Farm Show Hopes to Shed Light On Cleaner Fuels

HARRISBURG, Pa., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Department of Environmental Protection will energize the 2009 Pennsylvania Farm Show with a display that teaches visitors to make the connections between climate change, energy conservation and renewable energy.

"Pennsylvania has made tremendous progress in the past year to increase the production of clean energy, to make it easier for consumers to use energy more wisely, and to find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emission," said acting Environmental Protection Secretary John Hanger. "This engaging Farm Show display highlights how Pennsylvania's progressive energy and climate policies will protect the environment and lead to greater energy independence."

The 400,000 visitors expected to visit the Pennsylvania Farm Show will be invited to "Feel the Power of Energy Conservation" at DEP's display in the Main Hall. Guests can climb aboard a bicycle-powered electric generator to see how much easier it is to power energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs than traditional incandescent lights.

A second human-powered generator in the display will give guests the ability to demonstrate that there are many energy alternatives to fossil fuels.

The DEP display also features an encore appearance of the comically drawn farm animals from last year's "What's Your Carbon Footprint?" display. Pigs, chickens, horses and goats are depicted in everyday human situations that highlight steps people can take to reduce their impact on the environment, especially by reducing energy consumption.

Pennsylvania is now working to draft a climate change mitigation plan that will provide a roadmap for economically reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions. The effort is the result of Governor Edward G. Rendell signing the Pennsylvania Climate Change Act into law in 2008.

Last year, Governor Rendell also signed into law measures that embody the goals of his Energy Independence Strategy, including a $650 million Alternative Energy Investment Fund to spur the development of alternative and renewable energy sources and help families and small business conserve energy and use it more efficiently; as well as new biofuels mandates and incentives that will add nearly 1 billion gallons of home grown fuel alternatives to in-state supplies and spur additional economic growth.

The Governor also signed legislation putting in place one of the most aggressive electricity conservation programs in the nation that will save power consumers $500 million over the next five years and up to $800 million annually by 2013. The law, Act 129, requires utilities to implement energy conservation plans that will reduce total consumption by 3 percent and peak demand by 4.5 percent during the 100 most expensive hours of the year.

"The cleanest and cheapest unit of energy is the one never used," said Hanger. "Energy efficiency and advanced conservation technologies, coupled with creating an increasing share of electricity from clean sources such as wind and solar power, will help us reduce the potentially devastating effects of climate change and to leave a better, cleaner world to future generations."

Together, Pennsylvania's clean energy and energy conservation programs will spur as much as $3.5 billion in new, private economic development projects from alternative energy companies and will create at least 10,000 good-paying jobs in a rapidly growing industry.

The Pennsylvania Farm Show runs Jan. 10-17 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg. For more information about the Farm Show, visit http://www.farmshow.state.pa.us/.