Public invited to Cow Power Fair at Green Mountain Dairy Farm (Aug. 21, 2007)

SHELDON, Vt. – To celebrate the success of CVPS Cow Power™ and Green Mountain Dairy’s new Cow Power generation project, the farm will open its doors to the public for free tours, fun and food Aug. 27.

“It's a challenge for our society to address environmental quality, as everyone has an impact. The public has been tremendously supportive of our farm, the dairy industry and the environment, and we would like to say thank you in a special way,” farm owners Bill and Brian Rowell said in a statement. “The Cow Power Fair will be a fun and informative day, and we invite everyone to attend.”

CVPS and Green Mountain Dairy will co-host the Cow Power Fair at the Morey Road farm from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how energy is created from cow manure.  In addition to tours of the farm and the generation system, the Cow Power Fair will feature free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, milk and soda, vendor displays, a variety of farm animals and equipment.

“There’s often a disconnect between the public and their food and energy sources,” CVPS President Bob Young said.  “This event will help make that connection clear, while thanking Vermonters for their strong support of Cow Power.”

Green Mountain Dairy produces 22 million pounds of milk per year, and is expected to produce 1,828,000 kilowatt-hours of Cow Power this year.

CVPS Cow Power™ is the first manure-based renewable energy program directly linking consumers and farmers.  More than 4,350 CVPS customers have enrolled, making Cow Power one of the fastest-growing renewable energy programs in the country.  Customers can choose to receive all, half or a quarter of their electrical energy through Cow Power, and pay a premium of 4 cents per kilowatt hour.  It goes to participating farm-producers, to purchase renewable energy credits when enough farm energy isn’t available, or to the CVPS Renewable Development Fund. The fund provides grants to farm owners to develop on-farm generation. Farm-producers are also paid 95 percent of the market price for all of the energy sold to CVPS.

The program improves manure management while providing new financial opportunities for Vermont dairy producers. To create energy, manure and other farm waste are held in a sealed concrete tank at the same temperature as a cow’s stomach, 101 degrees. Bacteria digest the volatile components, creating methane and killing pathogens and weed seeds. The methane, which is roughly 20 times more harmful than carbon dioxide in trapping heat in the atmosphere, fuels an engine/generator.Green Mountain Dairy is located on Morey Road in Sheldon.  From Interstate 89, take Exit 19 to Route 105 East.  Follow Route 105 to a left turn onto Woods Hill Road, and then turn right onto Morey Road.

Contact: Steve Costello (802) 747-5427 For Immediate Release: Aug. 14, 2007