Opportunity Link to receive $125,000 to develop markets for Montana biodiesel |
Posted: Aug 10, 2010 3:59 pm |
Opportunity Link, in partnership with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railways (BNSF) and MSU Northern, is working on developing railway markets for Montana-produced biodiesel through a one-year project that will demonstrate the use of a 20% biodiesel blend in a switcher locomotive engine. The project will be working to address the challenges faced by the railway industry in utilizing this renewable fuel as well as exploring the possibility of Northcentral Montana to meet the needs of this potential market.
The project was recently selected by Montana's Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for funding under its Alternative Energy Development Grant Program. The program focuses on renewable technologies that have been developed and are proven, but that remain underutilized or not yet available in Montana. The following projects were selected together with Opportunity Link for funding but are pending DOE NEPA review:
Core Wind Power, Inc., $500,000, for a 3 megawatt direct-drive wind turbine to be built in Ronan.
Algae Aqua Culture Technology, $350,000 for a commercial-scale system that will generate electricity from methane produced through the anaerobic digestion of algae grown specifically for that purpose.
Opportunity Link, $125,000, for a partnership to develop a regional market and to demonstrate B-20 biodiesel in a switch locomotive at the BNSF yards in Havre.
Earl Fisher Biofuels, $25,000, for oilseed crushing equipment to maximize yields that should result in lower prices for biodiesel.
For more information on the Alternative Energy Program, please visit deq.mt.gov/recovery/energy/altendevgrant.mcpx.
Since January 2010, Opportunity Link has raised over $400,000 in support of its projects.
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Opportunity Link and partners celebrate Project GreenBuild |
Posted: Jul 26, 2010 1:53 pm |
July 29, Thursday
North Central Montana Transit Facility
3105 US Highway 2 NE, Havre
From 5 to 7 pm
After an intensive 2-month green construction and renovation of the North Central Montana Transit Facility, nine participants of Project GreenBuild will be celebrating the completion of the project and Opportunity Link's new training center this Thursday, July 29.
Project GreenBuild trained participants through combined hands-on experience and knowledge building of the core components of green design, construction, and operations of a building renovation/retrofit with emphasis on waste recycling and indoor air quality. Project GreenBuild provides actual replication of practices that apply to obtaining LEED (Leadership Environmental Energy Design), a tool that helps create high-performance, more sustainable built environments by providing a framework for design, construction and evaluation.
Project GreenBuild's trainer Kirk Hammerquist of Hammerquist and Casalegno, the firm that completed the first LEED Certified state building in Montana, has been an exemplary mentor and trainer with all of his years of building construction experience. Lead construction supervisor, Robert Kittson from Fort Belknap, has been a great construction supervisor and excellent role model for the trainees.
Project GreenBuild is part of the Construction and Energy Workforce Training partnership between Montana PEAKS, Inc. and Opportunity Link, in cooperation with Fort Belknap College and Stone Child College and funded in part by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
The project completion ceremony will start at 5 pm and will be followed by a barbeque for partners, friends and families. You can download the invitation now from the downloads section of the Opportunity Link website or by clicking here.
For more information, please contact Barbara Stiffarm or Star Perkins at (406) 265-3699 or via e-mail to bstiffarm@opportunitylinkmt.org or sperkins@opportunitylinkmt.org.
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Senator Tester celebrates BNSF use of biodiesel in Havre |
Posted: Jul 20, 2010 8:49 am |
U.S. Senator Jon Tester was in Havre Saturday to celebrate
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway's use of biodiesel in one of their locomotive SD40-2 yard switch engines. The celebratory kick-off ceremony was held at 7:30 a.m., July 17, at the BNSF Depot located at 235 Main Street in Havre.
A 20% biodiesel blend is being used for the switch engine for one year to pilot the use of locally produced biodiesel and demonstrating fuel performance, consumption, emissions, and conformity to standards. Biodiesel performance will be compared with that of another designated switch engine using regular diesel fuel. Both switch engines will be based in BNSF’s Havre Diesel Shop but will be used in regular runs throughout the year.
Biodiesel used are produced locally from Earl-Fisher Biofuels in Chester and tested by Montana State University Northern's Bio-Energy Center. The EPA regulated exhaust emissions will be monitored in real time towards the last phase of the project using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Portable Emission Measurement System through its Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with MSU-Northern.
The use of a B20 blend in one locomotive switch engine in Havre for the duration of 1 year could potentially reduce green house gas emission by about 1.4 million metric tons. More importantly, should the technical and economic aspects of biodiesel use meet BNSF or the railway industry’s technical and business needs, an increased demand of local production of biodiesel fuel is possible and could boost economic development not only in Montana but throughout the United States.
The project is a result of an ongoing partnership between BNSF, MSU Northern’s Bio-Energy Center, Opportunity Link, Bear Paw Development Corporation, and Earl Fisher Biofuels with support from Montana Department of Agriculture’s Growth Through Agriculture Program.
For more information, please contact Beau Price at (406) 265-0357 or Greg Kegel at (406) 265-4157
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Opportunity Link is on Facebook! |
Posted: Sep 9, 2009 10:35 pm |
Keep updated on Opportunity Link news, events and, yes, opportunities! Be a fan of Opportunity Link on Facebook by clicking on the link below:
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Greening our Communities Workshop & Site Visit |
Posted: Jul 26, 2010 2:13 pm |
July 29, Thursday
District IV HRDC, 2229 5th Avenue, Havre
9 am to 3 pm
Registration is free and open to all
How can we become more energy efficient and more sustainable as a community? What kind of green practices could we implement? Speakers representing different communities across the state will be presenting practical, innovative and cost-efficient projects that creatively utilize alternative and renewable energy technologies and/or green practices. Some of these “green” practices include:
• Sustainable food systems (Gallatin County’s Farm-to-School Lunch program)
• Building deconstruction and “Re-Stores” (Habitat for Humanity Re-Store)
• Energy conservation through community green blocks (Missoula & Northwestern Energy’s Neighborhood Green Blocks)
• Planning and designing for a sustainable green community (BNIM Architects’ models for vital community living)
• Building community self-reliance through sustainable agriculture, energy efficiency and environmental quality (AERO – Alternative Energy Resources Organization)
• Energy conservation on the ground via Montana Energy Corps program (National Center for Appropriate Technology)
Also part of the Green Communities Workshop is a site visit and completion ceremony of Opportunity Link’s North Central Montana Transit Facility located at 3105 US Highway 2 NE in Havre, starting at 5 pm. The tour will showcase construction and renovation of the facility utilizing energy efficient and alternative energy technologies and the completion ceremony will honor the trainees and project partners.
Registration is free and open to all. Lunch will be served and a barbeque following the tour and completion ceremony is scheduled. The event is organized by Montana Energy Corps and Opportunity Link.
To download the workshop flyer, please click www.opportunitylinkmt.org/downloads.php.
For more information, please contact Colyn St. Pierre or Day Soriano at (406) 265-3699 or via e-mail to energycorps@opportunitylinkmt.org or dsoriano@opportunitylinkmt.org.
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Green Homes Information Fair |
Posted: Jun 24, 2010 9:28 am |
Saturday, June 26, from 12 noon to 3 pm
Holiday Village Mall, Havre
The Green Homes Information Fair will feature tips on how to reduce energy use, how to transition to alternative energy technologies, discovering biodegrable "plastics", information on energy tax incentives, credits and rebate programs, appliance cash-for-clunkers and more!
Exhibitors will include the Energy Share Program, Weatherization Assistance Program, Northwestern Energy, Hill County Electric Cooperative, Mutual Self-Help Housing, YouthBuild North Central Montana, Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Montana Energy Corps, Recycle Hi-Line and more!
The fair is free and open to all! Bring your broken or burnt-out CFLs and we can recycle them through Hill County Electric Cooperative's recycle bucket.
The Green Homes information fair is organized by Opportunity Link's Montana Energy Corps AmeriCorps members Russell Chalifoux and Colyn St. Pierre. For more information, please call Russell or Colyn at (406) 265-3699 or e-mail energycorps@opportunitylinkmt.org.
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Growing our Regional Economy through Accessible Public Transportation |
Posted: Jun 3, 2010 12:00 pm |
A two-day Discussion Meeting on Accessible Public Transportation in Northcentral Montana
June 9 & 10
Brockmann Center Room 105
MSU Northern, Havre
This 2-day discussion brought together community representatives and transportation providers who developed a plan to strengthen the availability and accessibility of transportation services in Northcentral Montana. The event became a venue for discussion and dialogue where participants and providers came up with strategies and approaches to address the issues prioritized; identified networks and resources that can help improve cost-efficient delivery of public transportation services. Growing our regional economy through accessible public transportation was designed such that participants are able to continue cooperative efforts and obtain the support and resources they need to continue working on the overall goals.
Northcentral Montana is among 12 communities throughout the Unites States selected to participate in the Mobility Planning Services: Accessible Transportation Coalitions Initiative offered by Easter Seals Project ACTION (ESPA), which is based in Washington, D.C.
Montana Department of Transportation director Jim Lynch gave the Opening Address followed by messages from Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services director Anna Whiting Sorrell and Pat Wise, economic development specialist from the Governor's Office. Easter Seals Project ACTION staff facilitated the 2-day discussion meeting, with representatives in-charge of State transportation issues from both Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester's offices.
ESPA promotes cooperation between the transportation industry and the disability community to increase mobility for all people under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The meeting was organized by Opportunity Link and sponsored in part by Easter Seals, Inc. and the Montana Department of Transportation.
Meeting materials - documents, presentations and photos will be available for download soon. For more information, please contact Day Soriano, Development Director, at (406) 265-3699 or e-mail dsoriano@opportunitylinkmt.org.
To view news coverage of the event, visit the following links:
KFBB News Channel 5
www.kfbb.com/news/local/96105269.html
Havre Daily News
www.havredailynews.com/cms/news/local_headlines/story-181342.html
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North Central Montana Transit (NCMT) adds more routes! |
Posted: Jun 3, 2010 11:39 am |
Starting June 1, Opportunity Link's North Central Montana Transit will be making its Havre to Rocky Boy run Mondays thru Fridays a part of its route and schedule. "We have adjusted the Blue Line route to accommodate our ridership," says NCMT director Jim Lyons.
The new Blue Line, instead of going directly to Laredo and Box Elder from Havre, will now be stopping at the Rocky Boy Clinic, Rocky Boy High School, and Stone Child College before stopping at Box Elder and Laredo.
NCMT has also added a new route that is mostly moving people within the City of Havre. The Orange Line, also known as the Havre Local service, stops at most of the city parks and residential areas for residents and visitors to enjoy the summer outdoors!
These new schedules may be adjusted according to feedback received. Therefore, your patience during this transition and adjustment period is requested and very much appreciated.
To view NCMT's new summer schedules, please visit the website at www.ncmtransit.org. For more information, contact Jim Lyons at (406) 265-3699 or 877-332-3699 toll-free.
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Northcentral Montana recognizes work of Energy Corps members, welcomes new members |
Posted: Apr 8, 2010 11:47 am |
Opportunity Link and the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) have recently placed four new Montana Energy Corps AmeriCorps members in addition to the five already serving in Northcentral Montana.
Colyn St.Pierre and Russell Chalifoux are hosted by Opportunity Link. They will be working on providing community-wide workshops on energy efficiency and green building to further education and awareness of new cost-efficient technologies in the region.
Charles Tailfeathers is hosted by the Chippewa Cree Tribe. He will be conducting research and gathering data on energy use and efficiency in and around Rocky Boy to facilitate the promotion of green projects in the community.
Tom Hlavacek is hosted by MSU Northern's Bio-Energy Center. He will be learning to produce and test biodiesel in order to help increase awareness and use of this alternative fuel locally.
Taylor Lyon has been working with the Bio-Energy Center since October 2009 and has successfully promoted biodiesel use through the North Central Montana Transit's use of his biodiesel blends. Taylor has provided numerous tours of the Center as well as conducted several biodiesel workshops in and around the region.
Sherri Cathel and Tina Marie Beltz have been working with the HRDC District IV since October 2009 on hands-on weatherization and installation of energy efficient technologies. They have helped weatherize over fifty homes in the region and are now training Opportunity Link's community service volunteers to assist in the continuation of their work.
Curtis Windy Boy has been working with the Fort Belknap Indian Community since October 2009. Through the Energy Corps program, he has received training as an Energy Auditor and has conducted numerous energy audits both for Fort Belknap and Rocky Boy. His research reports and audits have helped Fort Belknap receive funding to use energy efficient technologies for their projects. Curtis also started and hosts an "Energy Tips" segment at Fort Belknap's local radio station KGVA.
Jennifer Reed has been working with Blackfeet Community College since October 2009. She has received training in the maintenance and troubleshooting of small-scale wind turbines. She has been essential in the start-up, implementation and is now providing training to help maintain Blackfeet's green projects that includes small scale wind, solar, an off-grid greenhouse, among others.
We are proud of what these Energy Corps members have achieved so far and are confident that these new members are able to contribute as well as grow both personally and professionally for a future in the green economy in our region.
The Montana Energy Corps project seeks to promote sustainable energy consumption and education, foster commuwill provide the opportunity to help less fortunate community members by educating, assisting and organizing to improve living conditions throughout Montana. The Montana Energy Corps AmeriCorps program is an initiative of the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in cooperation with The Corporation for National and Community Service and the Montana Governor’s Office of Community Service.
For more information on the Montana Energy Corps project or to host an Energy Corps member, please visit www.EnergyCorps.org or call Holly Hill at (406) 494-8652.
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