RANDOLPH, Vt. — Vermont Technical College today celebrated the groundbreaking for the Central Vermont Recovered Biomass Facility Anaerobic Digester. A facility that will be located on the college’s Randolph Campus, the anaerobic digester will use natural biological processes to produce electricity plus heat from food waste and manure.
Attended by Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Ross, Public Service Department Commissioner Chris Recchia, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Executive Director Ellen Kahler and Vermont State Colleges Chancellor Timothy Donovan, this ceremony marked the next stage in development of the project.
“This facility will become a focus for education in renewable energy, waste management, sustainable agriculture, and contribute to the health of our soils here in Vermont and the region,” said President of Vermont Tech, Dr. Phil Conroy. “It will be a source of knowledge for researchers, lawmakers, policy-makers, the resource management industry, and so many more here in Vermont and throughout New England.”
The facility will be constructed near the campus central heating plant, where it affords ease of operation in transferring power to Vermont’s electric grid as well as heat to the campus, and it will be co-located with the farm fields on the main campus. The Central Vermont Recovered Biomass Facility will serve as an educational facility and model for other facilities as the reduced dependence on non-renewable energy sources is a benefit consistent with the state’s energy plan.
“This is where we connect the dots to grow jobs and economic prosperity for Vermont… actually helping this country chart a course for a green power future with projects like this; that’s going to ensure that Vermont does it’s part to have a stronger and healthier planet in the future,” remarked Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin.
This state-of-the-art technology is a step towards Vermont Tech’s larger goal of campus-wide sustainability and a resource for providing a cutting-edge applied education.
To learn more about Vermont Technical College, please visit www.vtc.edu.
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About Vermont Technical College – Vermont Technical College is the only public institution of higher learning in Vermont whose mission is applied education. One of the five Vermont State Colleges, Vermont Tech serves students from throughout Vermont, New England, and beyond at its two residential campuses in Williston and Randolph Center, regional campuses in Brattleboro and Bennington and at six nursing campuses located throughout the state. Our academic programs encompass a wide range of engineering technology, agricultural, health, and business fields that are vital to producing the knowledge workers need most by employers in the state and in the region. www.vtc.edu.