Jackson County
Green Energy Park
100 Green Energy Park Rd.
Dillsboro, North Carolina
 

Mail: 401 Grindstaff Cove Rd.
Sylva, NC 28779

Timm Muth
    Director
Carrie Blaskowski
    Assistant Director
Tracy Bochnak
    Graduate Assistant
William Rogers
   Consulting Master
   Blacksmith

 
Email

828-631-0271

  
he Jackson County Green Energy Park (JCGEP) utilizes clean, renewable energy resources to encourage economic development, provide environmental protection, and offer educational opportunities that together will help lead towards a more sustainable future for Western North Carolina. Located in Dillsboro, NC, JCGEP captures methane gas from the old town landfill, then uses the gas as fuel for a series of artisan studios, greenhouses, a biodiesel refinery, and other ventures.

Sustainable building practices are being demonstrated through the redevelopment of an old warehouse and trash transfer station to house the artisan studios and refinery. Old building materials have been reused whenever possible, and several “green” building options (such as living roofs, rainwater collection, and recycled wood products) are being investigated for use in the new facilities. Even the greenhouses were constructed using materials salvaged from an abandoned facility.

Future plans for the JCGEP include the development of pottery and glass-blowing studios, a retail gallery, a café, public classroom areas, and a conference room. Once fully operational, JCGEP will have added 20 + jobs to our economy, while forming bridges between local educational facilities and community partners. Through this innovative project, JCGEP is transforming an environmental liability into an economic asset for the community.

Environmental benefits
By burning landfill gas as fuel, our project provides direct and immediate improvements to our environment and local air quality.

Yearly reductions in emissions:

• Prevents 222 tons of methane entering the atmosphere.

• Offsets 550 tons of CO2 that have been created by fossil fuels instead.

That’s comparable to:

• Removing 916 vehicles off the road, or

• Planting 1,305 acres of forest, or

• Preventing the use of 11,104 barrels of oil, or

• Displacing the use of 521,870 gallons of gas