brandy toft, air quality specialist leech lake band of ojibwe
TRANSCRIPT
SEVENTH GENERATION INITIATIVE, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES GRANT:LEECH LAKE’S SOLAR FURNACES
Brandy Toft, Air Quality SpecialistLEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE
P2 Conference Call March 2010
SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE SEVENTH GENERATION INITIATIVE
Pilot project with Sustainable Skylines Program Three Tribes in R5 awarded funds
Leech Lake, Mille Lacs, Grand Traverse
Goal to become more sustainable while showing reductions in air pollution
SGI GOALS
Achieve sustainability with the goal of cleaner and healthier air in a: Locally Self-sustained Collaborative way
SGI provides framework for achieving sustainability
Form and maintain partnerships Soon to be a national program – provide input to SGI team
HOW DO WE REDUCE OUR CONSUMPTION;
BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE???
LEECH LAKE BAND OF OJIBWE
Leech Lake Reservation
Rural community in North Central Minnesota
864,158 acres, over 70% is water/wetlands
713 miles of rivers/streams
270 fishable lakes, 40 wildrice lakes
Serving 12,000 in 11 communities
Wood Products
Waste incinerator
2
Largest MN Coal EGUWaste EGU
2
3Wood products
Leech Lake Reservation
Great Lakes Comp Station
Paper mill
Coal EGU
Wood Products
Waste incinerator
2
Largest MN Coal EGUWaste EGU
2
3Wood products
Leech Lake Reservation
Great Lakes Comp Station
Paper mill
Coal EGU
Nothing New...
19??
SOLAR ENERGY
Minnesota has similar number of sun days as Houston, Texas
4.5 vs.4.3 peak sun hours
4500 watt hours/sq meter or 4.5 KWH per day
GREAT but… How do we make it affordable? How do we make it not so technical?
BENEFITS OF SOLAR HEAT
Long-term solution fostering self-reliance
Ending public energy program dependency
Clean technology
Promotes national security
Addresses Environmental Justice issues
EFFICIENCY BEFORE RENEWABLES
Conventional Efficient
Integrated efficiency &
renewable
Conventional energy use
Renewable energy use
Large price tag!
LEECH LAKE’S PILOT PROJECT Study the effectiveness of solar air heating systems.
Reduce CO2 emissions and emissions of other energy production pollutants (Hg, NOx, etc...).
Improve indoor air quality (furnace, filter).
the economic security of 8 low-income
families, carbon footprint.
LEECH LAKE’S PILOT PROJECT Reduce resources leaving the Reservation
to pay for fossil fuels.
Prepare for and create Leech Lake green jobs.
Train up to 12 Leech Lake Staff - Educate, resume, job opportunities, open minds
Reduce taxpayer burden for Heating Assistance.
Create a model for self sufficiency and a pollution reduction for project replication.
RESULTS… 4 installed on Tribal member owned homes 4 installed on Housing Authority owned homes
**Goal to open thinking and promote green energy**
IT WORKED!!!!!
30+ new Housing homes designed with solar furnaces
Many Tribal members inquiring
Link to Radio spot on MN Public Radio
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2009/08/24/solar-air-heaters/
SOLAR FURNACES
Last 25-50 years Produce 7-8 mBTUs annually
PROJECTS/PARTNERSHIPS MOVING FORWARD
To date, our installations can generate:
BTUs: 60.25 mBTUs KWHs: 17,800 kwhs
of clean, renewable solar energy in one year!
