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Renewable Energy Technology A.A.S Degree Program Renewable Energy Bachelor of Technology Degree Program Sustainable Energy Scholarship (for Renewable Energy Students) Did you know that Morrisville State College offers over 20 courses specifically focused on renewable energy? Take a tour of some of our classes and facilities (Online Open House, PDF 14 MB) |
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Dr. Benjamin D.
Ballard
Director,
Renewable Energy Training
Center
Office: 103-B Shannon Hall |
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Teaching & Training
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RENG 102 - Renewable Energy Resources (Fall
semester, alternating with Dr, Hofmeyer) RENG 102 - Renewable Energy Resources (Online) (Spring semester, alternating with Dr, Hofmeyer) RENG 103 - Renewable Energy Seminar (Fall semester) RENG 150 - Analysis Techniques for Renewable Energy (Spring semester) RENG 225 - Tower Climbing & Rescue (co-taught with Dr. Hofmeyer; Spring semester) RENG 310 - Biomass Energy Resources (Fall semester) RENG 315 - Biomass Energy Resources II ("biomass logistics and processing"; Spring semester) RENG 331 - Introduction to Solar Thermal Systems (Spring semester) RENG 410 - Biomass Energy Conversions - Biochemical (Fall semester) RENG 415 - Biomass Energy Conversions - Thermochemical (Fall semester) RREN 450 - Interniship Orientation (Renewable Energy) (Spring semester) RENG 460 - Systems Integration (co-taught with Dr. Hofmeyer, Fall/Spring semesters) RENG 490 - Renewable Energy Internship (Fall/Spring/Summer semesters) AGNR 400 - Instructional Assistance Experience (Fall/Spring semesters) SPPR 1XX/3XX - Renewable Energy Special Project (Fall/Spring semesters) | |
Recent invited
presentations and workshops:
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| Outreach Materials: | Woodgas Camp Stoves ("How to build your own...") | |
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| Download 3-can gasification camp stove instructions (rev. 5-21-2017) | ||
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Biodiesel Guide for Establishing and Operating an On-Campus Biodiesel Production System Contents include:
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Shrub Identification Guides (click on images for a preview of these books). The NE Shrub & Short Tree ID book and Willow ID book are now available for purchase online (ESF bookstore). |
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| Demonstration & Research | |
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Ongoing Projects: (see photos below) |
Distributed On-farm Bioenergy, Biofuels and Biochemicals (FarmBio3)
project with USDA ARS (Equine
manure/bedding feedstock reports) Biomass Gasifiaction for Small-scale Electrical Generation (20kW GEK Power Pallet) On-farm wind energy: MSC's 10 kW Bergey Excel wind turbine Combined Heat & Power via manure-to-biogas: MSC's anaerobic digester Demonstration of an aquaponics Controlled Environmental Agriculture System for Commercial Production of Locally-grown Fish and Produce (NYSERDA) |
| Research Interests: |
Biomass, bioenergy, and biofuel, including: gasification/pyrolysis/combustion,
biodiesel, anaerobic digestion; Vegetation management, shrub ecology and management |
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Students, Facilities and Projects (see our virtual tour for more detail) |
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 Our batch biodiesel processor and dry-wash system (by Springboard Biodiesel) is used to convert used fryer oil from campus dining halls to quality biofuel, which is used for greenhouse heating and powering tractors at the MSC Equine Rehab Center. |
 Shawn and Rob are preparing a titration of biodiesel to determine residual soap and catalyst levels. |
 Test batches of biodiesel using various feedstocks, including vegetable oils and animal fats. The separation line is glycerol, which settles to the bottom of the funnel. |
 The College's dairy farm produces about 900 kWh of electricity each day day (that's the equivalent of an typical home's monhtly energy use) from cow maure. Bacteria in the digester break down the organic wastes into organic acids which are broken down further by methanogenic bacteria that produce methane gas. The "biogas" is about 60% methane and 40% carbon dioxide. |
 Students touring the Madison County Landfill biogas combined heat and power facility. |
 Morrisville technician servicing the BioMax100 gasifier. This unit generates heat and electricity for Commons I (student housing). Biomass (wood chips) is converted to syngas in the gasifier, which is filtered and then combusted in two GM Vortec engines connected to generators producing a net 100 kW electric output. |
 Students preparing the wood gasification Power Pallet for a live demonstration (electricity from wood chips and horse manure!). This unit has been customized by MSC students. See how it works: here! |
 Students are changing the screens on the wood chipper/grinder used to process cull logs (and other biomass residues, see below) from campus properties for use as biofuel. |
 Students are processing horse manure and soiled bedding to evaluate the material as a potential bioenergy feedstock. |
 Dr. Hofmeyer tightens tower bolts on a very cold installation at a wind turbine test site in Tully, NY. |
 Ryan and Tyler practice fusing HDPE pipe, which is commonly used as penstock material for microhydro electric systems. |
 Renewable Energy students install the intake for a microhydro system at Oxbow Falls County Park. |
 Dr. Hofmeyer getting his feet wet! Oxbow Falls County Park micro hydro installation. |
 Tim and Josh mount a micro hydroelectric turbine during lab at the Galbreath Farm. |
 Dr. Ballard and Tyler are checking the Bergey Excel 10kW wind turbine (@120 ft.) to determine what is needed to repair the furling cable (note the tail is not in its furled position, as it normally would be when technicians climb the tower). |
 As part of their solar PV lab, Renewable Energy students work with a local installer on this Solarize Madison job. |
 Tower climbing and rescue class starts out on the 17-ft. indoor tower in the Shannon Hall classroom...later in the semester students work outside on the 120-ft. tall Bergey tower! |
 The Shannon Hall wind/solar lab gives students hands-on experience with the electrical components for both wind and solar PV systems. |
| MSC Controlled Environmental Agriculture (CEA) Greenhouse - Aquaponics Facility (for more info. contact: Eric Bremiller) | |
 Floating raft pond system. Lettuce is grown in rock wool plugs held in place in foam boards. The roots are submerged in the pond (aeration stones provide air to the roots). |
 Crop diversification on the raft system. The raft system is connected to the tilapia tanks. The fish provide fertilizer (dissolved nutrients; fish waste solids are removed prior to the pond, and water is UV sterilized), and the plants help "clean" nutrients out of the water. |
 NFT (nutrient film technique) using "gutters" to deliver a constant stream of nutrient-rich water to the plant roots. Water is recirculated from a sump tank to the gutters and monitored daily for nutrient an pH levels. |
 Ag. business students, Dr. Xu Pei, and Eric Bremiller (greenhouse manager) harvesting lettuce to be sold by Morrisville Fresh. Much of our lettuce is used at the dining halls on campus, as well as the Copper Turret restaurant, which is operated by Morrisville Auxiliary Corporation (MAC). |
 Scrubbing the fish tanks is a regular occurrence, trying to keep up with the algae. |
 One of our tilapia, ready for harvest. Our fish are sold live to an Asian market in Syracuse. |
MSC's Renewable Energy
Links
Anaerobic Digester |
Wind Turbine
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Weather Station|
Morrisville
Weather
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Renewable Energy Training Center
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Web site
maintained by
Dr.
Benjamin D. Ballard, Assistant Professor,
Morrisville State College. |