Hay Extension

Sample Educational Programs

Bioenergy Fridays Web Seminar
An online seminar held live monthly the last Friday of each month and archived at the Website, the forum focuses on exploring a new biofuel or bioenergy issue each month. Extension educators, state agency personnel, biofuels industry, and the public have logged on each month for education and to ask the experts questions. The site also includes archives of seminars from 2007 to the present. Links and resources pages for wind and other energy topics are also included. Visit the Bioenergy Fridays Web Seminar Page

Co-Product Storage and Use
The expansion of ethanol production in the Midwest has provided a new feed product to cattle producers. Wet distillers grains have predominately been used by large producers with substantial economic and animal performance benefits. New research is developing ways to store and use ethanol co-products to allow access of these benefits to small feeders and cow/calf operations. Availability of co-products to small operations will improve their ability to compete with large operations and improve the local economic impact of biofuel production. In the short term, educators will gain knowledge about storage and use of co-products. In the intermediate term, educators will take that knowledge to their home areas and teach producers. In the long term, producers will use this new feed to reduce costs, extend pastures, and improve the health, quality, and sustainability of their herds.

This train-the-trainer project included a conference on storage and use of co-products which attracted over 100 educators from 10 Midwest states. Within eight months, educators indicated they had taught more than 4200 producers using the written, audio, video, and web materials developed for this program. Co-product Storage

Wind
Nebraska has extensive wind resources and an increasing number of companies are proposing land contracts with Nebraska landowners for long-term easements and options to build wind turbines. UNL has worked with landowners to learn about the wind development process and the complexities of wind contracts. Small-wind turbines have also become a hot topic with much misunderstanding about their design, construction, location, and economic impact. In partnership with experts from other Midwestern and High Plains states, we are working on these and other small- and large-wind topics. Wind

Solar

The price of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules has declined in recent years, resulting in increased interest in solar PV installations. Desire for clean energy and economics remain important considerations for solar PV systems. UNL, in partnership with other land grant universities and private installers, has hosted web seminars, live seminars, and hands-on workshops to teach the public about solar PV feasibility, design, and economics. Watch some of the recorded videos on my YouTube page (UNL CropwatchBioenergy). https://www.youtube.com/user/CropWatchBioenergy  

Ethanol and Biodiesel
Biofuels, including corn ethanol and biodiesel, are important to farmers and fuel consumers in Nebraska. Ethanol blends have become commonplace in fuel pumps across the nation, making fuel literacy regarding ethanol blends an important topic. For more information about ethanol as a fuel, biofuels, and other fuel literacy topics, visit my YouTube channel (UNL Cropwatch Bioenergy) https://www.youtube.com/user/CropWatchBioenergy  

Hay

F. John Hay

Associate Extension Educator, Biological Systems Engineering

Office: 250 L. W. Chase Hall
Phone: (402) 472-0408
Email: jhay2@unl.edu