A Local Initiative With Global Opportunities

Industrial Symbiosis is a big phrase, and it's one that is changing energy, industrial, and agricultural landscapes in Clinton County and soon the entire WIRED region and the rest of the United States.  "Symbiosis", put simply, is a mutally beneficial relationship.  Here, both residents and businesses in Clinton County are reaping the rewards.  The Quadra Initiative is a four-part approach to industrial symbiosis that encompasses economic development, energy independence, environmental sustainability and education.

We only have one Earth to live on, and through the Quadra Initiative, Clinton County is finding cleaner, greener ways of living.  By putting to work processed to convert waste to energy, there be less waste disposal by those participating in the process and there will be less environmental impact from harvesting energy from our natural resources.  Less production of energy through traditional methods - coal, oil and natural gas - means cleaner air, water, and soil for people around the world.  The energy harnessed through these new programs are renewable and more environmentally friendly.

At the forefront of the industrial symbiosis movement, Clinton County is on the fast track to attracting new industries and businesses.  There is great economic opportunity in converting industrial wastes into energy.  Manufactures and producers win by spending less to dispose of wastes and on purchasing energy for their needs.  Clinton County leaders see the products of the Quadra Initiative as a means for companies to improve their competitiveness by reducing their costs.

These are not new topics of research and discussion to people around the globe.  We have known for a long time that fossil fuels are in limited supply and that our energy sources need to be diversified.  Even with this knowledge, the concepts of energy independence and environmental sustainability have not been widely put in use.  Now in Clinton County local government and economic development members are becoming leaders in indentifying and implementing waste to energy opportunities; those that are both environmentally sound and in plentiful supply.

Currently there are two major waste to energy projects in the Quadra Initiative that will lead the path to energy independence.  The first project of its kind in the United States, an industrial biorefinery and the second project of its kind in the United States, a large scale commercialized Swine Waste Digester.

This is an exciting time for residents, businesses, industries, researchers and students to study the options we have for creating a cleaner, independent, more secure future.

For additional information on the Quadra Initiative contact Gina Sheets, Clinton County Economic Development, 765-654-5507, gina@ccinchamber.org, www.clintoncountyeconomicdevelopment.com