For immediate release:
Contact: Rich Dana 319-685-4270 (cell) 319-321-0667
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Press Release
Renewable Energy: A New Cash Crop For Iowa
Renewable energy technology is offering the world new alternatives to
reliance on fossil fuels while providing Iowašs farmers with new economic
opportunities.
A free public forum on renewable energy and its relationship to agriculture
will be held in Nevada at the Iowa Energy Centeršs BECON (Biomass Energy
Conversion) facility, 1521 West F Ave., Nevada, Iowa (off of 610th Ave.) on
Saturday, May 5th, from 10 am. to 1 pm.
With the California energy crisis and low commodity prices making the
national news , Iowans are becoming aware of our statešs vast potential for
producing a new crop - electric power. On May 5th, Iowa SEED (Sustainable
Energy for Economic Development) will hold the fourth and final of a series
of state-wide meetings to discuss the economic potential of renewable source
energy as well as the obstacles to the development of these new "crops" at
the Becon Center.
Farmers in the northwest part of the state are discovering new economic
possibilities with the development of new "wind farms"- electric generating
facilities constructed by developers on private lands. Lease agreements are
paying farmers an average of $2000 annually per wind turbine, which takes
only about 1/4 acre out of production.
In the Southern part of the state where wind resources are less viable,
farmers are getting involved in the production of switchgrass, a hearty
native perennial plant which provides an excellent clean burning alternative
to fossil fuels. Switchgrass can be co-fired in older coal plants to
decrease CO2 emissions, while reducing Iowašs dependence on outside fuel
sources.
Speakers for the event include: Alan Teel, Cass county extension switchgrass
expert; Ed Woolsey, Board Member, Iowa Renewable Energy Association; Angela
Chen, Executive Officer, Energy Bureau, DNR & David Osterberg, renewable
energy advocate and former state legislator.
Keith Kutz and Floyd Barwig of the Iowa Energy Center will talk about the
BECON Facility and the IECšs renewable energy loan program.
Displays and information will be available from sponsor organizations
including:
The Iowa SEED Coalition, The Union of Concerned Scientists, Ecumenical
Ministries of Iowa, The Iowa Citizen Action Network, Iowa Dept. of Natural
Resources, Iowa Farmers Union, The Iowa Network for Community Agriculture
(INCA), The Iowa Renewable Energy Association (I-Renew), Iowa State
University Extension, The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture,
Practical Farmers of Iowa, The Wallace Foundation for Rural Research and
Development and The Wallace House Foundation
For more information on this meeting & series sponsor organizations, please
visit: http://www.geocities.com/energyfarming/meeting_schedule.html
or call Rich Dana, UCS Field Organizer, at 319-685-4270.
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