On Monday, March 22nd we received a letter from the Page County Virginia, Board of Supervisors, (opens as .pdf) thanking Fibrowatt for the information offered at the March 2nd presentation but indicating that their plans are now to proceed in a different direction. We certainly respect their decision to choose what they believe to be the best direction for their community and wish the County future success.

We understand that a biomass power plant is a major project for a rural community. As a result, the residents of the area will naturally have questions and concerns. That is why we try to provide for an interested community – opportunities to meet us and better understand the Fibrowatt solution. While the March 2nd presentation gave the Page County community a chance to hear about Fibrowatt, it was not the face to face, question and answer approach that can best serve both Fibrowatt and the community.

In each of our previous projects, we have hosted, along with the potential host community sponsors, at least one open-house meeting (opens as .pdf) where people can directly ask questions and better understand how important these plants can be for their community. It is natural for questions to arise about traffic, emissions, odor, and jobs. What can be difficult – is to provide answers to these questions without better understanding of the community’s needs and expectations – a perspective that comes out effectively in these face to face meetings.

Fibrowatt has found that the most effective way to develop our renewable energy plants is to work closely with a community partner and its citizens. This approach worked successfully for the City of Benson and will continue to be an integral part of Fibrowatt’s development efforts.