
Announcements
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FAQs
Q: What is biomass?
A: Biomass is any biological material that can be used as fuel. Biomass fuel is burned or converted in systems that produce heat, electricity, or both heat and power. Woodchips, wood pellets, and other low-grade wood wastes are the major type of biomass fuel. Other common biomass fuel sources are agricultural crop residues and farm animal wastes.
Q: What is BERC? How can you help us with our project?
A: BERC is a national nonprofit located in Montpelier, Vermont, that works on projects around the country to install systems that use biomass fuel to produce heat and/or electricity. BERC’s partners in these projects have included schools, communities, colleges, businesses, utilities, and government agencies. We offer services in program design and project assessment and implementation as well as a variety of technical resources. Program services include Fuels For Schools, Clean Energy Funds, state energy planning for biomass, and forest fire hazard reduction. BERC project work includes biomass energy feasibility studies, biomass energy project development and management, and technology development.
Q: What kinds of facilities use biomass?
A: Facilities suitable for biomass systems include schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, public buildings, hotels and motels, commercial buildings, greenhouses, large-scale agricultural operations, manufacturing plants, power plants, and community district energy systems (the latter being the use of a central heating plant to provide heat to multiple buildings using buried pipes to distribute the energy). BERC’s expertise is in ‘community-scale’ biomass systems in the 1-to-10 million Btu per hour (output) range.
BERC Conference Activity
March 2010
Biomass for Communities
March 8, 2010, Hopkinton Town Library, Hopkinton, New Hampshire
BERC Assistant Program Manager Sarah Galbraith will present a general overview of community-scale biomass energy and how it can be used to benefit communities, local economies, and the environment. The event is part of a series entitled, Alternative Energy Evenings, sponsored by the Merrimack County Conservation District as part of the New Hampshire Farm Energy Initiative.
Biomass Energy Colloquium
March 10, 2010, Bennington College, Bennington, Vermont
BERC Program Director Adam Sherman will speak on wood supply issues at this evening event.
Addison County Green Energy Expo: Building Sustainable Homes and Businesses
March 13, 2010, Middlebury Union High School, Middlebury, Vermont
BERC Project Assistant Nikola Janjić will staff the BERC information booth, provide handout materials, and answer questions.
Globe 2010
March 24-26, 2010, Vancouver Convention Center - East, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
BERC Program Director Adam Sherman will moderate a session entitled, 'Bioenergy: Fueling the Development of a Low Carbon Economy.' The panel discussion will focus on bioenergy at the community and municipal level.





