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Laurence LaFond’s role at MTS Allstream is Acting Vice President in Managed Hosting. But in his “spare time”, Laurence has taken on different roles working on renewable energy development projects Laurence is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Toronto Renewable Energy Co-operative (TREC). TREC is an organization that is executing an ambitious plan to develop solar and wind initiatives that benefit the citizens of Toronto. He is also on the Executive Committee of a 10 MW wind project called Lakewind, which is a joint venture between TREC and a rural co-operative called Countryside Energy Co-operative. Laurence also sits on the steering committee of Our Power, which oversees Toronto initiatives, including development of funding proposals and definition of program areas. Our Power focuses on solar photovoltaic (PV) and solar thermal (hot water). Laurence participated in the policy development of the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association (ManSEA), with the goal of ensuring recognition of the Community Power Association, a Manitoba-based company with principal operations in both Ontario and Manitoba. He developed 100% of the content for the ManSEA web site and continues to manage the web site. In addition, Laurence is an active volunteer member of the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association where he supported the development of OSEA’s Community Financing Guidebook. At the Community-Based Energy Development, Laurence developed a sophisticated spreadsheet “calculator” for Minnesota’s C-BED initiative that levelizes cash flow by varying price based on a net present value formula. This calculator enhances the ability of community power project developers to create viable projects. He also manages and wrote 100% of the content on the C-BED web site. Finally, he presented a poster describing C-BED that was accepted to the 2006 American Wind Energy Association conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Elton Energy Co-operative was formed by a group of farmers in the rural municipality of Elton, just north of Brandon, Manitoba. It is through Elton Energy, with assistance from TREC and OSEA that the Community Power Association idea was developed. Laurence has supported Elton Energy Co-operative throughout its development, and continues to spend many volunteer hours in EEC. Laurence is currently the Chair of the Board of the North American Water Office, an environmental group headquartered in Minnesota, with strong First Nations connections. Laurence has been on the board of this organization for more that half of its 25-year history, and has volunteered an estimated 3000 hours for this organization, working as a volunteer researcher and submitting formal comments in government proceedings on solid waste management issues, CFC (chlorofluorocarbon) issues, and mercury contamination. While at NAWO, Laurence developed a point source directory, detailing North America’s largest emitters of criteria air pollutants, including particulates, lead, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. |