University of Wisconsin - Extension

Contact:

Andrew Dane, 715-726-7950, andrew.dane@ces.uwex.edu or

Pete Kling, 715-684-3301, Ext. 141, pete.kling@ces.uwex.edu

Chippewa Falls, Wis.--Wisconsin’s rich natural resources and agricultural crops put the state in an enviable position when it comes to developing new sources of bioenergy. But educating people and getting consensus on the best ways to tap into that potential will be a challenge.

Earth, Wind and Fire, a project organized by University of Wisconsin-Extension educators from Chippewa, Barron and St. Croix Counties, will tackle the issue by bringing people together to discuss ways to approach bioenergy development in western Wisconsin.

“There’s a rush to green energy,” says Pete Kling, St. Croix County UW-Extension community development agent and co-leader of the project. “In the past year alone, UW-Extension has sponsored programs in western and northern Wisconsin on wind and solar energy, woody biomass development and other renewables that have attracted more than 1,500 participants,” Kling says.

Rising energy prices, along with unease about fuel supplies and global warming are driving Wisconsin’s debate on renewable energy sources as they are in the rest of the country. But in Wisconsin, the need for renewable energy also presents an opportunity for economic development.

“Bioenergy can help the state create jobs,” says Andrew Dane, UW-Extension community development agent for Barron and Chippewa Counties and project co-leader. “We want to work with public and private sectors to figure out how we can balance energy and environmental concerns to become more energy-independent in a way that promotes local ownership and development,“ he says.

Earth, Wind and Fire focuses on organic feedstocks. “People are most familiar with ethanol made from corn,” Dane explains. But the list of byproducts used to create energy is much longer and includes waste streams of fiber from switchgrass, animal processing residues, manure—even waste oil from a potato chip factory.

“We can make energy in the form of heat or electricity, we can make liquid fuels like biodiesel and ethanol, or we can make gases such as steam or methane gas from organic byproducts,” Dane says.

Earth, Wind and Fire aims to promote collaboration across educational institutions, local governments and businesses in western Wisconsin. “When we started talking to people they told us they needed information at the community level,” says Kling. “People wanted to be a part of this project.”

At two Regional Biomass Roundtables held in September, developers, conservationists, local government staff and industry representatives identified priorities related to bioenergy production. Public involvement, awareness of economic impacts and long-term planning emerged as key themes. Three more roundtables are scheduled for later this year.

A “Bioenergy Preparedness Guide” intended to serve as a regional resource will be available next year. Earth, Wind and Fire has a website at http://www.bioenergyforum.com.