Farm to Table Renewable Solutions

Solution: Use methane recapture and water filtration technology to provide local district energy, improve water quality in local watersheds, and provide educational opportunities to local students. Initially expanding/forming public and private educational partnerships involving students in the design, development and implementation of sustainable solutions to local problems.

Local agriculture produces waste which goes into surrounding watersheds. This is the subject of conflict in many local communities. Farmers that produce dairy, meat, and produce struggle to make ends meet; in MA, over 60% of farms operate at a deficit. Farmers face pressure from environmental groups and regulators yet do not have means to invest in sustainable technological solutions. 

Nearby, formerly booming mill and coastal towns face limited opportunities for education and employment in renewable technology growth.

My solution helps connect these two underserved communities in order to create lasting and sustainable solutions to a very human problem.

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Methane recapture pilot projects are successfully operating in MA and globally. Studies by local students, faculty and community members identify nitrogen as the limiting nutrient leading to eutrophication of the Devol Pond watershed and surrounding watersheds. Installing methane recapture systems and closed loop water filtration technology at local dairy farms will convert cow manure into district energy; water filtration systems will yield high quality fertilizer and purify local watersheds. The Devol Watershed challenges arn't unique; though its location in the extreme headwaters of two larger watersheds makes it an ideal location to test and optimize these sustainable solutions prior scaling. 

No or low cost energy and clean water to the Devol Pond, Westport River, Taunton River, and surrounding watersheds. Educational opportunities for local students in areas of renewable technology, and entrepreneurial problem solving

Monthly testing - Reduced nutrient content of local watersheds

Implement recapture system - Energy generation for communities

The combination of technologies; comprehensive energy and waste solution for dairy farms.

It provides clean water, energy and food to farmers struggling to make ends meet, provides educational opportunities to low income adolescents and experience in renewable technology, and helps clean watersheds and provide energy for all citizens located in the initial testing community, and then communities of scale.

Local education institutional partnership and community outreach; it reduces the costs associated with 'waste products' by converting them into income generation streams.

Initial implementation costs are significant; angel donors and grant funding are being sought.

Communication and perceptual barriers between local stakeholders.

After working on these challenges for over a decade and finding various solutions to a global problem, I hope to implement leading technologies to solve a critical problem affecting local communities while simultaneously providing opportunities for local youth in the emerging field of renewable technology 

UMASS Dartmouth/ ATMC Center, Devol Pond Association, Wesport River Watershed Alliance, Fall River Water Board, et al. 

Vanguard Renewables