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For more information on biomass energy click here
website created by Ian Raymond, Raymond Photography, 616 Main St. Laconia, NH |
S a v i n g E n e r g y a t w i n n i s q u a m |
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Copyright © 2010 Ian Raymond. Designed by Web Page Templates |
The energy efficiency upgrade project which first began in February 2008 will be completed by September of this year. The school district contracted with Honeywell to conduct an energy audit and make recommendations for money-saving energy conservation measures. It won voter approval in March 2009, with a 2/3 majority voting in favor of the project, and won voter approval again at a Special Meeting that was held in September 2009, in order to accept the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds that the school district had been awarded in May. The warrant article for the ARRA funds passed 131 to 6 (95.6% voter approval!). 
One additional benefit of building the biomass plant on the High School/Middle School campus is that Honeywell will be adding a 17' 8" x 25' 6" classroom to the front of the structure, which will include a viewing area that oversees the biomass boiler room. Along with creating an opportunity to teach students about biomass (the most common renewable energy in the world), this will also provide the school district with an ideal location to hold classes on sustainability and other green technologies. This curriculum will be available to students from 8 local towns, similar to the programs that are currently offered in the Vocational-Agricultural department of the High School.
As many of you have seen, there has been much progress made on the construction of the biomass heat plant. The excavation and concrete work have been completed; the Messersmith woodchip-fired boiler system, smokestack, and wood chip bunker equipment have been delivered and put in place; and the steel structure has been installed. It is anticipated that the building will be weather-tight within the next two weeks. The remainder of the summer will be spent digging trenches and running insulated heat pipes and conduit from the biomass plant to the High School and Middle School, and installing the electrical, plumbing, and controls to the biomass boiler. Next, comes connecting to the current heating systems in the two schools, then delivery of wood chips, testing/commissioning of the Messersmith equipment, staff training,and finally, come fall, heating the High School/Middle School with an inexpensive, local, renewable, carbon neutral fuel.
