MCLA Gets $120K Grant for Co-Generation Energy Study

12:45PM / Tuesday, January 03, 2012Print Story | Email Story

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — As the result of an energy study conducted for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts by the state's Division of Capital Asset Management, the college has been awarded $120,000 to complete a feasibility study.

The feasibility study will determine what it will take for MCLA to renovate its power plant with a co-generation unit, update its boilers to provide additional steam to heat the campus and run the co-generator, and to determine the savings derived from burning wood chips.

The energy study, completed nine months ago, determined renewable energy sources that MCLA might utilize. This prompted the upcoming feasibility study.

"We thought MCLA may be a good candidate for burning biomass in our power plant," said James Stakenas, vice president of administration and finance. "Because DCAM officials thought that biomass conversion was the most appropriate renewable energy source for us, they have funded a feasibility study to determine what it would cost MCLA to implement not only a biomass burning power plant, but also to use steam to not only heat the campus, but to run a co-generation unit so that we could produce some of our own power."

According to Joe Santucci, MCLA's energy manager, "The proposed biomass project is attractive, both financially and environmentally."

"It is very good news for MCLA because it is ultimately having experts tell us how we can use a renewable fuel source not only to heat the campus, but to provide energy," Stakenas said.

Tags: alternative energy, biomass, MCLA,

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North Adams Council OKs New Sustainability Committee

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
05:13AM / Thursday, September 10, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City Council on Tuesday night moved the establishment of a Sustainability & Tree Commission to a second reading and publication.

Mayor Jennifer Macksey back in February had presented the council with a list of objectives and how she thought a such a committee could support the administration. Councilor Andrew Fitch had raised the issue the year before, referred it to the mayor's office and pushed through the ordinance.

As the process moved forward, he recommended it merge with the Tree Commission, taking on that committee's objectives as part of the city's sustainability mission. It will make recommendations such as regarding climate change and impact on neighborhoods, and be able to seek grants, partnerships and other resources.

The language provided to the council on Tuesday had been reviewed by several committees and commissions and included changes advised by the city solicitor.

"It's been through a whole bunch of different reviews, and it took different tweaks from each of these committees," said Fitch, acting as president that night. "Each of these committees and commission provided excellent guidance of how to make this a little bit stronger, how to make this a little bit better."

Jenny Dunning, a member of the grassroots North Adams Sustainability Task Force, spoke at the beginning of the meeting to endorse the ordinance.

"I just want to say how much I appreciate that the council and the administration has moved forward to figure out a way to make this happen, and it's up for the vote tonight," said Dunning, who serves on the Windsor Lake Commission. "And we've got five of us who are here to support this change."

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