Limitless 2014

LIMITLESS 2014 - 2015

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

What is Biochar? p. 20 Concentrating Sunlight p.29

10 Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill p. 28

Save Summer Heat for the Winter p.12

Our air, water, and soil need your help.

Whether you’re interested in water quality protection or restoring grasslands, Lakeland College has an Environmental Sciences major that will prepare you for a rewarding career.

Two-year Environmental Sciences diploma majors* Conservation & Restoration Ecology Environmental Conservation & Reclamation Environmental Monitoring & Protection Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation Online Renewable Energy & Conservation Applied degree* Bachelor of Applied Science: Environmental Management *Accredited by the Canadian Environmental Accreditation Commission of ECO Canada

Request a program fact sheet www.lakelandcollege.ca/factsheet Environmental Sciences

1 800 661 6490 ext. 8527

Renewable Energy and Conservation Certificate and diploma programs

“I began working toward a certificate in Renewable Energy and Conservation in January 2011. My husband and I own a cow/calf ranch near Halkirk, Alberta so the only logical way for me to go back to school was online. I took one course per session, so it took me two years to complete my certificate. I found the courses all very informative and was able to achieve high marks because I could work at a pace that suited my learning style and my schedule.”

Clara Nibourg Renewable Energy and Conservation Class 2013

Position yourself to be part of the developing renewable energy field As a student in Lakeland College’s Renewable Energy & Conservation program, you’ll gain the knowledge and practical skills to be a leader in this growing area in the environmental sciences field. Register for online classes today!

Oct 27 - Dec 19/2014 * Energy Audits and Conservation Practices * Introduction to Wind Energy • Small Business Management • Electrical Installation and Codes

Mar 2 - Apr 24/2015 * Geo Energy Exchange, Installation * Introduction to Biofuels • Sustainable Building Design and Practices • Solar Photovoltaic Systems

Jan 5 - Feb 27/2015 * Communications * Introduction to Solar Power • Bio-Energy and Biomass • Small Wind Energy Systems

Apr 27 - June 19/2015 * Global Impact of Climate Change * Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling • Geo Energy Exchange, Design Principles • Integration of Distributed Energy Systems

* Certificate class • Diploma class

Request a program fact sheet at www.lakelandcollege.ca/factsheet or phone 1 800 661 6490 ext. 8527

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14-09-02 4:56 PM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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31 34

LIMITLESS LEARNING

LIMITLESS RESEARCH

7

Message from the President

12 Save Summer Heat for the Winter

8

Applied Research

13

Simple, Yet Logical Control

9

To Patent, or not to Patent

14

Store Heat in Melted Wax

10

The Energy Balancing Act

15

Grow Vegetables Year-Round in Alberta

18

Spot Light on Summer Researchers

20

What is Biochar?

23 Traditional Means of Charcoal Production to Modern Versions: what’s the difference?

21

Biochar, a New (Old) Technology

24 Evaluating Economics of Ecological Goods and Services

35

Alberta Livestock at a Glance

25 Collecting Water and Research Opportunities

4

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31

Jerusalem Artichoke Keeps on Growing

32

Crop Inputs- Are there economic limits?

34

Smart Sheep

36

Wet Distillers Grain

20 26 LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITY

25 Our Mission: To inspire learner success and

26

The Next Big Thing

community development through innovative learning in an

28

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Energy Usage

inclusive and diverse environment.

29

Concentrating the Sun

Our Vision: Ever to excel in a global society.

30

Ag Research at Lakeland College is “Growing”

Our Values: We value learner achievement, academic excellence and personal growth founded on our

LIMITLESS PARTNERSHIP

longstanding principles of: people-centred and respect,

17

Supporting Research

accountability and integrity, inclusiveness and collaboration,

17

Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges

continuous self-improvement, innovation, and pride.

22

Alberta Biochar Initiative

Outcomes: Learner success, relevant programming

38

Regional Business Accelerator

and research, connectivity, and stainability.

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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Diane Harms Diane joined Lakeland College in July 2010 as the Director of Applied Research and Innovation. Prior to joining Lakeland, Diane ran her own company working with various organizations and early stage technology companies. A home-grown prairie girl, Diane currently lives on a farm and is raising two little boys.

V 3 2014- 2015

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A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

Mel Mathison Mel, Dean Environmental Sciences, Applied Research, joined Lakeland College in 1989. Prior to working at Lakeland College, Mel actively farmed for eight years and spent another four years in the ag finance industry. Recently Mel has been working on new program development and Applied Research opportunities for Lakeland staff and students.

Andrea Kastendieck Andrea came to Lakeland College in 2008.

As the Coordinator, Applied Research Andrea is responsible for financial monitoring and grant reporting. Outside of work Andrea’s time is spent as a math and science tutor, a home renovator-intraining, and a mom.

Publication Information Limitless is published by Lakeland College Applied Research and Innovation. This is the 3rd edition. Special thanks to all Lakeland College employees and partners who contributed information and photographs for this publication.

PROJECT MANAGER Veronica Peterson CONTRIBUTORS Rob Baron, Larry Bingham, Alok Dhungana, Ryan Kwasnycia, Linden Lundback, Lorne MacGregor, Mel Mathison, Veronica Peterson, Marya Pettigrew, Abdulaziz Naami, Colleen Symes, Keith Vickery EDITOR Gillian Binsted DESIGN Veronica Peterson

Vermilion Campus 5707 College Drive Vermilion AB T9X 1K5

Veronica Peterson As the Marketing and Communications Technician for Applied Research, and a Lakeland graduate, Veronica loves the opportunity to push her creative side. In her spare time Veronica designs logos, posters, and other promotional materials for non-profit organizations and friends.

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Lloydminster Campus 2602 59 Avenue Lloydminster AB T9V 3N7 www.lakelandcollege.ca

Message from the President In recent years the Alberta government has challenged post-secondary institutions to be more involved in applied research.

Lakeland College has readily accepted the challenge. Today we work collaboratively with industry, organizations, funding partners, individuals and our students on results-producing applied research.

Thanks to the great work of everyone involved, we’ve become a recognized research centre. Last fall we were named one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges.

The scope of our research and demonstration activities continues to expand. We’re currently constructing a bioenergy centre with an attached solarium/greenhouse. Passive and active solar thermal heating systems will be incorporated into this building so we can evaluate heating alternatives and potential for heat storage. The centre also provides much needed research space.

Livestock and crop research activities are also increasing. For example, using GrowSafe technology we’re monitoring individual feed intake of cattle and sheep and testing different feed rations. On the crop side, a four-year crop input intensity trial started in May. The trial will examine the economic and yield benefits of crop inputs at various levels of product use and management.

As important as the discoveries are, it is just as essential to get information and results into the hands of those who can benefit from the research. This publication is one way we do that. I also encourage you to visit our applied research site (www.lakelandcollege.ca/applied-research) for the latest research findings and follow us on Twitter @ LC_Research. Even better, contact us for a tour of our research facilities and test plots. You’ll see why our reputation for applied research is growing.

Dr. Tracy Edwards President and Chief Executive Officer

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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LIMITLESS LEARNING

Applied Research What is Applied Research?

What do we do? How do we help?

Applied research is a scholarly and/or scientific investigation or inquiry undertaken for practical purposes – it is about solving real problems.

We are here to be champions of applied research at Lakeland: to help build relationships between Lakeland researchers (problem solvers) and those with research needs (problems); to help find funding for applied research; and to facilitate the conduct of research and deal with the bureaucracy of research.

Why? Lakeland College personnel conduct applied research to expose students to real problem solving and to provide social and economic benefits to our community.

We provide advice on intellectual property including patents, and copyrights; and on technology transfer and commercializing innovation.

For Students

For Faculty & Staff

For Industry & Community

We:

We:

We:

• help students live the learning through Applied Research projects, and

• support industry/community interactions by developing appropriate research projects

• help you find a researcher to work with,

• deal with paperwork when students are employed on research projects.

Follow us on Twitter @LC_Research

•

do purchasing,

•

keep track of finances,

•

do financial reporting, and

•

assist with proposal writing.

• work with the researcher(s) to help define the problem and develop a research plan, including, o budget,

o

timelines, and

o deliverables • are a one-stop shop for all paperwork regarding research, • assist to find funding to cover part of the costs of research, and

“We are here to help, we work with the willing. If it is related to research we always try to find a way to say Yes rather than a reason to say No.” - LORNE MACGREGOR

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• aid the researcher with reporting.

Lorne MacGregor Lorne is Director of Applied Research and Commercialization. He has 25 years experience in industrial research and technology transfer and is the inventor on a number of patents. Helping others move their ideas forward is his passion and he is particularly fond of helping with decisions on patenting.

He has a B.Sc. from the University of Victoria (Chemistry) and an M.S. (Environmental Engineering) and Ph.D. (Civil Engineering) from Washington State University where he specialized in atmospheric chemistry.

To Patent, or not to Patent If an invention is new, useful, and not obvious, then it is likely possible to get a patent for it. But should you? With apologies to Albert Einstein, not everything that is patentable is worth patenting and not everything that is worth patenting is patentable.

Some people, such as Arthur Pedrick, obtain patents purely for amusement; the most famous of his 162 applications filed is patent GB1426698: Photon Push-Pull Radiation Detector for Use in Chromatically Selective Cat Flap Control and 1000 Megaton Earthorbital Peace-keeping Bomb. Some people obtain patents to stroke their own ego. However, mostly people want patents for commercial reasons – they hope that, in some manner, the patent will increase their financial well-being.

Patenting for commercial reasons is a business decision that should be made on a rational basis. A number of issues, both technical and business, need to be considered.

Is your invention new, useful, and unobvious?

What will it cost to obtain a patent? In which countries?

If you do get a patent, what is the likely return on investment? And so on.

You can still encounter problems even with a patent that should yield a good return on investment. The movie Flash of Genius about Robert Kearns, the inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper, highlighted some of the problems with enforcing a patent.

The Applied Research Office at Lakeland College can help you make the decision on whether or not to patent.

Contact Lorne MacGregor at: 780 853 8776 Lorne.Macgregor@lakelandcollege.ca

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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LIMITLESS LEARNING

The Energy Balancin Typical Winter Week at the RELC

Photovoltaic Electricity

Export Grid Interaction

Energy Used

Wind Electricity

Green Energy Source

One of the main themes of Lakeland’s applied research program in renewable energy is the integration of multiple systems. The Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC) is where it all comes together. The RELC contains the renewable energy labs, offices for the researchers, and a classroom with conference space. Located at the Vermilion Campus of Lakeland College, this unique facility operates as a net-zero-energy building using the most common renewable generation technologies together in one location.

Electricity is supplied by an 11 kW solar photovoltaic system supplemented with a 3 kW wind turbine. Building space heating and domestic hot water is supplied by 11.5 m2 of solar thermal collectors supplemented by a 9 kW (heat)/ 3.3 ton (cooling) ground source heat pump system with six bore holes that are each 60 meters deep.

The building has a sophisticated control and data collection system that allows detailed analysis of energy flows within the building. In addition to a programmable logic controller (PLC), the RELC is the proving ground for the Lakeland College developed “Flexstation” data logging and web-based data analysis system.

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Domestic Hot Water

Building Heat

Electricity for Internal System Appliances and Losses and Heat Lighting

Researchers at the RELC are trying to get a clear picture of the energy balance within the building to understand how combined renewable systems work with each other. “We are searching for combined systems that work well together and provide synergistic benefits”, explains Rob Baron, the lead faculty researcher on the project. The diagram above describes the flow of energy for a typical winter period.

The renewable energy sources shown in green are able to meet 100% of the demand for electricity and heat for the building while exporting some electricity to Alberta’s utility grid for sale. The energy shown by the green arrows comes from zero cost fuels, such as the wind, the sun, and solar energy stored in the ground.

The active solar thermal system can typically supply 53% of the energy needed for domestic hot water and 12% of the building’s heat needs. The remaining heat requirements are met from renewably generated electricity that is primarily used to power the geothermal heating system. The geothermal system uses some electricity to extract the heat stored in the ground. At the RELC, the heat output

ng Act Solar Thermal Energy

Energy From The Ground For Heat

of the geothermal heat pump is typically 2 to 4 times the electrical input. The extra energy comes from the energy stored in the ground beneath the RELC and is extracted by fluid circulated through the borehole ground loops.

Most renewable energy generation systems supply power intermittently and are often used in combination. For example, wind can generate power at night or on cloudy days when the solar photovoltaic systems cannot. Solar collectors can capture heat for the building or hot water supply, but the building demand for heat is often low when the sun shines brightly. Thus, the solar energy needs to be stored for later use. Combined systems are needed for renewable sources to consistently supply all of the needed energy for a building such as the RELC, a community, or even the province. The Renewable Energy Learning Centre at Lakeland College has proven to be a successful tool for studying combined renewable systems in a real-world application.

6

LESSONS LEARNED DURING THE DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE RENEWABLE ENERGY LEARNING CENTRE’S MULTIPLE SYSTEMS THE FOLLOWING LESSONS WERE LEARNED:

1

It is most often easier and less expensive to save energy than to generate it.

2

ell insulated and well-sealed energy W efficient buildings store heat well which is an advantage in winter but detrimental in summer. Plan energy efficient cooling strategies for summer.

3

Much of the cost of installing a solar photovoltaic system is in the mounting.

Choose the least expensive mounting system that will still provide solid support. Tracking PV mounts do provide significantly more electrical output than fixed mounts. Consider the cost-benefit of tracking systems carefully.

4

eothermal systems require careful G design and installation. Engage qualified contractors to ensure systems are designed, installed and commissioned properly. A poorly designed system will be expensive to operate.

5

onsider the cost-benefit of micro wind C turbines carefully and purchase equipment from established manufacturers with a history of good customer support.

6

Keep designs simple, utilize passive components when possible. The more complicated the system the more things can go wrong.

Research funded by:

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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LIMITLESS RESEARCH

Save Summer Heat for the Winter Wouldn’t it be nice to store some of that hot summer weather to heat our homes in the winter?

Researchers at Lakeland’s Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) are investigating practical solutions to the difficult problem of seasonal heat storage.

Geothermal energy systems are sometimes used as a primary source for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water for a building. The Renewable Energy LearningCentre, located at the CSI site, has such a system. The geothermal system is combined with solar thermal collectors to supplement domestic hot water and space heating energy requirements of the building. However, solar thermal collectors sized for winter demands tend to be oversized for the summer. Most of the energy that comes from the solar collectors in the summer goes unused and is instead dissipated outside the building.

Lakeland researchers recently renovated the existing geothermal and solar thermal systems to allow excess solar energy to be more efficiently stored in the ground via the

12

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geothermal system. The Renewable Energy Learning Centre’s geothermal system uses six vertical boreholes, each 60 meters deep, to extract heat for the building in the winter and to cool the building in the summer.

In the summer of 2013, excess solar heat from the collectors was directed to the same boreholes used for geothermal air conditioning. However, the extra heat in the holes adversely affected the cooling performance of the geothermal system.

The current renovations allow the boreholes to be isolated and operated in any combination. In the summer, this allows two or more of the holes to accept excess solar heat from the thermal collectors while the remaining wells can be used to supply unaffected cold water to air condition the building. In the winter, heat can be recovered from the wells that were used to store the excess heat during the summer.

Experiments will be conducted in the fall and winter of 2014 and results compared to those before the renovations.

Abdulaziz Naami Naami has 25 years experience in Mechanical Engineering and worked as a researcher at the University of Regina before joining Lakeland College’s Applied Research team.

Naami is currently working on renewable energy projects including geothermal, solar, and wind energy.

He received his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Libya and M.Sc. from the University of Regina in Industrial Systems Engineering.

Rob Baron Rob is a faculty member at the Center for Sustainable Innovation (CSI), research and demonstration site for renewable energy technologies and has more than 25 years of diverse experience as an instructor and researcher in agriculture and more recently renewable energy.

Rob is currently the lead researcher for a NSERC-CCI funded project at Lakeland in the areas of web-based monitoring, optimization and visualization of multiple/integrated renewable energy generation systems and is also studying solar heat storage technologies.

He received both his B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan in Agricultural and Bioengineering.

Simple, Yet Logical Control Programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, are the basis of all automated processes in our modern world. Before PLCs, electrical relays and mechanical devices such as cam timers were used to set up and control automation systems. This required large rooms full of electrical wiring, switches, and mechanical components that took up vast amounts of space. PLCs were introduced as a digital alternative to all of these physical connections, combining them inside one control unit. A PLC system can control all parameters in a given system by monitoring system inputs and outputs and following logical instruction paths.

PLCs are set up and controlled by ladder logic, a PLC programming language in which the pathways and components of the program, such as switches relays and timers, are graphically designed. HMIs, or human machine interfaces, provide visual screens containing alarm buttons and visual displays of data to simplify the

control of the PLC software so that anyone can use it with little training. While ladder logic is used by programmers to control and change the system, the HMIs are set up with a focus on simplicity to facilitate widespread and everyday use.

the wide range of information about the building and its systems available through web-based resources. Thus, the PLC contributes to the RELC as both a vital part of the building control system as well as for research purposes.

PLCs are an integral part of systems within the Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC) and for the building as a whole. The PLCs provide the ability to regulate the hot water temperature and heat for the building in the winter, prevent overheating of the solar thermal collectors, and direct hot water elsewhere in the system (e.g., to the geothermal systems). This is all controlled through the PLC by a system of temperature sensors and actuators; in short, the PLC software controls all of the piping in the building. It also provides automation so the system can be confidently run with no supervision. Another advantage is that everything monitored through the PLC can be easily transferred online, thus adding to

Automating the system to provide optimal usage and minimal waste can improve the efficiency of the renewable energy systems and inform how they can be combined to provide the maximum possible useable outputs. When systems such as this are refined and combined with HMIs designed for the simplest use and control, anyone will be able to use PLCs in conjunction with energy generation systems to maximize the energy efficiency of their own home.

Improving people’s connection to energy generation combined with the ability to monitor and micromanage their own energy use for optimal performance is one aspect of PLCs being studied at the RELC.

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

13

Store Heat in Melted Wax One of the challenges of using the sun’s energy directly for heating a building is that most often heat is needed after the sun has set. For example, solar thermal energy collected during cold winter days must be stored to then provide heat on cold winter nights. Traditionally, large insulated tanks of water were heated and then the hot water later circulated to heat the building. Water is excellent as a heat storage medium, but storing more heat by heating the water to high temperatures results in rapid heat loss through the storage tank insulation. One solution is to store the heat in a material that changes phase, i.e., from solid to liquid. Because a liquid material has more energy than the same material as a solid at a given temperature, phase change materials (PCMs) can be used to store energy without raising the temperature.

Keith Vickery Before enrolling in Environmental Monitoring & Protection at Lakeland College Keith earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Dalhousie University.

Keith has worked on multiple renewable energy projects including geothermal, solar, and wind. One of Keith’s favorite tasks was analyzing the geothermal system using data that has been collected over the past few years.

“My favorite thing about Lakeland research is working with great knowledgeable people and gaining an understanding of the challenges of implementing renewable energy projects in the real world.”

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Researchers at Lakeland College are using PCMs to store heat from the flat panel solar collectors of the Renewable Energy Learning Centre, using heat to increase the performance of the installed geothermal heating system.

However, encapsulating the PCM has proven to be challenging. First attempts using slender cylinders of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic pipe failed due to the uneven expansion of the material as it was heated.

Even the manufacturer of the phase change material had yet to solve the encapsulation problem to their satisfaction. After bench testing many solutions, Lakeland researchers discovered that a vacuum packed bag of PCM should have the flexibility and large surface area required for good heat transfer.

The prototype bags are also weighted to ensure neutral buoyancy, so they float below the surface of the water in the PCM tank.

Lakeland also redesigned and manufactured an improved heat exchanger for the PCM tank.

The new PCM system will be installed in the summer, evaluated during the fall and winter of 2014.

LIMITLESS RESEARCH

Grow Vegetables Year-Round in Alberta?

Local vegetable grower Brian Rozmahel recently constructed a unique passive solar heated greenhouse in Viking, Alberta using novel construction materials supplied by Tekle Technical Services (TTS). Lakeland College Centre for Sustainable Innovation researchers have linked forces with Brian and TTS to monitor and evaluate the temperature performance of the greenhouse throughout the year.

The 13 × 24 foot greenhouse is designed to collect heat as the sunlight enters the south-facing glazing and hits a hemp-fibre block wall on the north side of the interior space. The east, west, and north walls of the building are insulated to retain the collected heat using structural insulated panels (SIPs). Both the SIP modules and fibre blocks were supplied by TTS. The SIPs were pre-manufactured at TTS’s Edmonton facility, allowing for erection of the building in one day.

The trick when designing a passive solar heated building is to maximize and store the heat collected in the winter while not overheating the space in the summer. On December 22, 2013 when Lakeland researchers were installing the monitoring system, the inside afternoon building temperature was +30 °C when the outdoor temperature was -22 °C. That’s a 52 °C temperature rise! That level of heat gain is beneficial in the winter but higher ventilation rates and a solar blanket help to reject heat in the summer. “I was able to keep the temperature below 30 °C in summer because the solar blanket casts a shadow over the black fibre block wall”, explained Brian Rozmahel.

Lakeland’s monitoring work will help to determine the right amount of thermal mass to place in the building to ensure that heat collected during the day will keep plants from freezing at night. Aside from measuring solar radiation and internal/external temperature, several temperature sensors were imbedded within the SIP panels and fibre blocks during manufacturing to determine the effectiveness of heat storage and to ensure the wall design resists condensation that could shorten the building’s life. Lessons learned from this prototype helped TTS refine the design of their kits for similar greenhouses and will be applied to the passive solar heated greenhouse attached to Lakeland’s new Bio-Energy Centre, which is scheduled for completion in fall 2014.

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

15

Lakeland 101

Questions: 1.

What year did the Vermilion School of Agriculture officially open?

2.

How many campuses does Lakeland have?

3.

What is Lakeland College’s motto?

4.

What does CSI stand for?

5.

What is Lakeland’s mascot’s name?

6.

What is the Vermilion campus bar called?

7.

What is the Lloydminster campus bar called?

0-5 CORRECT ANSWERS

8. What year did firefighting training officially become part of Lakeland College?

9.

In what year did Alumni Hall burn down?

10.

What does RELC stand for?

11.

What year did the Bill Kondro wing at Lloydminster campus open?

12.

What is the Vermilion campus student paper called?

13.

What is the Lloydminster campus student paper called?

14.

What year did Vermilion get a demonstration farm?

15.

What is the oldest building on the Vermilion campus?

16.

What were the other locations of the first Alberta agricultural schools?

17.

What year was the first Limitless magazine published?

18.

How many NSERC grants has Lakeland received?

19.

What does JART stand for?

20.

On what campus is the Renewable Energy Cabin located?

11-15 CORRECT ANSWERS

16-20 CORRECT ANSWERS

The Prairies

14. 1911 13. Excel-Orator

6. Spurs

12. Express

5. Rowdy

11. 2008

4. Centre for Sustainable Innovation

10. Renewable Energy Learning Centre

3.

Ever to Excel

9. 1985

2. 2

8. 1998

1. 1913

Answers:

20. Vermilion 19.

Jerusalem Artichoke

18. 4 17. 2012 16.

Claresholm & Olds

15. The Farm Management House LIMITLESS

7.

16

6-10 CORRECT ANSWERS

LIMITLESS PARTNERSHIP

SUPPORTING RESEARCH Biomass to Energy: Gasification Lakeland College is in the process of commissioning a gasification demonstration unit at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation site. The unit was previously owned by Alberta Innovates Bio-Solutions (AI-Bio), and had been operated recently by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AI-TF). Lakeland College greatly appreciates receiving this unit from AI-Bio, and the support provided by AI-TF to commission the unit at Lakeland.

Three phase power is currently being run to the site from the main campus, and once completed, the unit should be fully operational. Initial testing and minor repairs are complete.

The unit creates both heat and electrical energy from biomass. In this system, wood chips are used as a feedstock and the gas produced is combusted along with diesel fuel in a 50 kW diesel electric generator. The residual heat can also be collected and used. For demonstration purposes, the heat generated during operation will be piped to the new BioEnergy Centre to offset building heating requirements. The unit is self-contained within a 40 foot customized shipping container, with external 3-phase power optimally available

for start-up and stand-by conditions. The support of AI-Bio in transferring ownership of this equipment to Lakeland College enables the continued development of applied research expertise in biomass to energy conversion, and further develops the integration of energy technologies at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI).

Lakeland College has made a debut placement on the inaugural Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges list.

“We are very pleased to be recognized for the continued growth of applied research. The research projects now involve many people both directly and indirectly at the college. This overall support and contribution has been essential to our success. We look forward to continuing to work with our students and with industry and community partners on present and future projects,” says Mel Mathison, dean of Environment and Research at Lakeland College.

In 2009, Lakeland College didn’t have one staff member dedicated to research activities. Today there is an applied research team of full-time and part-time staff plus partially released faculty members.

The college’s Applied Research activities rose to over $500,000 in 2012, placing Lakeland at number 46 on the prestigious top 50 list.

This was the first top 50 colleges list put together

by RE$EARCH Infosource.

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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SPOT LIGHT ON SUMM

April Warrilow

Thomas McAleer

HOMETOWN: Minburn, AB

HOMETOWN: Chalk River, ON

PROGRAM OF STUDY: Animal Science Technology, Agribusiness @ Lakeland College

PROGRAM OF STUDY: Conservation and Restoration Ecology @ Lakeland College

JOB TITLE: Agriculture and Research Technician

JOB TITLE: Research Technician, Biomaterials

PERSONAL HOBBIES: I barrel race, help with chuck wagons, and show cattle

PERSONAL HOBBIES: Soccer, baseball, basketball, hockey, gardening, painting, and renovations

FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: Everyone is like one big happy family

RESEARCH PROJECTS YOU WORK ON: Jerusalem Artichoke, gasification, CSI pond, and Biochar

FUTURE PLANS: I plan to work on the family farm and hopefully stay working at the college

FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: Working with great people and the flexibility that allows me to work on a variety of research projects

“MY FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB IS THAT I GET TO HELP DO A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING, AND WIDEN MY WORKING KNOWLEDGE.”

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“MY FAVORITE TASK AT WORK WAS COLLECTING PLANTS AND TRANSPLANTING THEM AROUND THE CSI POND.”

MER RESEARCHERS

Jordyn Prior

Ryan Kwasnycia

HOMETOWN: Irma, AB

HOMETOWN: Vermilion, AB

PROGRAM OF STUDY: Agriculture Degree and Education Degree @ University of Alberta (one year university transfer @ Lakeland)

PROGRAM OF STUDY: Nanotechnology Systems @ NAIT

JOB TITLE: Research Assistant, Maintenance

JOB TITLE: Research Technician, Instrumentation & Electronics

PERSONAL HOBBIES: Helping out on the family farm, horseback riding, volleyball, and hockey

PERSONAL HOBBIES: Golfing, playing video games, and fishing

FAVORITE PART OF WORKING AT LAKELAND: Definitely the people, everyone is so welcoming and friendly, they work hard and make the workplace feel like home

FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB: Creating unique circuit boards for the College’s applications

FUTURE PLANS: To own my own farm one day, as well as teach in the areas of beef or equine at Lakeland or Olds College

“THERE IS A VAST DIVERSITY AMONG THE TASKS GIVEN. YOU NEVER GET BORED AND YOU LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY, IF NOT... TEACH SOMEONE ELSE SOMETHING.”

BIGGEST CHALLENGE AT WORK: Working on/ or finishing projects that multiple people have been working on over long periods of time

“THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING INTERESTING GOING ON AT APPLIED RESEARCH”

A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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LIMITLESS LEARNING

What is Biochar?

Biochar is charcoal produced from clean biomass. This carbon-rich porous material is mainly used for soil amendment purposes. When mixed with soil of poor quality, biochar has the potential to generate multiple benefits, including increased moisture retention, fertilizer retention, microbial stimulation, and carbon storage. Biochar has also found other promising uses: in the land reclamation/remediation industry; as a greenhouse, aquaponic, and hydroponic growth media; in waste water cleaning; electronics and super battery uses; and more.

How is Biochar Made?

Biochar is produced from an age-old technology known as pyrolysis (pyro-lysis), which literally means breakdown by fire. When biomass is heated above 300 °C in the absence of or with a limited supply of oxygen, it enters a thermal breakdown process. Just like a smoky campfire, it releases various mixes of vapors and gases.

The remaining char on the bottom is called biochar. Vapors produced during the process can be condensed to make creosote, a combustible liquid fuel. The remainder of the gases are burned to meet the energy demands of the system.

When biomass is dry (less than 15-20% moisture), excess heat is always produced by the process; this heat can be used for various purposes, such as process heating, space heating, and steam generation.

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Biochar, a New (Old ) Technology Biochar is not just a technology; biochar is a story… a story of a sprawling civilization thousands of years ago in Amazonia that until recently was never known to have existed. In The Biochar Debate (2009), James Bruges writes about this story in detail. Amazon soil is generally thin, red, acidic, and infertile. The high levels of precipitation leach away most of the nutrients near the surface, while the roots of large vegetation soak up remaining nutrients below the surface. Agriculture to sustain a large population base is a major challenge unless the soil is altered, but that is exactly what this ancient civilization did. Terra preta, literally “black earth” in Portuguese, is this highly fertile anthropogenic soil. Unlike the natural soil, it is alkaline, high in nutrients and organic carbon, and less prone to leaching by rainwater. Patches of terra preta are scattered around the Amazon River Basin and stretch up to a metre below the surface. To this day, farmers will dig out this soil and sell it as a premium potting soil.

Efforts to accelerate this research have resulted in biochar enjoying probably the most collaborative environment in physical science research. Large numbers of local biochar initiatives or groups are active around the globe, some working together with other local groups or as part of national-scale projects. The International Biochar Initiative (IBI) has taken the lead on some of the most important initiatives, such as creating standards for the biochar market, lobbying the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to include biochar as a means to combat climate change, and more.

Work by archeologists and soil scientists has shown that this soil is high in low-temperature charcoal (biochar), organic waste (e.g., kitchen waste, human and animal waste), pottery shards, and fish bones. Presumably, these elements were mixed together in a mulch and applied to the soil year after year. Researchers believe this type of low-temperature charcoal or biochar is stable in soil for thousands of years. The creation of terra preta is essentially storing carbon permanently in soil, where it belongs.

This discovery piqued the interest of many scientists around the globe starting in the late 20th century. Faced with serious global problems such as degrading agricultural land, climate change, and scarcity of water, carbon storage in the soil seems to be a perfect solution for today, just as it was for a civilization thousands of years ago.

Though the story is quite interesting, we still are not sure exactly how terra preta was made. What is the mechanism behind all the benefits to the soil? A large amount of research shows increases in yield following biochar application, while other research shows no initial benefit or even a negative effect. Before we employ this technology on a larger scale, we need to understand exactly how biochar helps the soil and any potential negative effects. Once applied to soil, there is no going back.

Comparison of yield and soil profile of normal amazon soil (left) and terra preta (right).

(Top photos courtesy of: Julie Major, Bottom photos courtesy of: Bruno Glaser; Source: International Biochar Initiative)

Meet Alok Dhungana, coordinator for the Alberta Biochar Initiative (ABI).

ABI is a collaborative program between Lakeland College and Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures with financial support from Western Economic Diversification Canada and industry partners. Alok’s role is to expand ABI’s network and engage partners around six thematic areas of biochar R&D. Alok is also involved in bio-energy research at the College. He is currently working on biomass gasification technology, biochar handling, and field application. His interest lies in enabling sustainable use of bioenergy, both ecologically and economically.

Alok is a mechanical engineer with an M.Sc. degree from Dalhousie University.

He is currently a part-time MBA student at UofA. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College

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ALBERTA BIOCHAR INITIATIVE Realizing the benefit of biochar to the agriculture and oil and gas industries in Alberta, Lakeland College and Alberta Innovates-Technology Futures (AI-TF), with assistance from Western Economic Diversification Canada and industry support, have developed the Alberta Biochar Initiative (ABI).

The ABI is intended to develop and demonstrate technologies that will enable the large-scale commercial deployment of biochar products and biochar applications for the benefit of Albertans.

The ABI consists of an expanding network of small-to-medium sized enterprises (SMEs), industry, academia, and government who share information and produce and generate biochar for end-use applications (including soil amendments, reclamation, remediation, and horticultural growth media) and conduct

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biochar lifecycle analysis for potential carbon sequestration applications.

Established in 2010, ABI has become perhaps the most active biochar group in North America. ABI is currently coordinating various research projects, supporting the regulatory process, and creating a biochar carbon protocol for the Alberta Offset System.

Learn more about ABI online at www.albertabiochar.ca

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Traditional Means of Charcoal Production to Modern Versions: what’s the difference?

Biochar or charcoal is traditionally made by building a pile of wood on a land surface, in a dug out space, or in a simple kiln. Once the wood is piled, it is covered with mud and straw with no air allowed to enter except through some vents. The pile is lit on fire to increase the temperature and then allowed to sit for days. The solids remaining in the pile after this time will be mostly charcoal. This process is quite hands-on and, depending upon the skills of the operator, can yield approximately <5-10%. Moreover, the partial combustion generates harmful gases such as carbon monoxide (CO) and carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

TRADITIONAL METHOD OF BIOCHAR PRODUCTION

A modern version of charcoal production separates the carbonization and combustion processes, and hence is often called two-stage combustion. Wood is heated in a space without oxygen to form char.

The volatiles and gases generated are combusted in an excess of oxygen in a separate chamber, the heat this creates is transferred back to the primary unit. Thus, the volatiles are completely combusted while combustion of the char is prevented. These modern units, such as the one shown below, can convert 25 to 30% of the original solid mass into char.

PRE-COMMERCIAL BIOCHAR PRODUCTION UNIT

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EVALUATING ECONOMICS OF ECOLOGICAL GOODS AND SERVICES Lakeland College entered into an agreement with Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) to convert an area of College annual cropland into native prairie grassland, establish a shelterbelt, and fence the new native grassland and existing small wetlands from direct cattle access. The ALUS concept recognizes and provides financial incentive for agricultural producers to develop projects that conserve and restore areas of natural capital. These areas provide environmental benefits, and efforts to create them are often referred to as the development of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ecological Goods and Servicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Areas chosen for development are usually those with marginal capability for annual crop production.

Some of the objectives of ALUS projects include the planting of native vegetation cover, creation and enhancement of wetlands, establishment of native pollinating plants to increase habitat for pollinator species, creation of riparian buffers and vegetative zones, reforestation, and establishment of nesting structures for waterfowl and other birds. These types of projects are intended to lead to environmental benefits, including air and water purification, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat creation, increased biodiversity, soil conservation, and an increase of pollinators.

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The County of Vermilion River supported the Lakeland ALUS project by providing approximately 1,000 willow trees for the shelterbelt and the use of the tree planter. The native grasses were planted over two years, with a spring and fall planting to provide comparison and involve students. Some additional small seed islands of native forbes and legumes were added last fall. This spring, an area around a bush island was seeded with a legume to further enhance the habitat for pollinators.

The ALUS project provides many learning opportunities.

Environmental science students are able to evaluate the establishment of a native prairie habitat and observe some of the challenges with native plant establishment. Agricultural students are able to evaluate the opportunity costs of implementing the project with the cash incentive provided from ALUS versus annual cropping returns. All students involved are challenged with evaluating the ecological goods and services created.

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COLLECTING WATER AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES A water retention pond is under construction at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) research site as part of the water management strategy and to develop future learning opportunities.

The CSI site focuses on bringing together applied research and demonstration projects for agriculture, environment, and energy.

The water retention pond will gather runoff from the yard site, building area, and some of the nearby landscape and direct it to an area where water has traditionally pooled in the spring. The development is intended to allow for the creation of a new plant community along the edges of the pond. The establishment of these wetland species will provide environmental science students with enhanced learning opportunities. Summer research staff have been involved in transplanting species to the site. The site will also provide opportunities for ongoing evaluation of the plant

community establishment by many groups of environmental students. As a further enhancement, an area of native upland plants will be established nearby, thus creating additional learning and demonstration opportunities.

The area is intended to highlight how a water management strategy for the site, including controlling excess runoff, can be incorporated to establish a value added and visually appealing pond area that can serve multiple objectives. The site can be used to demonstrate how an off-site cattle watering system could be incorporated to provide an additional water resource to a nearby pasture, and how a small area of enhanced habitat and biodiversity potential can be created.

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THE NEXT What is it?

Lakelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bio-Energy Centre is currently under construction at the Centre for Sustainable Innovation (CSI) site. The 2400 square foot main building includes an attached 360 square foot solarium/greenhouse. The main building incorporates space for a dedicated lab, a large open multi-use space, a mechanical room, and a mezzanine area that can accommodate future office development.

The open area can accommodate larger equipment and provides workspace for modifying or repairing equipment, and the building itself provides an opportunity to evaluate heating alternatives and potential for heat storage. The solarium area is constructed using passive solar greenhouse technology to provide three-season growing capability without additional heat. The greenhouse also acts as a solar thermal collector, providing a source of heat that can be transferred to the main building area.

Objectives: The Bio-Energy Centre will complement the applied research in renewable energy currently conducted in the nearby Renewable Energy Learning Centre (RELC). The RELC integrates solar thermal, geothermal, solar photovoltaic (PV), and wind renewable energy to supply all of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy needs for heating, cooling, and electricity.

Researchers also use the RELC to study alternatives to store solar thermal energy using phase change materials and the integrated geothermal system. An advanced programmable logic controller is used to manage the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior environment and optimize the use of renewable energy. This building houses research staff and incorporates a small training and conference area, and thus requires careful control of the integrated systems to maintain a comfortable environment.

The Bio-Energy Centre will incorporate systems that are less complex and costly, while providing the functionality of a farm shop or other commercial building that is not continuously occupied.

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Enhancing research capabilities: The Bio-Energy Centre building itself will serve as an additional focal area for enhancing renewable energy research, while also providing the workspace required to enhance other research projects. As applied research continues to grow at the CSI site, particularly agriculture field plot work and environmental projects, field-scale and plot size equipment will need to be maintained and modified for specific projects. A current example involves the testing and modification of commercial potato planters for planting Jerusalem artichokes. Complementing the adjacent fabrication centre, the Bio-Energy Centre will provide a year-round working space for many research projects.

BIG THING

Building systems: The Bio-Energy Centre will acquire a significant portion of its heating needs from integrating passive solar and active solar thermal systems. The combined solar thermal systems will be sufficient to maintain the building within an acceptable temperature range for most of the year. A natural gas combined heat and power (CHP) unit will supply the rest of the heating load during the coldest months.

While the CHP unit heats the building, electricity will be generated to offset use at the site or exported to the main campus grid.

Some of the heat captured by the solarium during the day will be transferred directly to the building or stored by heating thermal mass such as concrete or stored water. Evacuated solar tube collectors on the roof heat water used by the in-floor heating system. Phase change materials are used in the system to enhance the storage of solar thermal energy. Enhanced heat storage occurs as the product changes from a solid to a liquid as it captures heat during the day, and heat is released at night as the material changes back to a solid.

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10 EASY WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR ENERGY USAGE

1 2 3 4 5

FIND AND SEAL AIR LEAKS.

Up to 30% of the heat loss in your home could be caused by small openings in the outer shell.

CONSIDER TASK LIGHTING.

Concentrating light to where it is needed and reducing background light levels can save energy.

REDUCE YOUR COOKING TIME.

Your food will cook quicker and more efficiently in ovens when air circulates freely. Don’t lay foil on the racks and stagger pans on upper and lower racks.

CLEAN OR REPLACE AIR FILTERS.

Check filters once per month during the heating season.

USE LOWER TEMPERATURE SETTINGS WHEN DOING LAUNDRY.

Wash most loads in cold water and use cold to rinse everything. Run your dryer at a lower temperature for longer, this will save energy and is gentler on clothes.

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6 7 8 9

LOWER YOUR WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE.

Each 5˚C reduction can save 3-5% on your water heating costs.

CHECK THE DOOR SEALS ON YOUR REFRIGERATOR.

They can deteriorate over time, reducing energy efficiency.

FILL YOUR FREEZER.

A full freezer performs more efficiently.

Plastic containers filled with water can be used to take up extra freezer space.

DON’T RINSE DISHES BEFORE LOADING THEM INTO THE DISHWASHER.

Modern dishwashers clean even heavily soiled dishes very well. If you must rinse first, use cold water.

10

UNPLUG SMALL APPLIANCES AND RECHARGEABLE DEVICES.

Each device uses relatively little power on its own, but keeping several plugged in at all times can add up.

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CONCENTRATING THE SUN

Lakeland College is currently constructing a new home for the solar concentrator.

About the solar concentrator: The unit is a prototype built by Prometheus Solar Technologies in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia and recently tested by Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AI-TF) in Edmonton, Alberta.

The unit is able to concentrate the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s energy to achieve temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees C, sufficient to melt metal. The unit will be located near the new Bio-Energy Centre, allowing high grade heat produced during use to also be used in the Bio-Energy Centre for testing processes like materials drying. The unit can be securely stored in the new enclosed building and rolled out for use. The unit contains mirrors that are approximately 4X8 feet in size to concentrate the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rays.

Summer researchers Thomas McAleer (left) and John McLaughlin (right) constructing the garage.

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AG RESEARCH AT LAKELAND COLLEGE IS â&#x20AC;&#x153;GROWINGâ&#x20AC;?

Agricultural research at the College received a kick start in 2013 with the announcement of the approval of a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) $2.3 million, 5 year, Innovation Enhancement (IE) grant. Research under this grant will focus on three main areas: livestock, bio-materials, and crops (including both field and novel crops).

CROPS

BIO-MATERIALS SHEEP UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS

JART

CATTLE

(UNIQUE CROP)

Larry Bingham has been a faculty member in the School of Agricultural Sciences at Lakeland College for over twelve years. In 2013 he became the Agricultural Projects Research Coordinator.

Lakeland College received a five year NSERC grant for agricultural research in 2013. Projects are underway in several areas such as livestock nutrition, field and novel crops production and agronomics, and biomaterials applications.

Larry is excited about the new opportunities for Lakeland College in the ag research area.

The position of Research Coordinator offers

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a variety of interesting activities each day as the program is being developed. One of the most rewarding aspects of the job for Larry is participating in the integration of crops and livestock research with student activities in the college Student Managed Farm.

Larry received his degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan. Prior to being employed at Lakeland College as an instructor Larry farmed with his family for many years at Cut Knife, Saskatchewan.

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Tanis Ponath Tanis completed her Environmental Conservation Reclamation Diploma at Lakeland in 2012.

Tanis primarily spends her time on the Jerusalem Artichoke project.

She has enjoyed learning about different crops and new methods for planting and harvesting.

“My favorite part of the job is being able to educate people on new research that is going on at CSI.”

JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE KEEPS ON GROWING Lakeland College is expanding Jerusalem artichoke (JART) research in 2014. Continuing with agronomic studies into JART planting, establishment, and harvesting, additional tests will investigate fertilization response, tuber harvesting, and eradication of JART when fields are due to be planted with traditional crops. Alberta Innovates Technology Futures (AI-TF) has been an active participant in the research by assisting in plot layout design, evaluating pesticide choices for JART establishment and eradication, determining JART response to pesticide application, assessing extraction, and assisting with equipment logistics. NovaGreen (Killam, Alberta) continues to help direct the desired research into JART agronomics and Battle River Agri-Ventures Cooperative helps with equipment and land area.

Linden Lundback

• Determining the optimum time to harvest above-ground material for inulin production

Linden is both an administrator and faculty member at Lakeland College. He is currently teaching two introductory classes in the renewable energy program along with his administrative duties, coordinating delivery of the provincial commercial pesticide applicator/dispenser program.

Linden comes to the college with over 20 years of agricultural research experience as well as some previous teaching and agronomist experience.

• Testing above-ground harvesting equipment to investigate effective cutting and windrowing methods

Linden is currently the lead researcher on the Jerusalem Artichoke project at the CSI.

•

Methods of mechanical tuber harvesting

•

JART eradication

He received his B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Saskatchewan, majoring in crop science.

The research group is currently investigating the following aspects of JART agronomics: •

Methods of mechanical tuber planting

•

Pesticide application to improve JART first-year establishment

•

JART response to nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium fertilization

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CROP INPUTS Are there economic limits?

There are a large variety of inputs and technical advancements available to crop producers today. The variety of new seed cultivars, seed treatments, fertilizing methods, herbicides, fungicides, and other yield enhancement and protection options seem endless.

Does a producer’s net pay cheque continually increase each time more inputs and technology are added to the crop? Is there a level at which diminishing returns for these investments begin to affect the bottom line?

Crop input companies invest large amounts of money in research to prove the yield benefits attributable to their technology. Does “input stacking” work? And, if it does, are there agronomic limits to this practice? These are all questions of great interest to many producers.

A field crops trial currently underway at Lakeland College, titled the Agronomy of Field Crop Input Intensities, may shed some light on these issues. The four-year trial began in May 2014. The main goal of the study is to develop field-scale data on the agronomic benefits of adding crop inputs at various levels of product use and management, all within a typical crop rotation system in the area.

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Plots were established on the College’s Student Managed Farm land, with replications on the land of three local producers: Scott Sherwood, Henry and Lillian Dejong, and Les McLaughlin. The three local area producers were eager to participate in this trial by donating the use of their land and providing cropping advice.

Henry and Lillian Dejong, whose son Craig is a student in the Crop Technology program at the College, were eager to participate in the trial. “We believe in promoting and encouraging young individuals in further developing their understanding of agronomics. To support this trial is important in helping not only our son, but all students involved, who are the future of this industry.”

The same 20-acre plot areas will be utilized for the next four years in a crop rotation involving field peas, cereals, and canola. Several levels of nutrient application, seed treatment, pesticide control, and disease control will be examined.

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John McLaughlin A Lakeland Alumni, John completed his Heavy Oil Power Engineering Diploma before he began working as the Research Technician- Field Crops.

While John spends the majority of his time on field crop projects he has been actively involved in many of the research projects at CSI as well.

“Since starting work at Lakeland I have learned a lot of different skills and refined other skills.

I have been able to work with top of the line equipment and really good people.”

Webbs’ Crop Services of Vermilion is a primary industry partner in this trial. The company is providing the main agronomy advice and field scouting services for the project.

Three levels of input intensity are being studied: medium, high, and maximum intensity. The levels of intensity were defined by a Steering Committee consisting of Lakeland College Faculty and staff, Student Managed Farm Research Team members, agronomists, and producers.

The various levels attempt to mimic the different crop management strategies practiced by producers in the local area.

The four-year term of the study is important as many of the technology inputs may have yield and economic benefits lasting longer than one growing season.

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SMART SHEEP A group of 80 finisher lambs participated in a research trial at Lakeland College in the summer of 2014, and they collected their own data!

The lambs, fitted with individual radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, were given the task of comparing two different rations for the finishing period. The GrowSafe feeding system in the Livestock Research Centre at Lakeland College collected data about the amount of feed each lamb consumed daily as well as their individual eating behavior patterns.

interesting challenges. The GrowSafe system was originally designed for cattle, and had to be adapted for lambs. They needed a little boost to be able to reach into the feed troughs, and access to the feed trough had to be restricted to one lamb at a time. The lambs adapted very quickly to the system and certainly did their part in making the trial a success.”

The experiment was conducted for Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Susan Markus, a Livestock Research Scientist with Alberta Agriculture, designed the trial to validate SheepBytes® feeding recommendations.

A second, similar trial is planned for 2015.

Blair Dow, a faculty member at Lakeland, was directly involved in designing and conducting the trial. This trial was comparing a standard barley finishing ration to one designed using the SheepBytes Ration Balancer. Blair hopes to see if the growth performance of the feeder lambs correlates well with that predicted by SheepBytes, and to see the effect of nutrition and management on carcass grades.

Larry Bingham, Ag Research Project Coordinator, noted “This trial had some

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This is the second time in recent years that Lakeland College has cooperated with Alberta Agriculture in a lamb trial.

In 2007, the Lakeland Carcass Sire Project investigated traits of lamb carcasses resulting from sires of various breeds.

SheepBytes® is a ration balancing

program for sheep that was developed and recently released by Alberta Agriculture. It is a web-based application accessible from any computer, anywhere, that enables you to balance rations for sheep and lambs.

By using all of SheepBytes’ features, you can evaluate feedstuffs and related animal productivity, helping to lower feed costs.

ALYSSA LARSON Alyssa graduated with an Animal Science Technology Diploma from Lakeland College in 2014.

As the Research Assistant- Livestock, Alyssa’s job involves testing Sheepbytes on pens of feedlot lambs.

“The best part of this job is working with the great crew of people here at the College- the farm staff, everyone in research- they’re all great!”

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LIVESTOCK

AT A GLANCE

Population EST 4,082,571

In 2014 cattle and calves on Alberta farms were up 0.5% from 2013. Sheep and Lambs on Alberta farms increased marginally by 0.6% from the year earlier.

Source: Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

159,000

5,085,000

Sheep & Lambs

Cattle & Calves

2% 2% 9%

4%

3% 29%

12%

31% 34%

59%

1%

14%

Replacement Lambs

Bulls, 1 year replacement

Beef Cows

Market Lambs

Milk Cows

Calves, under 1 year

Rams

Heifers: beef replacement

Heifers: slaughter

Ewes

Heifers: dairy replacement

Steers, 1 year plus

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WET DISTILLERS GRAIN IS IT A BENEFICIAL ALTERNATIVE IN CATTLE FINISHING RATIONS? Commercial feedlots in Western Canada have traditionally relied on barley and silage as the primary constituents of cattle finishing rations, although other commodities have been used as sources of energy and protein when cost and availability permitted. For example, distillers’ grain from the brewing industry has long been included as an alternate component in livestock diets.

Recently, the growing grain ethanol industry in Western Canada has presented the opportunity for feedlots to use distiller’ grain as a readily available feed source.

supplementary activity to their courses. Several students were employed on a part-time basis in feeding, health care, and feed sampling duties associated with the trial.

The trial conducted at Lakeland Colleges’ newly renovated Livestock Research Centre was entitled “Comparison of Static and Oscillating WDGS Inclusions in Feedlot Finishing Diets in Western Canada” and is the second of several feeding trials designed by Highland Feeders of Vegreville and Feedlot Health Management Services.

During the ethanol production process, cereal grains are fermented and the starch is converted to ethanol and removed. The wet mixture remaining, called stillage, contains protein, oil, fibre, and minerals. Stillage can then be further processed to produce distillers’ grain with solubles (DGS). DGS can be used in wet form (WDGS) or can be dried to form dried distillers’ grain with solubles (DDGS).

Traditionally, DDGS has been used in the feeding industry due to lower costs of freight and storage compared to WDGS. The attributes of DDGS as a feed component are fairly well known, but the added cost of drying distillers’ grain reduces the potential economic benefits of DDGS. WDGS may be a practical alternative when a feedlot is situated relatively close to an ethanol plant.

Lakeland College has conducted a feeding trial to investigate the use of WDGS in rations for finishing heifers.

Diets containing various levels of WDGS were compared to a conventional barley diet. The experiment used the GrowSafe feeding system to record and analyze individual feeding behavior and consumption. The trial began in February with a total of 120 heifers and ended when the animals were sent to slaughter in May. Students in the Animal Science program participated in the trial as a

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The Regional Business Accelerator (RBA) works with our region’s business owners and entrepreneurs to develop focused support for each unique business. Business incubation or acceleration is about fostering the start-up, growth, and retention of local businesses. The challenges that each business owner or entrepreneur faces are as unique as each individual. There are no cookie-cutter businesses. The RBA connects businesses with the expertise that they need, coaches businesses through the challenges that they face, and mentors businesses with personalized business solutions.

The RBA has been working to create partnerships that will assist the needs of local entrepreneurs. These partnerships range from services for technologybased companies to financing for small start-ups.

A main reason for the RBA’s success is their collaborative approach to business support. Many of the RBA’s sponsors work hand in hand with the RBA to ensure our region’s entrepreneurs and innovative minds have access to support, helping create a stronger and more vibrant business community.

Connect The RBA helps clients build and maintain relationships with support service providers, such as lawyers, accountants, human resource agencies, marketing firms, supply side management firms, industry specific organizations and associations, and public and private sector technology and commercialization agents. Clients of the incubator would be connected with these support providers through workshops, seminars, and training tutorials.

Connections also extend to government organizations that can provide access to funding, research and development, and prototyping.

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Mentor Coach The RBA provides one-on-one coaching with respect to accessing capital, networking, marketing, financial/controller services, business plan review, and aid in constructing supplier, customer, and strategic partnership agreements.

The Regional Business Accelerator provides a network of businesses within the community to support entrepreneurs, all working together to thrive. We have access to a diverse group of individuals that work with our members to grow their business.

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SUCCESS STORY Written by Ryan Topley, owner of Creative Realty

Creative Realty evolved from a consumer need for a different model within the Lloydminster real estate market. Customers tend to see real estate brokerages as “all the same” — agents doing the same task and offices offering the same services.

At Creative Realty, we are making it our priority to change that! Our goal is to deliver a five-star customer experience by offering added value to clients and realtors alike.

The process has been a learning experience like no other! I’d recommend any start-up business to plan, plan, plan. I have found that even careful planning can’t prepare you for EVERYTHING you will experience or discover. A great example of this is the three large “lumps” in the concrete foundation we discovered after removing the flooring during renos. Because we wanted laminate flooring throughout, these lumps needed to be removed.

Further investigation revealed that these lumps had power receptacles in them!!

After much head scratching and many many phone calls, the problem was solved and we were able to install the flooring.

The real estate market in Lloydminster is strong. Lots of people are moving into the area, creating a shortage of properties for them to move into. This strong demand and low supply is causing increases in both monthly rental costs and purchase/selling prices.

The need for having an expert in your corner is greater than ever, as the “maze” of home ownership seems to be everchanging.

We have had a very successful first year in operation, and much of our success is due to the guidance and mentorship provided by the RBA. From business plan review and consultations to financial and legal direction, they were there and happy to assist. Starting this business would have been far more difficult without them.

Creative Realty opened August 7, 2013. They are located at #116, 4402 52 Ave (Plaza 44 mall), Lloydminster, AB. Their website is www.creative-realty.ca.

“The Regional Business Accelerator is in the process of opening its first area of physical space. Expect great things in the future as we begin to realize the full potential of this organization!”

-RBA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MARYA PETTIGREW

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Agricultural Sciences

Agribusiness

Animal Health Technology

Animal Science Technology

Crop Technology

General Agriculture

Veterinary Medical Assistant

Western Ranch & Cow Horse

Business

Accounting Technician

Bachelor of Commerce*

Bachelor of Management*

*in collaboration with Athabasca University

Business Administration Majors

• • • •

ccounting A General Business Marketing Real Estate Appraisal & Assessment • Small Business & Entrepreneurship

Energy & Petroleum Technology

Heavy Oil Operations Technician Heavy Oil Power Engineering

Environmental Sciences

Bachelor of Applied Science: Environmental Management Renewable Energy & Conservation (online)

Environmental Sciences Majors

• C onservation & Restoration Ecology • Environmental Conservation & Reclamation • Environmental Monitoring & Protection • Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation

Fire & Emergency Services

Emergency Services Technology Firefighter

Health & Wellness

Esthetician

Health Care Aide

Pre-employment Hairstylist

Human Services

American Sign Language & Deaf Culture Studies

Child & Youth Care

Early Learning & Child Care

Educational Assistant

International Development

Sign Language Interpretation

Interior Design Technology Trades & Technology Apprenticeship

Pre-employment

Electrician

Instrument Technician Welder

Street Rod Technologies University Transfer routes

Bachelor of Arts

Bachelor of Commerce

Bachelor of Education

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Social Work

Pre-dental hygiene Pre-dentistry

Pre-medical laboratory science Pre-medicine Pre-nursing Pre-pharmacy

Pre-veterinary medicine

On-campus university degree completion

Bachelor of Commerce*

Bachelor of General Studies*

Bachelor of Management* *in collaboration with Athabasca University

Online Options and Dual Credit

Automotive Service Technician Carpenter Electrician Gasfitter

Heavy Equipment Technician

Instrument Technician

Parts Technician Steamfitter-pipefitter Welder

Contact Information: Vermilion Campus 5707 College Drive Vermilion AB T9X 1K5 1 780 853 8400 www.lakelandCollege.ca Or call us toll-free at 1 800 661 6490

Lloydminster Campus 2602 59 Avenue Lloydminster AB T9V 3N7 1 780 871 5700