Sawdust is already saving one Keweenaw District thousands of dollars each year.
Friday, January 25, 2008 at 8:57 a.m.
Read more: Local
CALUMET -- A new program in the Upper Peninsula is encouraging schools to think about using woody biomass, or wood waste, to heat their buildings.
Sawdust is already saving one Keweenaw District thousands of dollars each year.
Administrators in the Calumet/Laurium/Keweenaw School District, or C.L.K., estimate they've saved around $100,000 a year on their heating bill for the past 18 years.
In 1990 they switched to heating the elementary, middle and high schools--250,000 square feet total--with wood waste.
"Some of it came from Northern Hardwoods, Pedigore Sawmill in Twin Lakes, and Erickson Sawmill in L'Anse," stated Bob Loukus, C.L.K. Board member.
The C.L.K School District also saved money when they went to Houghton to drop off garbage, and they picked up a load of wood waste.
C.L.K Schools is one of four in the Upper Peninsula that burn waste wood products for heat. North Dickinson Schools in Felch, North Central Area Schools in Powers, and Whitefish Township Schools in Paradise also burn wood byproducts.
Directors of a new U.P. program, encouraging schools to switch to wood as a fuel source, say it's proven successful for schools currently using it.
The "Burn Up" project, through the U.P. Resource Conservation and Development Council, is offering assistance to schools wanting to make the changeover.
"Part of the survey is to determine the feasibility, specifically of the system, of the boiler system, that operating and whether that can be converted to bioenergy," stated Maria Janowiak, Outreach Scientist.
C.L.K. officials hope more districts consider biofuel as a heat source.
"The more demand, then the supply will increase which will eventually help us because then more people will be making a living out of being a source for schools or other agencies to utilize," finished Darryl Pierce, Superintendent, C.L.K.
