by DWEA Site Admin | Oct 27, 2014 | News, Success Story
Kevin, Ed and Rich Doody grew up on the dairy farm their parents established in 1949 with 35 cows and fewer than 80 acres. The farm, now home to 350 cows, is 12 miles south of Syracuse, NY, in a small town called Otisco. The brothers’ parents also grew up in the area, going to local churches and schools. Their father, Larry, passed away six years ago, and their mother, Avis, continues to take care of the farm’s accounting. “It’s been in our blood our whole life,” said Ed.
Continuing the tradition, the brothers raised their ten children on the farm. “The kids have all enjoyed the country lifestyle we have out here,” said Ed, who has three children. “It’s not just a job. It’s a lifestyle. It’s a full-time commitment. The cows are here and they have to be taken care of. Someone has to always be there on Sundays. Sometimes a cow has a calf at night. I’m usually on call in the middle of the night when something comes up.”
With the commitment to the lifestyle, the rising costs of maintaining a farm, and the increasing news coverage over the past three years on the limited resources of carbon and oil, the brothers began to consider other options. They have three employees and earn all of their income from the milk that they sell, as well as maintaining 900 acres of corn, alfalfa, barley and hay to feed the cows.
Their research began in the west, learning about the use of turbines in Wisconsin, where farmers used and spoke highly of the Endurance 3120 Turbine that Ed was interested in. Encouraged, Ed attended seminars and found CEC Energy, which installs wind turbines and is a division of Cazenovia Equipment Company. The farm has been a long-time client of Cazenovia, which is a large John Deere subsidiary in New York State. CEC Energy helped the farm with permits, qualifications for federal grants, and calculating the amount of wind the farm would receive.
Living on a hilltop in a windy area has proven ideal to harness a sustainable energy source. The 174-foot-tall Endurance 3120 Turbine, which the farm owns, was installed on September 25, 2012, eighteen months after initial inquiry. It has powered about 240,000 kilowatts since then. Rated at 50 kilowatts, the turbine will run at 60 or 70 kilowatts with a strong wind. It is computer-controlled, can take care of itself and possesses a lot of sensors that safeguard against system faults. “We’re happy with the performance over all. I expect we’ll go year after year with the machine,” said Ed. “None of neighbors are close by enough to be bothered by it, and no one has mentioned it’s unsightly. We don’t get a lot of compliments about it.”
Following on the success of the turbine for the farm, all three families decided to lease their own, smaller, 10-kilowatt Bergey turbine to power their homes, bringing their turbine total up to four. Bergey Wind Power is a company in Oklahoma, which has been making turbines for the past 30 years. CEC Energy installed the turbines, which are leased through United Wind, a company founded in 2013 that offers affordable leasing to small wind consumers. Some of the farm’s neighbors have turbine-powered homes, and they are all happy with their experience, said Ed. Ed opted to fully prepay his 20-year turbine lease for $20,000 and expects payback in about five years on his investment. The lease guarantees 16,000 kilowatts per year. The turbines for their home were installed this summer and started generating electricity a few weeks ago. With adding an additional source of electricity, Ed and his wife, Kathy, are especially looking forward to eliminating the extensive chore of chopping firewood for heat. “The large turbine is directly across from our home. There’s no noise or interference and it’s not annoying to listen to,” said Ed. “My wife says it’s like change in your pocket. When it’s running, you make a little money.”
In addition to investing their money, they’re making choices for their future. “We pay a large fuel bill to run our tractors. That’s only going to get higher after time. So are electric bills. It makes good economic sense to us to put up the turbines,” said Ed. “It’s the wave of the future. We can’t be committed to carbon and oil forever.”
by DWEA Site Admin | Sep 19, 2014 | News
New legislation extends expired all important clean energy tax provisions including the distributed wind Investment Tax Credit (ITC)
Congress continued to move forward on extending vital clean energy tax provisions that expired earlier this year, which includes the Investment Tax Credit for distributed wind.
“I continue to be impressed with Representative Blumenauer’s leadership in support of our industry,” said Jennifer Jenkins, Executive Director of the Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA). “A renewed ITC will provide business certainty to the community and distributed wind segments of the wind industry that are generally unable to utilize the PTC. This incentive enables them to continue to drive economic development across farms, schools, business, and communities across the country. Distributed wind projects are present in all 50 states, providing clean, homegrown, affordable power; helping to keep the lights on and Americans at work. In order for this industry to continue to grow and expand we urge swift passage of the ITC when Congress returns from recess.”
The bill was introduced with 17 co-sponsors who should also be applauded for their leadership:
Rep Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7]
Rep Kind, Ron [D-WI-3]
Rep Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]
Rep Larson, John B. [D-CT-1]
Rep Lee, Barbara [D-CA-13]
Rep Levin, Sander M. [D-MI-9]
Rep Lewis, John [D-GA-5]
Rep Loebsack, David [D-IA-2]
Rep McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7]
Rep Moran, James P. [D-VA-8]
Rep Neal, Richard E. [D-MA-1]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [D-NJ-9]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-13]
Rep Ryan, Tim [D-OH-13]
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [D-PA-13]
Rep Thompson, Mike [D-CA-5]
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About the Distributed Wind Energy Association
The Distributed Wind Energy Association is a collaborative group comprised of manufacturers, distributors, project developers, dealers, installers, and advocates, whose primary mission is to promote and foster all aspects of the American distributed wind energy industry. Distributed wind is the use of wind turbines at homes, farm and ranches, businesses, public and industrial facilities, off-grid and other sites connected either physically or virtually on the customer side of the meter to offset all or a portion of local energy consumption or to support grid operations. DWEA seeks to represent members and associates from all sectors with relevant interests pertaining to the distributed wind industry. For more information on DWEA, please go to www.distributedwind.org. Follow us on Twitter @DWEA and like us on Facebook
by DWEA Site Admin | Aug 18, 2014 | News
Department of Energy’s 2013 Distributed Wind Market report highlights American manufacturing success story
“The Distributed Wind Market Report issued today by the Department of Energy underscores what a true American small business success story this industry is and the market is on track to outpace last year’s deployments by a significant margin. This is a true homegrown industry that is generating clean, affordable electricity across all 50 states, while keeping the lights on and Americans at work. It’s important to realize that the vast majority of distributed wind turbines installed in 2013 were built right here in the United States. The U.S. distributed wind energy supply chain is made up of hundreds of manufacturing facilities and vendors spread across the country — supporting jobs in manufacturing, retail, construction and maintenance. This is a critical time for our industry. In order to see continued and expanded growth of domestic wind manufacturing and related markets at home and abroad it’s imperative that Congress soon pass an ITC extension and make other important renewable energy investments. These actions will provide the stability that the wind markets need to thrive. New wind leasing and other financing models in combination with improved federal and state policies could increase distributed wind’s competitiveness and market potential to nearly 80 GW by 2025.”
For more information on the latest report visit https://distributedwind.org or http://energy.gov/2013-wind-report
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About the Distributed Wind Energy Association
The Distributed Wind Energy Association is a collaborative group comprised of manufacturers, distributors, project developers, dealers, installers, and advocates, whose primary mission is to promote and foster all aspects of the American distributed wind energy industry. Distributed wind is the use of wind turbines at homes, farm and ranches, businesses, public and industrial facilities, off-grid and other sites connected either physically or virtually on the customer side of the meter to offset all or a portion of local energy consumption or to support grid operations. DWEA seeks to represent members and associates from all sectors with relevant interests pertaining to the distributed wind industry. For more information on DWEA, please go to www.distributedwind.org. Follow us on Twitter @DWEA and like us on Facebook.
by DWEA Site Admin | Aug 15, 2014 | News, Success Story
Pika Energy operated out of Ben Polito’s basement until one year ago. The company’s roots stretch even further back, with its true beginning in 2010, when Polito, company president, and Joshua Kaufman cofounded the company with support from local Maine investors. Now, Pika employs 10 people and is housed in a small commercial facility in Portland, Maine. Pika began to install turbines in the spring of 2014.
“We built a turbine suitable to power an energy-efficient home and we use the wind in combination with solar panels in a microgrid or hybrid energy system, which give you benefits from both the wind and the solar, to give more even power throughout the year and the day,” said Polito. “It’s important to have a steady flow of power, so the hybrid does a better job than either source by itself could do.”
Pika Energy is part of an even bigger movement revolving around the consumer and energy’s future. Until a few years ago, American manufacturing was viewed as a dying industry. Now, it’s still early, but Pika Energy is part of the change to bring jobs not only back to America, but to rural areas. “It’s still challenging, but people are seeing with the right, high-tech product that requires sophisticated manufacturing and top-quality people doing the work, responsive to the market, domestic-based United States manufacturing is in the early stages of what looks like a rebound,” said Polito.
A perfect fit for Maine
Their dream would not have been possible if Polito and Kaufman had not left their hometowns to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Both grew up in rural farm country, with Polito’s family working a farm on Georgetown Island, off the coast of Maine, and Kaufman’s family cutting wheat and seeing the possibility for wind energy in Kansas.
Returning to Maine to build the company was an obvious choice for several reasons. Wind energy is a rural technology, and Maine is not only a largely rural state, but offers a supportive local network that provides advice and financial help. Additionally, Polito is aware of the lack of quality jobs in Maine for those interested in technology. Pike Energy hopes to continue to grow, bringing people back to Maine who left because of the lack of technology-based opportunities. And, of course, there was the Polito family to consider. Four generations of the Polito family currently call Maine home.
As a child growing up without electricity, Polito built small wind turbines out of old motors and scrap wood. His experiments were a success and he was able to produce a small amount of electricity. “I was excited [to learn] how to make more. I wanted to learn how to build better wind turbines and make better electricity,” said Polito. “We had kerosene lamps for light and a hand pump for water out of the well and an outhouse instead of indoor plumbing, and you can imagine how cold that is in the middle of winter in Maine to go outside to use the outhouse. Electricity was this magical technology that I knew was out there that other people had that we didn’t have because we were so far outside of the beaten path.”
The end product
When electricity is readily available, appreciation is lost. One person, without electricity, would not be able to drive a car, produce heat for a home, or even shop for groceries. Energy multiplies a single person’s strength and ability. Being aware of the value and finding alternative means of providing energy plans for a future when fossil fuels are depleted. “In general, I think it’s one of the greatest challenges our world faces,” said Polito. “We’ve developed a dependency on having ample supply of cheap and readily available energy in order to do most of the things we all love to do, and right now, the vast majority of that energy comes from unsustainable, polluting sources that are increasingly becoming scarce and cause harm to the planet. For anyone who looks at the data, it’s obvious that we needs to transition to more sustainable sources.”
Polito has found that clients love making their own power and taking responsibility for their future. “It’s just fun and rewarding for people to make their own electricit,” he observes. “People feel dependent on a source of power they can’t control, and they worry that it won’t always be there. Making their own electricity from the wind and the sun helps them feel more independent, doing their part and taking control of their energy future.”
By Elizabeth Silverstein, guest writer for the Distributed Wind Energy Association
by DWEA Site Admin | Jul 15, 2014 | News
With Acquisition, Renewable Energy and Wireless Services Leader Becomes Ethos Distributed Solutions, Expands Operations to Nearly All 50 States
Ethos Distributed Energy and Rev1 Renewables have now joined forces to become Ethos Distributed Solutions. With the acquisition of Rev1 Renewables, Ethos solidifies itself as a leader in the installation, operations and maintenance of distributed renewable energy systems.
“We are really excited about the marriage of these two businesses,” says Paul Roamer, President of Ethos Distributed Solutions. “By combining resources and talent with Rev1 Renewables, this acquisition allows Ethos to provide competitive professional services nationwide and increase our effectiveness with our current clients. Additionally, our name change better reflects the inclusive spectrum of services we provide in both the renewable energy and telecommunications industry.”
Ethos leads the way in distributed maintenance, system upgrades and engineering consulting within the wind, solar and wireless markets. Adding the portfolio of projects from Rev1 Renewables compliments Ethos’ current work with renewable energy systems. Ethos currently serves 50 KW to 2.5 MW wind systems, solar systems up to 20 MW, and maintenance, repair, upgrades and installs for telecom clients.
Ethos is one of only a few companies operating in the nexus of renewable energy and telecom. The synergy in expertise and operational structure between the three business segments allows Ethos to efficiently schedule its field service crews throughout the United States, providing customers with superior technical knowledge and competitive pricing.
“We are very optimistic about our company’s future,” says Roamer. “The renewable energy market will continue to grow in the United States, and as these systems age, uptime and healthy operation of these assets will be of upmost importance. Likewise in telecom – with competition between carriers heating up, we see service upgrades occurring at a higher frequency than in the past. Protecting these renewable investments and maintaining the competitiveness of our telecom customers is where Ethos shines.”
About Ethos Distributed Solutions
Ethos was founded in 2009 in Colorado to provide cost-effective and reliable renewable energy solutions and support to distributed generation systems and telecom markets. Expertise and engineering backbone is what separates Ethos from other service providers. Our cross-training between renewable O&M and telecom creates a technical competency that is unmatched in the market. For more information, visit: www.ethossolutions.com.
Ethos media contact:
Paul Roamer, President
303-590-9423
proamer@ethossolutions.com
by DWEA Site Admin | Jun 30, 2014 | News
PNE Corp. was founded in 1989 with a vision to lead in construction, commercial electrical, industrial services and environmental solutions. PNE Corp. National headquarters is located in Longview, Washington and operates in national and international markets with seven different divisions offering diversification, strategic growth, and collaboration. PNE provides solutions across a wide range of industries and technologies.
PNE is a recognized innovator in design build projects, especially in the Distributed Wind arena. PNE Renewable Energy has completed design build wind projects for The Army Corp of Engineers, Universities, The U.S. Department of Labor, and others. Our network of experts reduce capital costs by streamlining the design, procurement, and construction processes. Our twenty five years of experience in logistical planning on projects across the United States has made us experts in managing and executing complex jobs.
PNE has developed budgets for projects from single turbines to 300 MW wind farms. We can take a project from an initial concept to a fully developed budget with conceptual drawings and preliminary engineering in a very short time and in most cases at no cost. We are committed to providing the highest satisfaction to our clients by bringing projects on time and under budget. PNE has managed some of the toughest projects in the roughest conditions, and live by our motto, “All About Solutions.”
PNE Corp: Project Overview
Andros Island, Bahamas
PNE’s Renewable Energy Division installed a 1MW wind turbine at the AUTEC Naval Facility on Andros Island in the Bahamas. This project presented incredibly difficult logistical challenges. All tools, machinery and parts had to be barged to the island from south Florida as well as from international locations. Even the rock for the site had to be barged in. The mobilization of the crane and other heavy equipment was only one of the many difficulties this project presented. Extreme weather conditions, limited local resources, and exacting mechanical and electrical requirements made this installation a challenge by any standard.
Before this turbine was installed the Navy base was dependent on four diesel generator for all of their growing energy needs. The energy produced from this project will help the Navy not only meet the increased clean energy requirements from the federal government, but also help them to reduce their cost of electricity and increase their energy independence and security.
Fort Hays State University (FHSU), Hays Kansas
PNE Corp has helped FHSU save up to an estimated $1 million per year with the installation of the first two V100-2.0MW VCSS to be constructed in North America. Built off of a proven 2MW platform, the new turbines use Vestas’ latest technology. Unlike many turbines of this size, each blade had to be craned independently and installed onto the nacelle over 400ft above the ground. In addition to the turbine installation, PNE constructed 3.5 miles of underground transmission cable as well as fiber-optics for monitoring and system controls so the university can provide electronic load management and automation. The university will also be able to further maximize the energy they produce by managing excess power and electricity exportation based on demand and time of day. FHUS is developing a renewable energy educational program to coincide with their wind system and will soon be integrating two 1MW battery cells to support their on-site micro grid.
