Energy Interns and Fellows Are Seeing “Green”

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Solar Suitability Study conducted by Will Dunlop and John Diaz at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Energy efficiency and maximizing the use of renewable energy resources is on everyone’s minds these days and NC State University is actively engaged in developing and disseminating solutions to our energy challenges.

Energy Interns pass out flyers related to energy conservation and their upcoming workshops

Lauren Lesak and Drew Hatley, interns with the CES in Warren and Franklin Counties, pass out energy conservation and upcoming workshops flyers at a community event.

The College of Natural Resources (CNR) at NC State has placed 42 students in green energy internships and fellowships using a $435,481 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant. Students are working in 16 counties in North Carolina for a total of 21 host organizations.

Three fellows began working in Fall 2010. One of the fellows, Helene Cser, is developing a renewable energy database with analysis tools and another, Jessica Knight, is creating the web interface for the database to help facilitate economic growth within the renewable energy industry sector of North Carolina.

Wood pellets are tested for durability in Javon Carter’s feasibility study.

The third fellow, Javon Carter, has been investigating woody biomass material from Eastern North Carolina to determine its suitability for commercialization as wood pellets.

An Energy Intern works on a wind powered car model

Cory Connell, intern with the CES in Craven County, works on a wind powered car he will make with children at a summer 4-H camp.

Fifteen interns worked part-time during the Spring 2011 semester in the Raleigh area. Among them, Will Dunlop and John Diaz worked at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Division of Waste Management using GIS technology to analyze former landfills for solar farm suitability. Four students worked on a campus tree inventory project designed to calculate the energy savings associated with the trees on campus. Both of these projects have continued into the summer.

This summer, 32 interns are working to promote energy efficiency and assist with small-scale renewable energy installation projects with host organizations such as the NC Cooperative Extension Service (CES), SAS, the NC Solar Center, NC Department of Transportation, HandCrafted Homes and others.

Energy Intern works on a solar powered oven

Austin Harriett, CES intern in Craven County, works on a solar powered oven he will make with children at a summer 4-H camp.

Ten students are working with the Cooperative Extension Service in eight different counties—Craven, Davidson, Franklin, Greene, Hertford, Onslow, Warren and Wilson. Interns in these counties are assisting CES’ efforts to educate the community about ways to increase energy efficiency within homes and businesses and integrate renewable energy there as well. Throughout the summer, interns will prepare presentations for a variety of groups including children, seniors, farmers, and low-income families on specific ways that each group can be more energy efficient.

Companies such as SAS, HandCrafted Homes, Timberline, Jordan Lumber and Owens-Illinois are using the energy interns to find ways to make their plants and facilities more energy efficient.

energy interns measure a tree on NC State's campus as part of a tree inventory

Charles Rudder and Ian McInnis measure a tree for an inventory to determine energy savings gained from campus trees.

The interns were invited to the State’s Sustainable Energy Conference in April that included a session specifically for energy interns. In early June, they were offered a two day Energy Auditor Training on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill at no cost.

CNR student interns are part of a larger state program that includes 28 awarded organizations hosting the energy internship and fellowship program. The program ends in March 2012, by which time some 480 interns and fellows will have worked for the program across the state.

Post submitted by:
Karla Heinen
Dr. Gary Blank
For more information: 919.515.7566

Investing in the Next Generation of Scientists

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Forest Biomaterials professors Marty Hubbe and Lucian Lucia at NC State University already have busy schedules teaching, conducting research and serving their university. To these duties, they have taken on editing an open access journal BioResources which has seen tremendous growth since they established the journal in July of 2006.

Their work has the professors thinking daily about the future of the field, the challenges ahead and the talented scientists needed to tackle those challenges. In response to this need, they decided to invest some of the journal’s assets in the future by making annual contributions to fund one year scholarships for deserving students majoring in forest biomaterials at NC State.

Paper Science Students Tour Celulosa Arauco

“Not only do we want to benefit the renewable materials community with the journal, but our hope is to leverage the growth of the journal to support students going into the paper & science engineering major.” says Dr Lucia. “We count ourselves as very fortunate to be able to give back and provide scholarships to the meritorious undergrads that come into our Department.”

While they are starting small, the professors hope to grow the fund and increase the number of scholarships available in the future. Contributions to support the Journal and the BioResources Scholarship Fund are welcome. Make a gift to the BioResources Fund

ABOUT BIORESOURCES
BioResources is devoted to the science and technology of using materials, chemicals, or energy derived from predominantly lignocellulosic sources, such as wood, agricultural residues, paper, and related by products for new uses and new capabilities.

With a goal of promoting scientific discourse in an area of research that is critical to the future of us all, BioResources open-access, web-based format means that articles can be downloaded without cost by researchers around the world, helping to speed progress toward the solution of some pressing environmental issues. The journal is also available in print format.

NC Biomass Research Under Wraps

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Photo by Doug Duncan - NC Association of Professional Loggers

Green woody biomass immediately after harvest has 45-50% moisture content. In other words, half of the haul load is water. Any process involving burning for electricity, wood pellets or advanced biofuels sees water as a negative. Dry material measured and paid for on a bone dry basis or BTU basis could be in the future. If Biomass energy is to be a sustainable option for the Southeastern US, this is one issue which must be addressed.

Researchers in the Forestry & Environmental Resources program at NC State are partnering with the North Carolina Association of Professional Loggers (NCAPL) on a study measuring moisture loss and comparing a variety of treatments.

Read the Complete Article at ForestIndustry.com

Learning about an imPORTant partner

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Forest products is a legacy industry and biomass a rapidly growing one for North Carolina. That’s why our Extension Forestry group took a recent field trip to the Port of Wilmington for a firsthand look at the vital role the Ports Authority plays in the export of these products.

Groups Tour Port of Wilmington Facility

Reprinted from Stem to Stern – May 2001 – the newsletter of the NC Ports Authority

Representatives of NC State University Extension Forestry, NC Division of Forest Resources, NC Association of Professional Loggers, Inc., and Eastern Wood Products visited the Port of Wilmington on May 11, 2011. Karen Fox in the Business & Economic Development Department served as their tour guide.

“The visitors are working to increase forest products and biomass exports out of North Carolina ports, especially wood pellets and logs,” said Fox. “They were especially interested in the logging operation at Wilmington,” Fox concluded.

Forestry Professionals Tour the NC Ports Authority in May 2011

Karen Fox, far right, gives a tour of the Port of Wilmington on May 11 to representatives of NC State University Extension Forestry, NC Division of Forest Resources, NC Association of Professional Loggers, Inc., and Eastern Wood Products. Front Row (left to right): Matt Sharpe, Bob Bardon, Helene Cser, Dennis Hazel and Karen Fox; back row (left to right): Duane Truslow, Les Hunter, Clay Altizer, and Doug Duncan. Photo by Susan N. Pridgen

“It’s great to see a fantastic partnership between the North Carolina Ports and the forest products industry since both are major contributors to North Carolina’s economy,” said Clay Altizer, Utilization Forester with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Forest Resources Division. “Hopefully, we can work together to strengthen this vital relationship.”

“I also want to thank Mrs. Fox for the outstanding tour and appreciate her taking the time out of her schedule to educate us on the logistics of North Carolina’s Ports and for sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience with our group,” said Altizer.

“I think Karen did an excellent job and it was very informative. I’m glad I went,” said Matt Sharpe of Eastern Wood Products.

“Ms. Fox appeared to be very enthusiastic about helping the forest industry and the potential benefits both for the port and North Carolina citizens. The tour was very informative and I enjoyed learning the functionality of our state port,’ added Helene Cser, Extension Associate for North Carolina State University Extension Forestry.

“I wish that all the citizens of North Carolina had a better appreciation of the economic importance of our State Ports to the state and my hope is that our state will steadily and significantly support expanded capacity of our state ports. We all benefit!”

Dennis Hazel, Extension Specialist and Associate Professor
NC State University – Extension Forestry

“We now have a much better appreciation of North Carolina’s Ports and the many economic benefits they provide to our state,” Altizer concluded.

Learn more about Extension Forestry at NC State University

Commencement Largest in College’s History

Posted on May 17, 2011 by

Close to 250 undergraduate and graduate students received their diplomas from the NC State University College of Natural Resources at the McKimmon Center on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 1:30 p.m in the largest commencement ceremony in the College’s history.

Over 1000 family and friends joined the faculty and staff to celebrate the students’ accomplishments and wish them well as they begin the next phase of their lives.

Toddi Steelman, a professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, gave the commencement address. Dr. Steelman was the recipient of the Outstanding Teacher Award this year for the College of Natural Resources. Her words of advice encouraged the students to stay off the couch, keep it real by making human connections, and make deliberate, active choices about what they want out of their lives.

Brenda Brickhouse, President of the NC State Natural Resources Foundation, Inc., congratulated each of the graduates and presented them with a brass and wood NC State business card holder and asked them to keep in touch with the college and NC State throughout their lives.

Other speakers for the ceremony included Dr. Robert Brown, Dean and Dr. Adrianna Kirkman, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

A student speaker from each of the college’s three departments shared their own life experiences and words of wisdom. Those students include: Ms. Genevieve Pike – Forest Biomaterials; Mr. Andrew McEachran – Forestry and Environmental Resources; and Mr. Steven Houg – Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

Immediately following the ceremony, the academic departments hosted a cookie and punch reception for the faculty, staff, students and parents.

Congratulations to the Class of 2011! We wish them well and are confident that each will make a difference in the world and serve as outstanding representatives of the College of Natural Resources and North Carolina State University!

Commencement Program & List of Graduates>>

Graduation Photo Gallery>>