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Community Involvement: Making It Work

Lessons from the Smethport Woody Biomass

Demonstration Project

Wood Energy in the Northeast

Penn State Bio-Energy Short Course Series

November 8-9, 2011

Timothy G. Pierson, Ph.D.

Extension Forester and Educator

Pennsylvania State Cooperative Extension

Forest Bio-Energy Austrian Woody Biomass Team

Penn State Uni.

Uni. Of Maryland

Duke Uni.

DCNR

USFS

PA-Nature Conservancy

PA-Loggers

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Critical Success Factors in Europe

Infrastructure correlation-”Big Dig”

Resource availability- “Local”

Public funding- ”State and EU”

Strong community consensus

”Carbon Neutral”

Love but utilize- “Wise Use”

Various Communities

Smethport Borough

McKean County Seat

Forestry Community

Business Community

Community of Practitioners

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Champions

Smethport First Core Meeting

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Combined Heat & Power Plant

Smethport is faced with the seemingly impossible expense of replacing

its antiquated & failing water system throughout the borough.

Much of the Smethport water system was installed

during the 1870s to 1890s.

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Smethport is the only community in the PA Wilds that owns its own

electric company near a sustainable wood supply.

Smethport seeks to be a leader in

sustainable and renewable energy independence

utilizing woody biomass.

This pilot project will be strongly connected to ongoing research

guaranteeing feedstock sustainability, forest stand improvement,

& biodiversity protection of our local forest habitats.

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“Energy Localization” gives Smethport & the region

more control over our future.

“Localization” means recycling our energy money

within our regional community.

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Project Summary

Construct Combined Heat & Power (CHP) plant that will supply

heat to county buildings, school district complex, other public

facilities, business district, churches, & Smethport residences.

Generate CHP electricity to be sold to the grid.

Install a hot water piping system at the same time that the domestic

water system is replaced, coordinating funding.

Demonstrate sustainable woody biomass harvesting

Demonstrate innovative uses of heat and carbon leading to energy

efficiency.

Project Summary

Establish a separate Smethport Local Energy Corporation with the

Borough as a part owner with public & private investors.

Create a related Renewable Energy Technology Outreach Center

(RTO) in affiliation with Penn State University, other education

institutions, foundations, & private industry.

Establish a Green Energy Business Incubator & Industrial Tech

Park utilizing the thermal load & electricity from the CHP.

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Eco-Energy Tourism

Local Renewable Energy Tour Packages

RTO Center- Research-Technology-Outreach

Forest- Woody Biomass Demonstration Areas

Fuels for Schools Demonstration(Kane)

Facility Heating Demonstration- Elk Regional Medical

Energy Institute- UPB

Combined Heat and

Power Demonstration Research Demonstration

PA Wilds-Lumber Heritage

Smethport Woody Biomass Demonstration Project Leadership Team

Mayor of Smethport

Smethport Borough Councilmen

Smethport Planning Commission

Smethport Board of Trade

Smethport Sewer Authority

Smethport Residents

McKean County Commissioners

McKean County Planning Office

DCNR- Bureau of Forestry

DCNR- Recreation /Conservation

USFS- Biomass Coordinator

USFS- Allegheny National Forest

Supervisor’s Office

American Municipal Power- Ohio

Senator Scarnati’s Office

Governor’s Office

Congressmen Thompson’s Office

North Central Regional Planning

McKean County Tourist

Promotion Agency

Local Forest Industry

Local Forest Landowners

Penn State University Faculty

Penn State Cooperative Extension

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Smethport Woody Biomass Leadership Team- Elk Regional

Community Development and Education

Presentations for Local Banks

Special Meetings with Local Legislators

Meetings with Smethport Water Authority

Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet

Tours of Local Bio-energy Projects

North Central Forest Landowners Association Banquet Presentation

Society of American Foresters- Allegheny Section(PA, NJ, MD, DE, WV) Summer Meeting Presentation

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Community Development and Education

Newspaper Articles

Website- smethportpa.org

Updates, Podcasts, General Inf

Penn State Agriculture Magazine- Summer 2009

WPSU- Television Quality Digital Video

Big Ten Network- 28th- 7:00 PM, 30th- 4:00 PM, 31st- 9:00 AM

Biomass Magazine Article- June 2009

Penn State Community Scale Short Course- 2009

Renewable and Alternative Energy Working Group- WPSU

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Smethport Heat Survey FAQ’s-Frequently Asked

Questions

Residential Exchanger

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Smethport Woody Biomass

Forest Sustainability Cooperative (Public and Private Forest Landowners, Managers and

Contractors providing woody biomass supply to the SWBDP)

Woody Biomass Forest

Sustainability Leadership Team

“Guidance & Recommendations” (Public: DCNR-Bureau of Forestry, Allegheny

National Forest, PA Game Commission, McKean

Conservation District, Penn State Cooperative

Extension; Private: Hancock Forest Management

Group, Forest Investment Associates, Forestland

Group, Kane Hardwood, Seneca Resources, North

Central Forest Landowners Association, Forecon

Inc., Keith Horn Inc., Sustainable Forestry Initiative

of PA, Pennsylvania Nature Conservancy.

Smethport Woody Biomass

Demonstration Project Team

“Guidance & Recommendations” (Local Residents, Local Businesses, Smethport

Board of Trade, Mayor of Smethport, Smethport

Borough Council, Smethport Borough Planning

Commission, Smethport Water Authority,

Smethport Area School District, McKean County

Commissioners Office, McKean County Planner

Office, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Penn

State- School of Forest Resources, USDA-Forest

Service, DCNR- Bureau of Forestry)

Best

Management

Practices

Forest

Sustainability

Guidance

Logger, Landowner, Forest Manager

Sustainable Biomass Harvesting Training

Penn State Cooperative Extension

Sustainable Forestry Initiative of PA

Overall Sustainable Forest Management and

Supply of Woody Biomass

Woody Biomass Cooperative and

Supply Plan Flowchart-

Dr. Timothy G. Pierson, PSU

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Smethport Woody Biomass Forest Sustainability Leadership Team- Issues and Recommendations

Sustainability Recommendations

Utilize DCNR-“Guidance on Harvesting Woody Biomass for Energy in

Pennsylvania” by incorporating the existing Best Management Practices (BMP’s)

Classify feedstock criterion-types of usable chips/residue

Evaluate outcomes on a social value and resource value from a scientific basis

Develop a LUW (Low Use Wood) TUSAF (Timber Utilization Stand Assessment

Form) specifically for woody biomass

Develop a formal outreach strategy for the general public, public/private forest

landowners and managers and loggers regarding the sustainable harvest of

woody biomass.

Answer the question - How much is the community actually willing to invest (cost

of the feedstock) in insuring use of sustainable practices?

Begin considering how eco-energy tourism blends into this project and the

development of potential demonstration areas.

Support the development of regional, forest type specific (Down Woody

Debris/Coarse Woody Debris) and nutrient standards/thresholds.

Work through feedstock supply and market access based on sustainability

criterion (price premium for certified material).

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Feasibility Study and Engineering Planning

Lahmeyer International Team (Germany)

Seeger International- CHP Engineering (Germany)

GEF Engineering- District Heat System (Germany)

O’brian and Geer Engineering- Community/Site/Permitting

Gannet Flemming Engineering- Water Infrastructure

Funding

RK Mellon Foundation

Community Foundation for the Alleghenies

Wood Education Resource Center-USFS

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development

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Business Planning Model

Small Business Development Center- Penn State

SWBDP- Technical Committee

DCNR- Bureau of Forestry

USFS- NE- Biomass Coordinator

Penn State- Biomass Energy Team

Smethport Borough Council

Borough Planning Commission

McKean County Commissioners

Factors Influencing Smethport Project Completion

Natural Gas Prices

REC values per kwhr

Federal Renewable Energy Policy

State Renewable Energy Policy

American Tradition of Independence regarding Home Heating & Hot Water

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Making It Work !!!

Consider all stakeholders- be inclusive

Find Your Champions

Utilize Leadership Teams

Utilize smaller committees to focus

Design Public Education Strategies

Develop Community Consensus

Requires stalwart and consistent project maintenance