Energy panel educates on green possibilities

The rising opportunity for alternative energy and green jobs in the Appalachian region was discussed at UT on Wednesday at an energy panel titled �Alternative Energy and the Future of Green Jobs.�

Kim Jensen, UT professor of agricultural economics, talked about the potential of the Appalachian area to support different types of energy sources and provide more jobs for local families.

�The energy sources that are considered �green� that could be generated for electricity are solar, wind, biofuels (ethanol), landfill gases and dairy methane,� Jensen said.

Coal facilities make up for 26 percent of energy generation in Tennessee. Solar energy is used more in the western U.S., and wind is used more in the Midwest.

The Appalachian region is suited for biomass production � the growth of wood and switchgrass � which can be converted into ethanol for energy production, Jensen said.

This developing industry requires a mixture of technologies and training that could provide jobs in the region.

While ethanol is traditionally associated as a byproduct of corn, the Appalachian region grows more switchgrass.

�The reason for this is because, unlike corn, it is a native plant and doesn�t compete with food sources,� Jensen said. �It also doesn�t need a lot of input (or nutrients) to make it grow. However, it is a bulky product and could not be shipped very far.�

Gil Hough, Tennessee director of renewable programs for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, discussed solar and wind powers, citing Knoxville as one of the few southern cities to be a part of Solar America Cities, an organization that teaches code inspectors what to look for in building Green Energy designs.

Wind energy use is increasing and may reach 20 percent by 2030, with 46 states capturing wind as a renewable energy source. Jobs in wind energy are thought to raise 20 percent in the next 20 years and bring in more than $1 billion of state energy savings.

�The result of how many green jobs this would create for us have not been estimated yet,� Hough said.

However, Hough did list successful manufacturers of energy-efficient products located in Tennessee, such as Sharp, Hemlock and Wacker.

J.P. Plumlee, Tennessee biodiesel director for the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, discussed clean energy biofuels. Specifically, the local use of �yellow grease� leftover from fryer oil that can be used to run vehicles. In the area, 70 restaurant locations donate or sell fryer oil that is then converted into usable fuel.

Plumlee said the alternative biofuel was introduced about three years ago, thanks to student green funds and involvement.

�The students were key figures in getting this information and doing the research,� Plumlee said.

The estimated amount of fuel produced would be enough to run a public transportation sector like Knoxville Area Transit.

Attending the program was Aleah Fleming, freshman in sociology, who heard about the program from her sociology teacher.

�She got me interested in green energy, and she is really passionate, so it makes you want to see what it is all about,� Fleming said. �I thought the program was really informative, especially Hough�s presentation. The jobs that will open up will be great for the unemployment.�