Post Carbon August Newsletter

[GD]

Some interesting sections (well, all of it is interesting, but here's a couple of standout points.)

Post Carbon Newsletter #6, 1st August 2005 [with extra links]

1. We're Still Here!
2. The Relocalization Network Grows ? Outpost News in Brief
3. The ASPO Conference
4. Local Energy Farm Initiative
5. Profile: Tony Marmont & Beacon Energy Farm
6. Post Carbon News Updates
7. Post Carbon Institute Gives Peak Oil Presentation in England
8. Next Newsletter Preview 1. We're Still Here!


4. Local Energy Farm Initiative

Post Carbon Institute has plans underway to develop prototype
experimental Local Energy Farms in order to demonstrate how reliable
renewable energy can be produced without needing fossil fuel,
nuclear, or 'big' hydro backup. We intend to use this reliable
renewable energy to power Community Supported Manufacturing and be
the central 'pump' for a Local Energy Bank capable of issuing
energy-backed currency. The Local Energy Farm will produce electrical
energy from solar, wind, water and also produce biofuels (including
biogas, bioliquids and biomass). The Local Energy Farm Initiative is
inspired by the example of Professor Tony Marmont, who has actually
created a demonstration energy farm in England [see next item,
Profile: Tony Marmont & Beacon Energy Farm]. We intend to build on
his pioneering work by adding biofuels, developing a Local Energy
Network System, and connecting power directly to relocalised
manufacturing. We aim to develop a set of plans and templates which
will be replicable in a very wide range of communities and places.
Post Carbon Institute is currently looking for the land, initial
finance, and community to begin the first pilot projects for this
exciting new Initiative and we welcome suggestions. We are very
willing to set up several experiments to start with, and we have
already had strong expressions of interest from America and Europe.
Please find more details here http://postcarbon.org/energyfarmbrief.


5. Profile: Tony Marmont, founder of West Beacon 'energy' Farm

Tony Marmont currently operates Beacon Energy http://www.beaconenergy.co.uk , a not-for-profit organization near
Loughborough, England, which is designed to promote renewable energy
techniques. Tony's farm is a demonstration site for renewable energy
production from wind turbines, photovoltaics, pump storage (into a
two-acre lake), hydro heat pumps, and roof collection of rainwater.
The farm now also has a static hydrogen storage system of four
Megawatt hours capacity.

The sale of his business in 1992 enabled Tony to devote himself
full-time to sustainable energy. He is now a visiting Professor at De
Montfort University {http://www.dmu.ac.uk/} and founder of the
renewable energy organization MRETT, Midlands Renewable Energy
Technology Transfer. Tony Marmont has been responsible for the
foundation of three M.Sc. courses in sustainable and renewable
energies at De Montfort University, Loughborough University
{http://www.lboro.ac.uk/} and The University of Nottingham
{http://www.nottingham.ac.uk}. Julian Darley interviewed Tony Marmont
after touring the Beacon Energy Farm - the video interview is
available now at GlobalPublicMedia.com
http://www.globalpublicmedia.com/interviews/438 .