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Acclaim and a Shame for Oct. 26, 2009
Published October 26, 2009
Pilot program for energy savings could bring jobs to West Columbia
The city of West Columbia has learned what other area communities have discovered — being “green” isn’t just about being friendly to the environment. It can be a savvy economic move as well.
City Council recently approved submitting a formal letter pledging its support for a pilot program in which it would partner with Green Phase Technologies of Houston as the company develops a product which would reduce the voltage required by appliances, air conditioners and electronics, according to company CEO and President Mike Virag.
The program was spurred by S.B. 12, in which the 2007 Legislature called on municipalities to reduce energy consumption by 5 percent by 2013, said Councilman Robert Thomas, who also is president of West Columbia’s First Capital Renewable Energy Community Development Corp.
Green Phase Technologies would install its Energy Management System — a 24- by 24- by 10-inch box weighing about 80 pounds — in the ground next to the electric meter at a series of homes and chart its effect on energy use. Virag said the company expects it to save 15 to 20 percent.
Reduced voltage won’t limit performance of electronics, but will reduce pollution by cutting down carbon dioxide in addition to lowering energy bills, Virag said.
But the pilot program goes beyond the city taking a leadership role in the county for green energy.
If state funding is approved as expected, Green Phase Technologies would continue research and development, and eventually build a manufacturing facility in West Columbia.
The company has applied for patents on the technology and expects to be ready to market it by the end of 2010.
“It’s a great asset to us because it was a great opportunity to bring manufacturing West of the Brazos, bring in some jobs, sales tax revenue and all that,” Virag said.
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Brazoria garners international attention
Brazoria city officials recently rolled out the welcome mat for some special visitors from across the world.
But the visiting contingent from Seoul, South Korea, wasn’t here for pleasure, but for business — specifically to check out the city’s wastewater treatment plant and Brazoria’s use of a chemical that has reduced odor at the facility.
Jake Pyun and Youngkil Pyun of G Plan, an environmental company in South Korea, as well as Won-Taek Cho, the project manager for the Tancheon Sewage Treatment Plant, toured the Brazoria plant to determine whether it would be a good idea for them to bring the chemical products — made by Micro-Blaze Microbial Products, based in Houston — back for use in Seoul.
The products use a microscopic bacteria found naturally in soils to break down waste products. The bacteria digest the wastes as long as water, oxygen and the waste are present, according to information provided by the company.
“What they wanted to do at our sewer plant is see how this product works at an older plant,” Brazoria Mayor Ken Corley said. “Our plant is much older than some they’ve looked at, and they’re really doing their homework.”
It’s comforting to know officials in Brazoria are using such an environmentally friendly product with such effectiveness that it has attracted attention from overseas.
As the mayor said, “I was really proud for the city of Brazoria and for us to handle something on a national level like this.”
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Happy ending to hare-raising tale
Many interesting stories and times arise out of the Brazoria County Fair each fall, but few are as touching and, well, cute as that of 9-year-old Elizabeth Brymer and her prize-winning rabbits.
Elizabeth of Lake Jackson and her cousin Jasie Brymer, 16, of Brazoria both won best in show in their class for the hares, the younger girl with a gray Netherlands dwarf and the teen with her orange rex. All was happy until thieves struck, taking the rabbits right from the pens.
Elizabeth never worried, though.
“She said she’d talked to God and he said she’d get her rabbit back,” fair rabbit chairwoman Belinda Carlin said.
Sure enough, someone tipped authorities as to the bunnies’ whereabouts and they were swiftly returned to the gleeful owners.
It seems the stolen rabbits had quite the adventure themselves after reportedly being taken by “two males,” police said. Ultimately they were found behind a residence in Lake Jackson after a woman retrieved them from whoever took them.
But somewhere during the time the animals were missing, they made stops in Danbury and Angleton, according to reports.
The important thing is they were returned. Of course, that was no surprise to young Elizabeth.
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