Greenpeace pushes alternative energy

BRATTLEBORO -- Greenpeace representatives parked their Rolling Sunlight solar truck in Brattleboro Saturday to remind opponents of nuclear power that if ever there was a time to close down the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, this is it.

Rolling Sunlight is a biodiesel vehicle that has solar panels attached to it.

When it is at full power, the panels produce enough electricity to power three energy-efficient homes.

The truck has been all over the country, but for the first time Greenpeace is concentrating its work in a single state.

The group will be in Vermont through most of April to remind Vermonters that with a new administration in Washington, recent advancements in alternative energy technology and cutting edge companies in the state that are ready to put the resources to work, this is in fact the time to shut down Vernon's aging nuclear reactor.

"Vermonters have a choice here," said Greenpeace spokesman Ben Walsh, as he stood in front of the truck that was in the parking lot of the Brattleboro Food Co-op Saturday morning. "We want to take the focus away from all of the doom and gloom about Yankee and remind people that this is an opportunity to choose renewable energy as a way to replace the power that the state gets from Yankee.

Entergy Nuclear, the company that owns and operates the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant in Vernon, has applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for an extension on the license of the plant.

That license expires in 2012 and the Vermont Public Service Board and the Legislature both have a say in whether the company will receive the license extension.

Greenpeace will drive their solar vehicle all over the state to encourage more alternative energy development and also to rally Vermonters behind the move to close down the plant.

Saturday was also the 30th anniversary of the accident at Three Mile Island and the truck was parked just a few miles upriver from the Vernon plant to show that clean and reliable alternatives are available to what organizers called the "dirty" energy produced by nuclear power.

Walsh said Brattleboro was specifically chosen as a kick off spot for the month-long Vermont tour.

"You have a unique perspective here because you are so close to the plant," he said.

Gabriel Gerow, a student coordinator with Greenpeace, has been traveling with the solar truck and he opened up a side panel to display the batteries and inverters that help convert and store the solar energy.

A Greenpeace staff member was charging up his cell phone off the truck.

"Everywhere we take this in the country it becomes a positive outreach tool to promote alternative energy," said Gerow. "We want to show that there are practical uses for this energy."

The truck has powered concerts and speaking events and on Saturday Greenpeace was handing out hot chocolate that was being made with energy from the solar truck.

Drew Hudson, from VPIRG, said that having a group like Greenpeace in the state for a month should boost the visibility of the activists who are fighting to close down Vermont Yankee.

Hudson said there are Vermont companies that are ready to move ahead with solar, hydro and biomass projects, and if Yankee closes in 2012 there would be more opportunities to move ahead with those plans.

"It's a very exciting time. There are billions of federal dollars on the table and these companies are waiting for the legislature to give them a green light," Hudson said. "Right now the big impediment to making that happen is Vermont Yankee we have to get that out of the way."

Ed Anthes, a Dummerston resident and a member of Nuclear Free Vermont, was there Saturday to support the state wide solar truck tour.

While the Legislature has put off the relicensing discussion until next year, Anthes said it was important to keep the pressure on lawmakers and remind them that the state has an opportunity to be a leader in the nationwide development of clean energy.

"The technology is there. The will is there, and the money is there," he said. "Everything is coming together and we shouldn't miss this chance."