October 2

Attending: Sophie Viandier, Susan and Larry Chase, Vicky Mishcon, Janet Moore.

1.”Financing Alternatives for Alternative Energy” workshop is on for Saturday, 10/19/13, at Town Hall from 10 to noon.

2. Groton Wind Farm visit is set for Wednesday, October 23, except for transportation. We need a firm list of who’s going. We will check with Rachel MacDuffie at Proctor and the New London Energy Committee for van and for extra interest. There was mention of a Salisbury person, Kate Epsom, who apparently gives great talks on sustainability.

3. Sophie’s Weatherization Workshop will include thermal insulation, solar panels, mechanics of energy systems, least change for the greatest effect. This will be on Saturday, November 9 at Sophie’s house, 1129 Franklin Highway.

4. Susan has received a detailed prospectus from Steve Condon at ReVision Energy for a municipal energy project which would provide the Town buildings with 81 kilowatt-hours a year. Susan will send Steve’s prospectus to committee members. She also offered information from a company called EEI, an investment/energy company.

5.Charlie Darling, Beacon editor, would like to discuss with Sophie any shared information and structure concerning our Meetup site. Sophie can add Andover’s events to the Kearsarge Valley Transition Initiative’s site.

6. Sophie has been attending the Proctor Environmental Action Committee. The plans for the new dining hall may allow for a biogas accumulator. Proctor may also re-start their composting system.

7. The Kearsarge Valley Transition Initiative is a bit on hold for Andover.

8. Should we start up a firewood bank of some sort? Perhaps we could join with the New London wood bank, under Steve Allenby’s direction. Larry will see if the Andover Lions Club might take this on, along with the Andover Food Pantry.

9. Members discussed possible use of Ken Wells’s solar demo on Town Meeting Day in March.

10. The Mill at Freedom Falls, in Freedom, Maine, has a micro-hydroelectric installation that may be of interest to the committee, local resident Arch Weathers has advised. Visit MillAtFreedomFalls.com.

11. A Proctor parent has a mini-hydro-electric company and is looking for a site for a prototype. Vicky will contact him about Andover as a possibility.