Accelerating the Development of Vermont's Green Economy

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Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Projects

Grantee Profiles

Grantee Profiles

Since 2003, VSJF has solicited the best proposals for biomass-to-biofuels related projects for the Vermont Biofuels Initiative (VBI) through a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP) process. Click here to see if any Requests for Proposals for new funding are open.

The VBI is funded by a Congressionally Directed Award from the Office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy through the U.S. Department of Energy, various private foundation sources, and the Vermont General Fund. Thus far, Senator Leahy has secured $2.9 million for biofuels research, development and demonstration projects in Vermont.

 

Activities To-Date:

The first round of DOE funds from 2006 through 2008 supported seven projects:

  1. a feedstock production, logistics, and biomass conversion research project conducted by UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture;
  2. technical assistance in the form of a safety review and engineering study of State Line Biofuels existing biodiesel production facility;
  3. technical assistance in the form of a safety review and engineering study of Borderview Farm’s proposed biodiesel production facility;
  4. technology and infrastructure purchases for capacity expansion at Green Technologies, LLC, a waste vegetable biodiesel producer;
  5. technical assistance in the form of feasibility studies for AgNorth Biopower LLC’s proposed multi-feedstock biodigester;
  6. technology and infrastructure purchases for the construction of a “Cow Power” biodigester at Gervais Family Farm; and
  7. the education and outreach activities of the Vermont Biofuels Association (which later merged with Renewable Energy Vermont).

Click below to read the final report of the DOE FY05 funding cycle:

The second round of DOE funding offered grants for building an on-farm biodiesel production facility, oilseed crop research, algae research, grass research, biomass-to-biofuels course development at a Vermont educational institution, storage and distribution infrastructure for fuel dealers, and the Renewable Energy Atlas of Vermont. In total, VSJF provided over $850,000 to support 20 projects which build out the biomass-to-biofuels industry in Vermont.

Click here to view the full list of current VBI Grantees.

Click here to view the full list of past VBI Grantees.

In addition, the VSJF is serving as the project administrator for the Central Vermont Biomass Recovery Facility at Vermont Technical College. Project partners include Vermont Technical College, Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District and the Vermont Environmental Consortium. Once the facility is built and becomes operational, it will supply a large portion of the heat and electricity needs at the VTC campus, will divert a substantial amount of food residuals from the solid waste stream, and will serve as a learning laboratory for VTC students. Thus far, Senator Leahy has secured $1.44 million for this project through the U.S. Department of Energy sources.