Certifying Small Wind Turbines

WECC is most pleased to formally announce our partnership with Kansas State University, Colby Community College, and Midwest Energy, in establishing the High Plains Small-Wind Turbine Test Center at Colby, Kansas. The center has received the backing of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The High Plains Small-Wind Turbine Test Center is focused on providing small wind turbine manufacturers with expert, independent, third party testing. Test results will then be taken and verified by the Small Wind Certification Council, who are responsible for certifying small wind turbines.  More information about the process can be found on their website, SmallWindCertification.org.

Only through establishing rigid standards, testing and certification can consumers realize adequate protection from misleading and false claims, and assurance that manufacturing quality standards are in place.

We are proud of the efforts of the team and excited to begin the first round of tests!

For more information on the site, please see: K-State Announcement

frishman@frombeginningtowind.com
904-425-8518

The WECC Story

When Wayne Hildreth’s 26 year long career in the Navy came to an end, his desire to continue to serve and protect led him to the world of renewable energy. Wayne was excited that effective use of renewable energy could make a positive impact in the world.  He quickly realized that to many interested parties, initiating a wind energy project was overwhelming and expensive.

Wayne began researching ways to cut initial project costs and spending money unnecessarily.  This research led to the development of a series of step-by-step processes that provided clients with ‘off-ramps’ while simultaneously mitigating risk. The refinement of these steps became the basis for WECC’s ‘turn-key’ business model and in 2006 Wind Energy Consulting & Contracting was born.

Clad in shorts and golf shirts, Wayne, Rear Admiral David Harlow and the fledgling WECC team worked diligently from their first small office in Fernandina Beach, Florida (one-half block from the ocean).  They were one of the first companies to offer wind energy assessments and consulting services to people and businesses looking to offset high energy costs.  By the power of word of mouth buzz, business began to roll in and WECC’s offerings expanded to include hybrid renewable energy solutions and assessments.

Just as business began taking off, the economic recession hit and like most small businesses, WECC was hit hard.  With a staff that felt more like a family and a sincere dedication to the work that was being done, the company made a pledge to maintain the same level of service and expertise that they’d become known for, even if it meant taking a hit financially.

The company remained compact, which allowed them to rally together and quickly adjust their business model to meet the changing needs of their clients in this new economy.  The WECC focus never strayed from combining cutting edge technology with superior client services.  With over 500 wind and economic analyses and a full range of consulting services to hundreds of clients throughout the U.S., Caribbean basin, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, under their belt, the company feels confident that they remain on the right path.

Can Renewable Energy Teach Us To Be Better People?

The oil spill in the Gulf is still gushing to the surface, poisoning the ocean and marring the shores of our country.  It is the consequence that we’ve been warned about for years, the result of years of an admittedly shortsighted and selfish addiction to fossil fuels.  In the words of my favorite late night infomercial, “There’s got to be a better way!”

It’s clear that for the environment, renewable energy is that better way – clean is always better than dirty.  Renewable energy is economically better as well – the fuel source is free,  and renewable resources will always be better than limited resources with their fluctuating and often inflated pricing.

In the year that I’ve been in the industry, I’ve started wondering if renewable energy was also be a “better way” socially and psychologically.  The more that I thought about it, the more that I wondered – could renewable energy teach us to be better people?

You know that great feeling that you get when you do something good?  That inner peace and happiness that just takes over when you feel connected to something wonderful?  That’s a feeling that thousands of people across the country feel each day when they survey the landscape of their town and see bold, beautiful wind turbines spinning in all their glory.  It is the feeling that the children whose schools have installed solar panels feel when they look up and see clean energy in action.  There is a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment – and a sense of control.  By taking the steps to actively work towards reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, we are accepting that our actions make an impact.  We are taking control and asserting our ability to make our impact a positive one.  We are taking responsibility for the future.

At a time of unprecedented challenges for rural farmers, there is also hope. The ability to revitalize entire communities like Graham County, Kansas and ensure that our rural communities survive, is incredible.  When children see their parents and neighbors actively making changes that benefit the community at large, they learn selflessness.  They learn to take responsibility for their actions and they learn the power of one.  One person’s actions can make a difference.  One child can make a difference.  One turbine can make a difference.

Many schools get it. Kansas has a Wind for Schools program and many educational institutions across the country are installing renewable energy projects to educate and inspire their students.  The next generation is being given something very powerful – the knowledge that there are alternatives and the belief that they have a right to them.  At a young age they are being taught about how the decisions that they make and their consumption habits can affect the rest of the planet.  They are not just being taught about the problem, they are being handed the solution…and they are taking it to heart. Fifth-grader Abigail Stutzman was so inspired by the wind turbine installed at her elementary school that she declared, “When I grow up, I want to live off the grid,”.  When you were in elementary school, were you even aware that you lived on the grid?

There is a growing movement to structure renewable energy projects in a way that benefits the local economy and local schools.  In Buffalo, NY, FirstWind plans to expand their existing Steel Winds project to include 6 new turbines that will help provide funding for the Frontier school system.  By investing the profits in schools we will see new educational opportunities present themselves for our nation’s youth.  Doing good for the sake of doing good is a wonderful lesson to demonstrate to students.

Even the recent trends within the industry reflect a growing concern for the greater good. Many new projects that are popping up are arranged so that the benefits are invested directly back into the communities that host the projects.  People are taking action on behalf of their communities, the environment, and for future generations.  As someone who works in the industry I can tell you that employees of renewable energy companies have the added benefit of feeling really, really good about the work that we do. Being involved in renewable energy projects will change the way that you think.  It’s no longer just about you.  It’s about us.

If you don’t believe that renewable energy can make you feel good and positively impact the people around you, I dare you to try it.  In fact, I dare everyone who reads this to get involved in a renewable energy project.  Every “act of green” becomes a source of inspiration, planting the seeds from which the next act will grow.  We can grow a better future.  And that’s the power of renewable power.

Mandi@WECC
frishman@frombeginningtowind.com

Where the Wind Blows: Graham County, Kansas

Growing up I had three goals in life – to be Amish, to be a Native American and to be a Homesteader like Laura Ingalls Wilder.  There was something romantic to me about the idea of living off of the land and I desperately wanted a farm full of baby animals to bottle feed.

I spent last week in rural Kansas and got to live out my childhood dream of being surrounded by stunningly beautiful fields full of golden wheat, with the soft mooooooing of the adorable calves that dotted the landscape just barely audible over the wind.  I had fully expected to be taken by the land, but one thing that I did not anticipate was just how taken I would be with the people.

We were visiting our clients (the Graham County Economic Development Board) and in a county with less than 3,000 people our arrival did not go unnoticed.  I had the pleasure of staying at the beautiful Schweitzer Hotel, originally built in 1880 and filled with exquisite antiques.  Each morning groups of locals would stop in for coffee and conversation.  I can only describe it as the most live of live-tweets and the most social of social media.  And the freshly baked cake…yum!

When I sat down at the table that first morning and introduced myself as an employee of WECC, I was a bit nervous.  I’ve come to expect hesitance and uncertainty from people when I discuss wind energy projects in their backyards.  I was shocked at how well received I was.  Every single person that I encountered was elated that their County would be making use of their Class 3 and 4 winds.  The reason that I did not encounter a single NIMBY became clear to me on my second day there, during a conversation with one of the members of the board.

We were discussing his family’s history and their deep ties to Graham County.  I will never forget the look in his eyes when he explained to me that wind energy in the County was not for his benefit and not for the benefit of the majority of his generation – it was for their children and their children’s children.  It was to make sure that there was a future for Graham County.

That focus on the future and on the importance of community is something that was forged by the founders, farmers and families of the County.  There was no discussion of “I don’t like the way they look” or “Well why does his land get turbines and mine doesn’t?”.  These were kind hearted and generous people who took great pleasure in the successes of their neighbors.  There was a commitment to community unlike anything I had ever seen before – this was a place where roots ran deep.  The most negative thing that I heard during discussions about wind energy development in the county was, “I wish they’d hurry up and get the turbines here already”.

To those readers who don’t understand how huge that is, I met a wonderful farmer in a town about 2 hours outside of Graham who told me, “A couple years back there was supposed to be a huge wind farm out here but I guess one of the landowners decided that he had enough money and it never went through”.  Lack of community support is one of the uncontrollable factors that can put the kibosh on the most well planned of projects and to see an entire County rally together in support of wind energy is almost unheard of.

The development potential in the county is huge, with close access to transmission lines and a local government that is willing to work with developers. There are 9 months of existing Met tower data, wide roads that are close to major railways and a community that is committed to becoming a leader in wind energy generation.

I left for Graham County excited about the opportunities there and I came home committed to seeing those opportunities through.  Not for myself and not for WECC – but for the community that I had become a part of.  That’s my #WindStory.

One of many windmills in Graham County, Kansas

“Conservation and rural-life policies are really two sides of the same policy; and down at bottom this policy rests upon the fundamental law that neither man nor nation can prosper unless, in dealing with the present, thought is steadily taken for the future.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Mandi@WECC
frishman@frombeginningtowind.com

Wind Energy Awareness – Will Wind Work for Me?

Today we mark the second annual “Global Wind Day”, an event created to raise awareness and promote wind energy worldwide. With all of the buzz around wind, many people may be tempted to run out and purchase a turbine without knowing much about their wind energy potential.

Wind energy is a wonderful option for anyone looking to stabilize and offset their electric costs but it is important to note that if you don’t have wind, no turbine in the world will produce energy for you. WECC has a free online assessment that is ideal for anyone who is interested in wind energy but unsure if their site is ideal for a wind turbine.

For anyone just starting out on their wind journey, WECC offers a free WindSight preliminary wind assessment. Upon submitting basic information into a simple online form regarding your site and electric usage, a report will provide prepared by a WECC Wind Technician. The report will be sent to you that informs of the wind regime at your location, an initial siting assessment and a recommendation on the turbine size (if good wind exists) to help you get started with the decision process. Give it a try!

Happy Global Wind Day from the WECCies!

What’s Your Wind Story? #WindStory

Working at WECC has given me a “front row seat” to the incredible economic opportunities that wind power provides to individuals, businesses and communities.

Wind energy’s ability to create economic growth was one of the first things that struck me when I became involved in the industry.  I had an opportunity early on in my career to speak with Randy Parry, the President of the Rural Learning Center.  We spoke about the work that had been done in Miner County, South Dakota, and I walked away from the conversation incredibly inspired.  Using renewable energy and careful planning, Miner County has realized an economic impact of $40.5 million.

The ability to change lives with renewable energy is a source of daily inspiration for everyone at WECC.  We’ve noticed that many times the stories about the triumphs of individuals and communities get buried under the news about legislative issues and NIMBYs.

We’d like to bring some of the focus back to one of the main reasons that wind is such an attractive option – wind’s ability to positively impact people, businesses and communities.

WECC is inviting you to share your wind story with us.  You can post your story on youtube or write about your experience.  Share the link or story on our Facebook page, in the comments of this blog or on Twitter using the #WindStory hashtag.  We’ll highlight some of our favorites in the coming weeks.

-Mandi@WECC
frishman@frombeginningtowind.com

The Aesthetic Excuse Revisited

Americans have long been known for our obsession with appearances. Our collective beauty obsession and the pursuit of perfection have spawned multiple magazines, miracle creams and, no doubt, trips to the therapist’s office.

You may be wondering why I’m discussing the American aesthetic on a blog about wind energy. Did you know that there is a movement against wind energy based almost entirely on the aesthetics of wind turbines?

Perhaps it’s just me but I cannot find a single aesthetically pleasing thing about a power plant. I’ll admit, my opinion may be unfairly influenced by the ever present aroma of chemical pollutants or the surprising sting of smog as it hits my eyes – but I just don’t get it. I cannot find any logic to the argument that since some people in our country don’t like the way that turbines look, we’re going to continue poisoning ourselves by building more of what is apparently seen as the more attractive option – the conventional power plant.

I’ve included some photos for comparison:

Feel free to tell me how crazy I am for not finding the smoke spewing, pollutant belching power plant more aesthetically pleasing than a wind farm.

Wind turbines, some of which are designed to be no taller than a cell tower, are an excellent way to produce our own clean, renewable energy. We’ve grown accustomed to the sight of cell towers, water towers and utility poles on the horizon – why not turbines?

I think we can all agree that it is in our best interest to be less reliant on foreign powers for our energy needs. We all share a common desire to protect that which is dear to us. Decisions that will affect the future of the prairies, lakes, beaches, rivers and mountains of this great country should not be made based on someone’s idea of beauty.

Note: This was originally published in October of 2009 on our previous blog.  In light of the BP oil spill disaster, I felt that it was an appropriate theme to revisit.

-Mandi@WECC
frishman@frombeginningtowind.com

*Power plant photo from www.coal-is-dirty.com, Wind farm photo from www.focalenergy.nl