Moderator: Mark Schuetz, President, Replex Plastics
Panelists: Evan S. Blumer, VMD, MS, Executive Director, the Wilds;
Ed Weston, Director, Great Lakes WIND Network; and, Ross O. Youngs, CEO & Founder, Algae Venture Systems, LLC (a Univerture, Inc. company)
This session focused on the different ways in which Americans - from individual homeowners to large companies - are responding to and dealing with challenges regarding energy production and use. Panel participants brought viewpoints that encompassed a wide array of alternative energy sources, from wind and solar to potential sources of biomass feedstock, including algae and large-scale, perennial prairie plant and grass systems.
Some interesting highlights included:
- There are currently six wind turbine companies situated in North America. In 2008, a total of 12 companies worldwide either announced new wind projects or are busy locating potential supply chains.
- Perennial prairie plant communities have many advantages as potential biomass feedstock, including the need for only one planting, no need for tilling, productivity and disease resistance.
- Algae, although perhaps less in the spotlight than other alternative energy sources, has potential because it is a prolific producer (can double in mass in two hours), and is completely sustainable.
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Issue Two, 2009
