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Energy to burn
Officials have awarded the first contracts for space at the Jackson County Green Energy Park. Commissioners March 9 selected blacksmith Matthew Shirey of Sylva and biodiesel producers Smoky Mountain Biofuels as the first tenants for a planned complex at the site of the former county landfill in Dillsboro. Methane gas is being collected from wells sunk into the old dump and collected in preparation for powering the blacksmith’s forge, pottery kilns and greenhouses as well as to turn used vegetable oil into cleaner-burning biodiesel for vehicles. Methane from the former landfill is collected in the tank at left, and conduit is in place to distribute the gas to the planned studios. Until the facility is operational, the gas is being burned off by means of the burner at right. For more information on the county’s green energy initiative, see the two related stories on page 3A. – Herald photo by Nick Breedlove |
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