Bangor Daily News
By Julia Bayly
Special to the NEWS
FORT KENT, Maine — Peter Pinette is not the least bit disturbed that his new pellet stove seems smarter than some people. In fact, he finds it a bit comforting.
“It was created by some smart people,†Pinette said of the newly installed Bosch Thermotechnologies pellet burner and boiler system. “It’s a result of the evolution of technology in this country that’s now being directed toward alternative fuels and energy.â€
Pinette, owner of Rock’s Diner, knew he had to do something about his heating bill when oil began flirting with $5 a gallon in northern Maine.
At the time, he was considering converting his system to coal-fired when a customer suggested he check out a new line of pellet burners and boilers coming out of Maine Energy Systems in Bethel.
“I went down [in July] to look it over and saw one in [Maine Energy Systems’] founder’s home running all by itself,†Pinette said. “It was just a sweet unit.â€
The level of automation is what makes the Bosch system so attractive, according to Pinette.
The system itself is really two units married into one — a pellet burner manufactured by the Swedish firm Janfire and the boiler made by the German company Bosch.
“Nine months ago this system did not exist,†Pinette said. “Now it’s Maine Energy Systems’ vision to bring them into Maine and New England.â€
Les Otten, former ski industry mogul and part owner of the Boston Red Sox who invested $10 million of his own money to launch the company, founded Maine Energy Systems in 2007.
Maine Energy Systems began importing the pellet-fueled boilers and burners from Europe last summer.
For Pinette, it was love at first sight.
“I asked right off how to get one,†he said.
Turned out, since there were no dealers of the systems north of Portland, Pinette’s best option was to step up and fill that void.
So earlier this fall he and local plumbing contractor John Plourde traveled to Bethel for a training program on the system’s technology and installation procedures.
“The first 50 units that arrived in this country were sold right away,†Pinette said. “In early September we got one of them.â€
The unit sits in the basement of the diner several feet away from a homemade hopper capable of storing up to 1 ton of wood pellets.
Given the Janfire burner’s track record, once Pinette fired it up for the first time he’ll never need to touch it again for six months.
Pinette explained that the burner has an automatic augur-feed system, automatic self-cleaning feature, and in the event of power loss, it rapidly restarts itself when the power comes back on.
“We use a lot of hot water here for cooking, doing dishes and cleaning,†Pinette said. “We are already seeing a savings.â€
Based on his own analysis of oil needed to heat the diner’s water, Pinette said he was spending up to $17 a day this summer when oil hit its peak price.
That figure dropped to $7 a day once he converted to wood pellets.
“Even if oil goes down below $2 a gallon, this system will save me money,†he said. “The way prices are right now, I’ll probably see a payback in two years.â€
Pinette said there has been a fair amount of interest in his new boiler-burner unit, and his new venture — Aroostook Energy Alternatives — is working with Maine Energy Systems to bring the units into the area.
A unit large enough to supply his business’ hot water needs now runs around $10,000. A residential unit would cost around $9,000.
“A typical home installation and setup would probably run around $12,000,†Pinette said. “I know it’s pricey, but once it’s in, the unit is completely automatic and clean with no dust and little ash produced.â€
In the event of a power outage, the unit shuts itself down and, once power is restored, runs a self-diagnostic and restarts on its own.
As far as any maintenance, Pinette said accumulated ash must be cleaned out, and the inside of the boiler vacuumed periodically.
“This is something the homeowners can do themselves or call in a technician,†he said. “It should be done every two or three tons of pellets.â€
Pinette is relying on John Plourde for all plumbing installation needs for the system and his own training plus firsthand knowledge of the unit.
“We are able to set these up as a team,†he said.
As for pellets, despite widespread concerns of shortages, Pinette said he has done the research, and there are plenty of pellets to go around.
In fact, he sees the day in the not too distant future when a truck loaded with pellets backs up to a homeowner’s basement door and delivers bulk pellets directly into a dry storage hopper.
Maine has approved the units for use with approved chimneys used with oil furnaces, and they are both ASME-certified and UL-approved.
“This is not new technology, but it is new to the state of Maine,†Pinette said. “In many ways we are behind the rest of the world, [and] we need to catch up.â€
For information on the units, visit www.maineenergysystems.com.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
UMaine gets more work for its watts
Bangor Daily News
Cyclist teams power new supercomputer in demonstration of efficiency
By Emily Burnham
BDN Staff
ORONO, Maine — Muscle met machine at the University of Maine on Wednesday morning when the UM department of computer science unveiled its new ecofriendly supercomputer, recently purchased from Massachusetts-based computer company SciCortex.
The supercomputer was powered during the presentation by a team of cyclists from the UM Cycling Club and from a race team organized by Rose’s Bike Shop in Orono. The 10 cyclists hooked their bikes up to generators, which were connected to a battery on the computer, a SCO72 model that houses 72 processors, each of which uses just a half-watt of power. By comparison, a typical processor on a personal computer uses 100 watts of power.
“It’s all about energy, and the importance of doing more with less,” said UM computer science professor George Markowsky. “Computer science has always been at the forefront of energy efficiency. And there’s definitely an initiative at UMaine to keep things as green as possible.”
Markowsky and fellow computer science professor Phil Dickens were instrumental in bringing the supercomputer to UMaine. Dickens secured a grant from the National Science Foundation to purchase the machine, which will be housed in the High Performance Computer Lab that he runs on campus.
Processor speed has grown by leaps and bounds since the early days of supercomputing — when computers were the size of a school bus, and in some cases used up to 150,000 watts of power to run programs and cool the computer. The SCO72 uses 300 watts of power.
While the computer will be run in the future by a standard electrical current, Wednesday’s demonstration was designed to show how little power it actually uses.
“The fact that this computer can be powered by a team of cyclists underscores how efficient computers have become,” said Markowsky.
The computer will be used to share some of the groundbreaking research conducted at the university, including the school’s world-renowned programs in climate change and glacial modeling, in the new UM Science Grid Portal created by Dickens and his students. Animations and real-time visualization of scientific data will become accessible to the public — from scientists and academics to interested community members and middle school students.
“This is a way to share some of the outstanding research conducted here with the community,” said Dickens. “It’s a gateway to a large collection of scientific results.”
During the presentation, a TV screen displayed two sets of numbers showing the amount of energy being generated by the bicycles and the amount of energy being used by the computer. As the cyclists increased the force with which they pedaled, they eventually were able to power the computer by themselves. By the end of the presentation, most were red-faced and sweating.
“It was definitely a lot harder than I was expecting. It was pretty tough,” said cyclist Abe Furth, a member of the Rose’s Bike Shop race team. “It was comparable to biking up a short, steep hill, just for about 15 straight minutes. It was really fun — I wish there was some way I could power my house like that.”
James Bailey, marketing director for SciCortex, attended a similar presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to Bailey, the UM cyclists had a little more power in their pedaling.
“At MIT we didn’t get as much,” he said. “We’re not used to Maine standards of energy. It’s quite impressive.”
eburnham@bangordailynews.net
990-8270
Cyclist teams power new supercomputer in demonstration of efficiency
By Emily Burnham
BDN Staff
ORONO, Maine — Muscle met machine at the University of Maine on Wednesday morning when the UM department of computer science unveiled its new ecofriendly supercomputer, recently purchased from Massachusetts-based computer company SciCortex.
The supercomputer was powered during the presentation by a team of cyclists from the UM Cycling Club and from a race team organized by Rose’s Bike Shop in Orono. The 10 cyclists hooked their bikes up to generators, which were connected to a battery on the computer, a SCO72 model that houses 72 processors, each of which uses just a half-watt of power. By comparison, a typical processor on a personal computer uses 100 watts of power.
“It’s all about energy, and the importance of doing more with less,” said UM computer science professor George Markowsky. “Computer science has always been at the forefront of energy efficiency. And there’s definitely an initiative at UMaine to keep things as green as possible.”
Markowsky and fellow computer science professor Phil Dickens were instrumental in bringing the supercomputer to UMaine. Dickens secured a grant from the National Science Foundation to purchase the machine, which will be housed in the High Performance Computer Lab that he runs on campus.
Processor speed has grown by leaps and bounds since the early days of supercomputing — when computers were the size of a school bus, and in some cases used up to 150,000 watts of power to run programs and cool the computer. The SCO72 uses 300 watts of power.
While the computer will be run in the future by a standard electrical current, Wednesday’s demonstration was designed to show how little power it actually uses.
“The fact that this computer can be powered by a team of cyclists underscores how efficient computers have become,” said Markowsky.
The computer will be used to share some of the groundbreaking research conducted at the university, including the school’s world-renowned programs in climate change and glacial modeling, in the new UM Science Grid Portal created by Dickens and his students. Animations and real-time visualization of scientific data will become accessible to the public — from scientists and academics to interested community members and middle school students.
“This is a way to share some of the outstanding research conducted here with the community,” said Dickens. “It’s a gateway to a large collection of scientific results.”
During the presentation, a TV screen displayed two sets of numbers showing the amount of energy being generated by the bicycles and the amount of energy being used by the computer. As the cyclists increased the force with which they pedaled, they eventually were able to power the computer by themselves. By the end of the presentation, most were red-faced and sweating.
“It was definitely a lot harder than I was expecting. It was pretty tough,” said cyclist Abe Furth, a member of the Rose’s Bike Shop race team. “It was comparable to biking up a short, steep hill, just for about 15 straight minutes. It was really fun — I wish there was some way I could power my house like that.”
James Bailey, marketing director for SciCortex, attended a similar presentation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to Bailey, the UM cyclists had a little more power in their pedaling.
“At MIT we didn’t get as much,” he said. “We’re not used to Maine standards of energy. It’s quite impressive.”
eburnham@bangordailynews.net
990-8270
Friday, October 03, 2008
Fort Kent residents want windmill moratorium
Bangor Daily News
By Kevin Miller
BDN Staff
A group of Fort Kent residents is proposing a moratorium on industrial wind turbines within town limits until local officials can develop ordinances governing the enormous structures.
The group has gathered roughly 220 signatures on a petition seeking a 180-day moratorium on construction of commercial wind power facilities as well as processing of any applications. The petition would allow the Town Council to extend the moratorium or cancel it once Fort Kent’s zoning and land-use ordinances have been amended to address wind power facilities.
The petition is a response to a Texas-based company, Horizon Wind, which has been negotiating lease agreements with landowners in the Fort Kent area and in other parts of Aroostook County.
Horizon has yet to file an application with state or local authorities, but company officials have said they hope to build as many as 400 wind turbines in Aroostook. Using today’s technology, 400 turbines could generate enough electricity to power one-third of Maine’s homes on a hot summer day, although wind turbines rarely function at maximum capacity.
But the prospect of hundreds of 400-foot-tall wind turbines dotting the farm fields and forests of Aroostook County has generated considerable concern among some residents.
Members of the group Citizens for Responsible Wind Development plan to present the petition to Fort Kent officials today. The petition demands a special town referendum on the proposal, although the Town Council could impose a moratorium without voter action, group members said.
“Most of the people who signed the petition want this [development] done right or not at all,†Dr. Michael Nissenbaum said.
Horizon Wind, which operates locally under the name Aroostook Wind, has been quietly developing plans for large wind energy facilities in The County for several years. Company officials are aggressively negotiating with landowners willing to have a turbine, transmission line or other infrastructure on their property.
Company representatives have declined to disclose publicly how much landowners would be compensated. Annual payments apparently range from a few thousand dollars for roads or lines to several times that for each turbine, according to numerous sources.
Dave Soucy, a Fort Kent lawyer and one of the organizers of the petition drive, said industrial wind turbines have the potential to permanently alter the “quality of place†that makes Fort Kent special. While Soucy is increasingly convinced the massive turbines are inappropriate for the ridgelines and river valleys surrounding Fort Kent, he said it is important for people to make up their own minds.
“Given the size of the proposal and the effect it will have on the community, it’s not too early to get started†on that conversation, Soucy said. “Now, how we choose to deal with it remains to be seen.â€
The petition states that Fort Kent’s land use laws are inadequate to deal with industrial wind power developments and that the town has a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents.
“Suitable sites and methods for wind power development need to be reviewed and identified,†the petition states. “Failure to carefully review and plan for wind power development will reduce options available to the town and may result in devaluation, blight, issues that affect public health and welfare, and environmental degradation.â€
Horizon officials could not be reached for comment Thursday. In past interviews, company representatives have said they do not plan to propose wind turbines near downtown areas and that the public would have ample opportunities to comment on any proposal.
Horizon plans to build the wind facilities in stages, with the first project slated for areas west of Bridgewater. That project is expected to involve more than 100 turbines.
Marcia Spencer-Famous, a planner with the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, said this week that she expects Horizon to file applications with state regulators for the Bridgewater-area projects in December or January.
A moratorium on wind power facility also has been proposed for the nearby town of Wallagrass.
By Kevin Miller
BDN Staff
A group of Fort Kent residents is proposing a moratorium on industrial wind turbines within town limits until local officials can develop ordinances governing the enormous structures.
The group has gathered roughly 220 signatures on a petition seeking a 180-day moratorium on construction of commercial wind power facilities as well as processing of any applications. The petition would allow the Town Council to extend the moratorium or cancel it once Fort Kent’s zoning and land-use ordinances have been amended to address wind power facilities.
The petition is a response to a Texas-based company, Horizon Wind, which has been negotiating lease agreements with landowners in the Fort Kent area and in other parts of Aroostook County.
Horizon has yet to file an application with state or local authorities, but company officials have said they hope to build as many as 400 wind turbines in Aroostook. Using today’s technology, 400 turbines could generate enough electricity to power one-third of Maine’s homes on a hot summer day, although wind turbines rarely function at maximum capacity.
But the prospect of hundreds of 400-foot-tall wind turbines dotting the farm fields and forests of Aroostook County has generated considerable concern among some residents.
Members of the group Citizens for Responsible Wind Development plan to present the petition to Fort Kent officials today. The petition demands a special town referendum on the proposal, although the Town Council could impose a moratorium without voter action, group members said.
“Most of the people who signed the petition want this [development] done right or not at all,†Dr. Michael Nissenbaum said.
Horizon Wind, which operates locally under the name Aroostook Wind, has been quietly developing plans for large wind energy facilities in The County for several years. Company officials are aggressively negotiating with landowners willing to have a turbine, transmission line or other infrastructure on their property.
Company representatives have declined to disclose publicly how much landowners would be compensated. Annual payments apparently range from a few thousand dollars for roads or lines to several times that for each turbine, according to numerous sources.
Dave Soucy, a Fort Kent lawyer and one of the organizers of the petition drive, said industrial wind turbines have the potential to permanently alter the “quality of place†that makes Fort Kent special. While Soucy is increasingly convinced the massive turbines are inappropriate for the ridgelines and river valleys surrounding Fort Kent, he said it is important for people to make up their own minds.
“Given the size of the proposal and the effect it will have on the community, it’s not too early to get started†on that conversation, Soucy said. “Now, how we choose to deal with it remains to be seen.â€
The petition states that Fort Kent’s land use laws are inadequate to deal with industrial wind power developments and that the town has a duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of residents.
“Suitable sites and methods for wind power development need to be reviewed and identified,†the petition states. “Failure to carefully review and plan for wind power development will reduce options available to the town and may result in devaluation, blight, issues that affect public health and welfare, and environmental degradation.â€
Horizon officials could not be reached for comment Thursday. In past interviews, company representatives have said they do not plan to propose wind turbines near downtown areas and that the public would have ample opportunities to comment on any proposal.
Horizon plans to build the wind facilities in stages, with the first project slated for areas west of Bridgewater. That project is expected to involve more than 100 turbines.
Marcia Spencer-Famous, a planner with the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission, said this week that she expects Horizon to file applications with state regulators for the Bridgewater-area projects in December or January.
A moratorium on wind power facility also has been proposed for the nearby town of Wallagrass.
New York probes Mass. wind-power developer
Bangor Daily News
By Nick Sambides Jr.
BDN Staff
LINCOLN, Maine — As First Wind of Massachusetts finishes building a wind farm on Stetson Mountain and prepares applications for another on Rollins Mountain, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo continues probing allegations that the company dealt improperly with public officials in upstate New York.
Begun in July, Cuomo’s investigation probes whether First Wind and another company based in Connecticut improperly sought or obtained land-use agreements with residents and public officials; whether public officials received improper benefits to influence their actions; and whether they entered into anti-competitive agreements or practices.
“The use of wind power, like all renewable energy sources, should be encouraged to help clean our air and end our reliance on fossil fuels,†Cuomo said in a statement released in July. “However, public integrity remains a top priority of my office and if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it.â€
The investigation is continuing, said Cuomo’s spokesman, John Milgrim. He declined to comment further.
First Wind is cooperating fully with the investigation, company spokesman John Lamontagne said. The company denies any wrongdoing. In fact, it tries to be a good neighbor, occasionally assisting community relief efforts.
This week, First Wind split a $30,000 donation among four county-based community programs to help Maine residents handle home heating costs this winter.
The four programs receiving donations are: Aroostook County Action Program Inc.; Community Concepts; Penquis Keep ME Warm Fund; and the Washington Hancock Community Agency THAW Fund. All of the programs are members of the Maine Community Action Association Inc.
“First Wind strives to be a good corporate citizen in all of the communities in which we work. Part of that is giving back to these communities,†LaMontagne said Thursday.
Cuomo sought all documents concerning any benefits conferred on any individual or entity in connection with wind farm activity, plus all agreements, easements or contracts with individuals regarding placement of wind turbines, agreements between wind companies that may indicate anti-competitive practices and all documents pertaining to any payments or benefits received from local, state or federal agencies.
First Wind has seven wind farms operating, in development or under construction in New York, according to its Web site, www.firstwind.com.
Steel Winds I, a 20-megawatt farm of eight 2.5-megawatt Clipper Liberty wind turbines, generates enough to power about 9,000 New York homes in Lackawanna, on the shore of Lake Erie. A 125-megawatt farm, Cohocton I, is under construction in Cohocton, N.Y.
In Maine, First Wind has the 42-megawatt Mars Hill farm operational and a 57-megawatt wind farm on Stetson Mountain in Washington County under construction.
Another 25-megawatt farm for Stetson Mountain is being planned, as is the 60-megawatt Rollins Mountain farm, which is slated to be built in Burlington, Lee, Lincoln and Winn if approved. The megawatt listings represent peak outputs.
By Nick Sambides Jr.
BDN Staff
LINCOLN, Maine — As First Wind of Massachusetts finishes building a wind farm on Stetson Mountain and prepares applications for another on Rollins Mountain, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo continues probing allegations that the company dealt improperly with public officials in upstate New York.
Begun in July, Cuomo’s investigation probes whether First Wind and another company based in Connecticut improperly sought or obtained land-use agreements with residents and public officials; whether public officials received improper benefits to influence their actions; and whether they entered into anti-competitive agreements or practices.
“The use of wind power, like all renewable energy sources, should be encouraged to help clean our air and end our reliance on fossil fuels,†Cuomo said in a statement released in July. “However, public integrity remains a top priority of my office and if dirty tricks are used to facilitate even clean-energy projects, my office will put a stop to it.â€
The investigation is continuing, said Cuomo’s spokesman, John Milgrim. He declined to comment further.
First Wind is cooperating fully with the investigation, company spokesman John Lamontagne said. The company denies any wrongdoing. In fact, it tries to be a good neighbor, occasionally assisting community relief efforts.
This week, First Wind split a $30,000 donation among four county-based community programs to help Maine residents handle home heating costs this winter.
The four programs receiving donations are: Aroostook County Action Program Inc.; Community Concepts; Penquis Keep ME Warm Fund; and the Washington Hancock Community Agency THAW Fund. All of the programs are members of the Maine Community Action Association Inc.
“First Wind strives to be a good corporate citizen in all of the communities in which we work. Part of that is giving back to these communities,†LaMontagne said Thursday.
Cuomo sought all documents concerning any benefits conferred on any individual or entity in connection with wind farm activity, plus all agreements, easements or contracts with individuals regarding placement of wind turbines, agreements between wind companies that may indicate anti-competitive practices and all documents pertaining to any payments or benefits received from local, state or federal agencies.
First Wind has seven wind farms operating, in development or under construction in New York, according to its Web site, www.firstwind.com.
Steel Winds I, a 20-megawatt farm of eight 2.5-megawatt Clipper Liberty wind turbines, generates enough to power about 9,000 New York homes in Lackawanna, on the shore of Lake Erie. A 125-megawatt farm, Cohocton I, is under construction in Cohocton, N.Y.
In Maine, First Wind has the 42-megawatt Mars Hill farm operational and a 57-megawatt wind farm on Stetson Mountain in Washington County under construction.
Another 25-megawatt farm for Stetson Mountain is being planned, as is the 60-megawatt Rollins Mountain farm, which is slated to be built in Burlington, Lee, Lincoln and Winn if approved. The megawatt listings represent peak outputs.
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