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New England Organics in Southbridge awarded $40,000 Renewable Energy Trust grant
November 9, 2007...Sen. Richard T. Moore, (D-Uxbridge) is pleased to report that New England Organics' Southbridge facility, a division of Casella Waste Systems, has been awarded a $40,000 Feasibility Grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's (MTC) Renewable Energy Trust (the Trust). The grant is one of many offered by MTC as part of their Large Onsite Renewables Initiative to expand the production and use of renewable energy technologies in Massachusetts. "It is always welcome news when businesses within the district are provided funding which may lead to expansion and job creation and even more so, when their mission makes for a cleaner and greener environment," said Sen. Moore. Casella's New England Organics (NEO) division is the first company in the region dedicated to the recycling of organic residuals providing removal, transportation, recycling, processing, and marketing of organic resources such as short paper fiber, ash, wood wastes, biosolids and compost. NEO will use the grant to conduct a feasibility study to assess a proposed 1000 kW anaerobic digestion CHP facility at their parent company's land site in Southbridge. "We have a unique opportunity at Casella's environmental complex in Southbridge to put our organic wastes to work. Creating energy from food waste, wastewater biosolids and grease trap wastes will give new life to resources that are often otherwise considered 'dead-end,'" said Jay Kilbourn the Project Manager for New England Organics. "The opportunity to explore the production of renewable energy from waste is not only environmentally important, but represents economic opportunities ranging from local business development to national energy independence." The process of anaerobic digestion, long in use by the nation's dairy farmers, converts manures and other organic wastes into high-energy methane gas and a valuable fertilizer side stream. Modern technology innovations enable efficient collection and processing of organic feedstock in enclosed buildings which are safe and protect the public health. MTC is the state's development agency for renewable energy and the innovation economy, which is responsible for one-quarter of all jobs in the state. MTC is also the administrator of the Trust, which pioneers and promotes clean energy technologies and strives to make the Commonwealth greener. The Trust works toward this goal by providing financial assistance to individuals and businesses for solar panels and wind turbines at their homes and facilities, working with communities to incorporate green design into schools, and helping emerging clean energy businesses flourish in the Commonwealth. For more information on MTC and the Trust, go to www.mtpc.org. |
