Rotary Club of Lebanon, NH
Minutes of regular meeting - Thursday, January 16, 2025
Attendance: Rich Wallace, Bil Babineau, Jim Damren, Dean Cashman, Bill Secord, Ron Michaud Steve Whitman, Tim Guaraldi, Dan Nash, Dave Crandall, Ernst Oidtmann, John Yacavone, Marion Steiner, Hank Clarke, Bruce Pacht, Ahmad Haidari, Christian McDonald, Jane Mason (remote), Steve Grant (remote), Angela Nelson.
MCTO: 12:01 p.m. by President Ernst
We performed our weekly rote recitation of the “4-Way Test of the Things We Think, Say, or Do,” led by Rich Wallace.
Ernest played us through the “Rotary Welcome Song” followed by “Happy Days Are Here Again.” Ernst said, “After that great singing, who needs Taylor Swift?”
Our lunch buffet was full of delicious choices.
PROGRAM—Rob Stenger, Simple Energy
Dave Crandall introduced Rob, who has transformed Simple Energy from a fuel delivery service to a comprehensive energy business. Rob testifies at both VT and NH legislatures regarding energy distribution and sustainability.
Rob gave an information-loaded and engaging presentation which I cannot hope to recap in this newsletter. Here are a few takeaways from my perspective:
- The oil market in 2024 enjoyed a year of limited volatility with prices ranging from $91 to $69 a barrel; everything worked.
- Current changes: There are no shortages of fuel but shortages of people and infrastructure to get it to Simple Energy. Trucks spend time in line waiting to load. Oil up 45 cents in one week; propane wholesale up 15 cents.
- How could a “drill, baby, drill” policy affect us? There is plenty of domestic supply; no incentive yet to overproduce in USA.
- We are in the midst of an energy revolution, of major disruption in energy use. Key drivers are proliferation of solar power, improving battery capacity, energy intelligence (rapid improvement and adaptation), and the effects of China’s focus on clean energy investments.
Rob said, “I believe sustainability of our future is transition, and participating in the revolution.” He believes that the US has the infrastructure and natural resources to competitively transition to renewables.
Questions:
What does the future hold for Simple Energy?
- SE wants to add solar power to power their EV car expansion.
- Heat pump revolution. SE installed 4-500 in the past 5-6 years.
What is “renewable propane”?
- Propane that is made from biodiesel and renewable jet fuel recycling. Carbon intensity about 1/3 of regular propane. SE owns about 350,000 gals they blend with other propane.
- “Dimethyl ether” (DME) is a molecule that can be produced from a wide range of renewable feedstocks. It stores and burns like propane but produces 85% less carbon when burned.
What about fuel capture from landfills?
- It’s not yet scalable here, as it’s eclipsed by fossil fuel delivery system in US today. Feedstock for DME is landfills but is crazy expensive. Maybe 10 years we’ll see more?
SPEAKER’S BOOK
Bill Secord presented this week’s book to be donated to the Kilton Library Children’s section in honor of Rob’s presentation today: Rory the Remarkable Dragon—Rory is actually a chicken hatched among dinosaur eggs who winds up providing security for the dinosaur treasure.
CHARITIES CONCURRENCE ITEM—Bruce Pacht
A motion was made and seconded to concur with Charities’ appropriation of $1,500.00 to the New England School of the Arts (NESA) to support a two-day residency of workshops in Lebanon by composer, author, lecturer, and performer, Bruce Adolphe for NESA students with a total budget of $3,000.00; NESA will raise the other $1,500.00. Additional information was circulated in advance. Voting is open until the close of the regular Club meeting on January 23.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
- See below for the latest update from Bonnie Robinson on the Take Flight! airplane build program at Lebanon High School, a nearly $300,000, two-year venture in which Lebanon Rotary has invested $10,000.
- April 12: Styrofoam Collection by Sustainable Lebanon.
- Membership Committee had its first meeting of 2025. Ahmad is chair. The group will meet in-person on the second Tuesday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the Rotary Study Room in the downtown branch of the Lebanon Library with remote attendance possible here:
- A Zones 28/32 Meeting on Membership took place last night. John announced that he got two ideas from the meeting: (1) Rotary should visit all corporate businesses and tell them about why they need to assign someone to join Rotary; (2) Each week, we should invite a representative of one of our local not-for-profit organizations to join us for lunch at our expense. Ernst asked John to coordinate these good ideas with Ahmad.
- Ahmad is instituting a regular Lebanon Rotary Social Gathering at Salt hill at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month.
- Angela informed us that the final colossal figure for 2024 Brewfest net profit is $39,124.11.
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