Hugh Jenkins

[Kenny Pieper]

Hugh I am curious. How did your lecture go at G.A.S.

[Henry Halem]

Hugh is humble so I'll say it, his lecture and panel was arguably the best prepared group I've heard in years, timely, had strong visuals, in a word, killer presentation(s). It was standing room only. There were so many questions no one wanted to leave even after it was over.

[Hugh Jenkins]

Now I am embarrassed to say anything. But, Kenny, since you asked...

We thought an hour and a half would give each of us a good 10 to 15 minutes and then there would be plenty of time for questions. But, we had been preparing for over 6 months and had way to much to offer, so when the first three used over an hour, there was not going to be much time left. But, we did get to cover all topics, and the Powerpoint is available at <Bioglass.org>. The GAS journal limits us, so that will be only a synopsis at best.

In due time each of us will flesh out the Powerpoint with much more written text. If anyone is interested in the progress of our experiments, research and installation of "model studios", sign up on the Bioglass website to receive updates. We are working with community glass studio design, recuperator improvements for furnaces and glory holes, vegetable oil, waste stream methane, variable speed blowers, multiport glory holes, and studios built from reclaimed materials.

The questions at the end showed a lot of interest in alternate electric generation from wind, waste organic fuels, solar (direct and reflector focused). It was an area we were not prepared to cover very well, but grid linked electric generation allows for offset of use, and trade of excess generation at one time for higher use at another. Anyone with furher information on practical applications of alternate electric generation can put a link on the website to help spread the word.

[Pete VanderLaan]

This, for me would be a place where GAS could be useful. It could fund the publication of the panel in its entirety and sell it to the broader community. Even if it doesn't make money, which I do not believe should be a criterion anyway for a non profit, it would be a great resource and an asset which GAS produces that the glass community could legitimately point to as a valuable use of GAS funds.

Otherwise, I would be interested in it in the "Hot glass information Exchange- round two) that I have proposed to a number of people but which was waylaid by my big move.

[Hugh Jenkins]

Since we have a website for the information, we are OK with the Journal restrictions, though editing down is hard.
We have also talked about a technical meeting so we should all keep in touch about this.

[Hugh Jenkins]

Just to keep the record straight. The Bioglass panel was the brainchild of Julie Conway of Santa Fe. She documented the demise of glass shops all over the world because of fuel costs. Through Eddie Bernard the group was assembled to discuss solutions and alternatives to fuel waste, fuel cost and fuel sources. I was selected as the elder to moderate and then edit the journal report.

[Julie Conway]

Thanks Hugh! I am so pleased to be working with you all!

The BioGlass vision is to help glass artists everywhere in the world make their studios eco-efficient by using efficinet insulation, and community efforts and hopefully soon many will be using renewable fuel sources like landfill gas or wind powered electric systems.

Thanks for all the great feedback and support. Our follow up newsletter will be coming out soon! The panel at GAS 07 was just the tip of the iceburg for more info to come!

Please let us know of others who are making energy saving efforts in their glassmaking process.

Cheers, Julie