually. �GMC�s enrollment in Cow Power
demonstrates a tremendous financial and philosophical commitment to
improving air and water quality, farm economics and renewable
energy in the Green Mountain State,� Central Vermont Public Service
President Bob Young said. �Green Mountain College is setting a high
standard for itself and others who care about the environment.�
Stephen Wark, director of consumer affairs and public information
for the Vermont Department of Public Service, praised GMC for its
commitment. �Customers have got to support and embrace the
technology for farm owners to make the financial commitments they
are making to become Cow Power farms,� Wark said. �Customers like
GMC are providing farms an opportunity to improve their manure
management and their bottom lines.� The mission of Green Mountain
College, founded in 1834 in Poultney, Vt., is in part to foster the
ideals of environmental responsibility and public service through
education. That education starts with a focus on sustainability,
which in recent years has included a campus-wide energy overhaul to
low-flow toilets and shower heads, compact fluorescent light bulbs,
remote-controlled thermostats, and wind and photovoltaic
demonstration projects. �Cow Power is a great fit with our
mission,� Throop said. �It serves the region and the environment,
two ideas we emphasize with students. As global warming looms ever
larger, we need to go beyond teaching, and set examples for
students and society at large. Nearly every department on campus
allocated money in their budgets to help offset the cost increase
of the program.� CVPS Cow Power� directly links consumers and
farmers. CVPS customers can choose to receive all, half or a
quarter of their electrical energy through Cow Power, and pay a
premium of 4 cents per kilowatt hour, which goes to participating
farm-producers, to purchase renewable energy credits when enough
farm energy isn�t available, or to the CVPS Renewable Development
Fund. The fund provides grants to farm owners to develop on-farm
generation. Farm-producers are paid 95 percent of the market price
for the energy sold to CVPS in addition to the 4-cent premium. To
create energy, manure and other farm waste are held in a sealed
concrete tank at the same temperature as a cow�s stomach, 101
degrees. Bacteria digest the volatile components, creating methane
while killing pathogens and weed seeds. The methane, which is
roughly 20 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping
heat in the atmosphere, fuels an engine/generator, and the
electricity is fed onto the CVPS electric distribution system. Blue
Spruce Farm in Bridport was the first CVPS Cow Power� producer,
starting in January 2005. It recently added a second generator to
increase its production. Several other farms are in the process of
developing generators and are expected online late this year and in
2007. Four farms recently received grant offers totaling more than
$660,000 from the CVPS Renewable Development Fund to help get them
started. They include: Green Mountain Dairy Farm in Sheldon, owned
by Brian and Bill Rowell; Montagne Farms in St. Albans, two farms
owned by Dave Montagne; Newmont Farms LLC in Fairlee, owned by
Walter and Margaret Gladstone; and Deer Flats Farm in West Pawlet,
owned by Dick and Rich Hulett. CVPS has also signed a contract to
purchase renewable energy credits and environmental attributes
associated with the farm generation system of Berkshire Cow Power
LLC. It is just completing construction of a methane digester on
its 2,000-cow Pleasant Valley Farms. The farm is not in CVPS�s
territory, but the company is seeking permission from the Vermont
Public Service Board to consummate the agreement. If approved, the
deal will provide RECs and associated environmental benefits from
approximately 3.5 million kilowatt-hours of generation. Providing a
significant surge of support for renewable energy, Vermont dairy
farms and an improved environment, Green Mountain College has
become the first CVPS Cow Power(TM) (NYSE: CV) campus - and the
largest customer enrolled in the farm-to-consumer renewable energy
program. "Green Mountain College is focused on sustainability at
every level, from how we teach to how we use energy," GMC Provost
Bill Throop said during a tour of the Blue Spruce Farm today.
"Enrolling in CVPS Cow Power(TM) will fundamentally change our
environmental footprint and provide an excellent educational
opportunity for our 750 students." GMC, one of America's top
environmental liberal arts colleges, has committed to 50 percent
CVPS Cow Power(TM) for its main campus in Poultney, and enrolled
the Killington Campus, president's house, campus farm, an inn and
the alumni house at 100 percent. GMC is expected to purchase 1.2
million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy through CVPS Cow
Power(TM) annually. "GMC's enrollment in Cow Power demonstrates a
tremendous financial and philosophical commitment to improving air
and water quality, farm economics and renewable energy in the Green
Mountain State," Central Vermont Public Service President Bob Young
said. "Green Mountain College is setting a high standard for itself
and others who care about the environment." Stephen Wark, director
of consumer affairs and public information for the Vermont
Department of Public Service, praised GMC for its commitment.
"Customers have got to support and embrace the technology for farm
owners to make the financial commitments they are making to become
Cow Power farms," Wark said. "Customers like GMC are providing
farms an opportunity to improve their manure management and their
bottom lines." The mission of Green Mountain College, founded in
1834 in Poultney, Vt., is in part to foster the ideals of
environmental responsibility and public service through education.
That education starts with a focus on sustainability, which in
recent years has included a campus-wide energy overhaul to low-flow
toilets and shower heads, compact fluorescent light bulbs,
remote-controlled thermostats, and wind and photovoltaic
demonstration projects. "Cow Power is a great fit with our
mission," Throop said. "It serves the region and the environment,
two ideas we emphasize with students. As global warming looms ever
larger, we need to go beyond teaching, and set examples for
students and society at large. Nearly every department on campus
allocated money in their budgets to help offset the cost increase
of the program." CVPS Cow Power(TM) directly links consumers and
farmers. CVPS customers can choose to receive all, half or a
quarter of their electrical energy through Cow Power, and pay a
premium of 4 cents per kilowatt hour, which goes to participating
farm-producers, to purchase renewable energy credits when enough
farm energy isn't available, or to the CVPS Renewable Development
Fund. The fund provides grants to farm owners to develop on-farm
generation. Farm-producers are paid 95 percent of the market price
for the energy sold to CVPS in addition to the 4-cent premium. To
create energy, manure and other farm waste are held in a sealed
concrete tank at the same temperature as a cow's stomach, 101
degrees. Bacteria digest the volatile components, creating methane
while killing pathogens and weed seeds. The methane, which is
roughly 20 times more effective than carbon dioxide at trapping
heat in the atmosphere, fuels an engine/generator, and the
electricity is fed onto the CVPS electric distribution system. Blue
Spruce Farm in Bridport was the first CVPS Cow Power(TM) producer,
starting in January 2005. It recently added a second generator to
increase its production. Several other farms are in the process of
developing generators and are expected online late this year and in
2007. Four farms recently received grant offers totaling more than
$660,000 from the CVPS Renewable Development Fund to help get them
started. They include: -- Green Mountain Dairy Farm in Sheldon,
owned by Brian and Bill Rowell; -- Montagne Farms in St. Albans,
two farms owned by Dave Montagne; -- Newmont Farms LLC in Fairlee,
owned by Walter and Margaret Gladstone; and -- Deer Flats Farm in
West Pawlet, owned by Dick and Rich Hulett. CVPS has also signed a
contract to purchase renewable energy credits and environmental
attributes associated with the farm generation system of Berkshire
Cow Power LLC. It is just completing construction of a methane
digester on its 2,000-cow Pleasant Valley Farms. The farm is not in
CVPS's territory, but the company is seeking permission from the
Vermont Public Service Board to consummate the agreement. If
approved, the deal will provide RECs and associated environmental
benefits from approximately 3.5 million kilowatt-hours of
generation.
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