Energy Efficient Gardening – What about your soil

Posted on March 10, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

So you have your soil test back. Hopefully you have planted several plantings of your favorite stuff to eat so that they will continue to produce for as long as the weather will allow. In a totally fluke year I had some spinach that lasted for a year and well into the next spring.

It is time to start both improving your soil and planting your “main” crops. The soil test says that you “need something”. Now I am not going to cover all of the soil additives but usually there will be somekind of chemical deficiency. Here you run smack dab into your modern industrial farming dilemma. Don’t worry, this will only last for a year. At the end of World War II the world had a total surplus of explosives and poison gas. What to do? Well they converted the explosives to nitrogen fertilizer and they turned the poison gas into herbicides and pesticides. Farmers fell in love with them and well here we are no longer loving our food. NO2 (commonly called Nox) is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 It is estimated that when farmers fertilize there fields they castoff more greenhouses gases than the entire world’s transportation fleet:

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/5/16/124957/304

Nitrogen bomb

‘Science’: nitrogen as important as carbon in climate change

Posted by Tom Philpott at 5:05 PM on 16 May 2008

Speaking of the troubles associated with industrial agriculture and its fertilizer regime, check this out:

“The public does not yet know much about nitrogen, but in many ways it is as big an issue as carbon, and due to the interactions of nitrogen and carbon, makes the challenge of providing food and energy to the world’s peoples without harming the global environment a tremendous challenge.”

The speaker is University of Virginia environmental sciences professor James Galloway (quoted in an AP piece), talking about his paper published (abstract here) in the latest Science.

According to Galloway, “We are accumulating reactive nitrogen in the environment at alarming rates, and this may prove to be as serious as putting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.”

Nothing new here that I can tell at first glance. (I’d love to read the paper, but it’s password-protected.) I agree, though, that nitrogen’s role in climate change is way under-discussed.

The same issue of Science also contains an article about how synthesized nitrogen affects the oceans — specifically their role as greenhouse-gas sinks.

So what to do about nutrients? Well it all comes down to crap. That’s right manure, excrement or poo. Not your’s. Though there is a case to be made for that, the small scale gardener is hard pressed to deal with human crap. In fact there are better fertilizers around. But lets take a step backwards, in the “old days” of sustainable farming the farmers had all kinds of animals, goats, cows, horses, mules, and chickens to name a few. They would collect this shit and straw from their animal’s housing and their yards and toss it in a pile. At the end of the growing season they would take all this manure and spread it on their field. Over winter it would break down. Then in the spring when they plowed they would turn it into the soil and “there you have it” fertile soil.

http://www.aces.edu/department/crd/publications/ANR-723.html

	ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SERIES ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Agriculture & Natural Resources
EXTENSION ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, AUBURN UNIVERSITY, AL 36849-5647

Using Livestock Manure As Fertilizer

ANR-723, 1992. By Charles Mitchell, Extension Agronomist, Agronomy, Auburn University

Livestock manure is an excellent fertilizer for the soil, providing such nutrients as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Manure application can also benefit the soil’s water holding capacity and tilth. When using livestock manure, however, one should follow good management practices in order to avoid hazards to the crop and the environment. Sources Of Livestock ManurePoultry waste, cattle manure, and swine manure are all used as organic fertilizers in Alabama. They are all excellent sources for nutrients; however, nutrient compositions will vary among operations and over time. Users of manures from broiler houses, lagoons, or feedlots should have an idea of the total and available nutrient content before they are applied to land.Possible ProblemsBecause nitrate-nitrogen can leach into groundwater and both nitrogen and phosphorus can erode or runoff into streams, manure applications should be based strictly on the nutrient requirement of the crop. Therefore, the soil should be tested to determine nutrient needs for the crop to be grown.Good Management PracticesThe following precautions should be taken in order to prevent nutrient losses through leaching, erosion, and runoff:

Eliminate excessive applications.
Time applications appropriately, rotate crops,
and use winter cover crops. Apply manure when it will be utilized by the crop.
Incorporate or inject the applications into the
soil. Do not leave the manure on the soil surface.
Do not apply manure to steep slopes or during
periods prone to erosion and runoff.
Document the amounts and contents of material applied.
Protect soil from erosion.
Use filter strips or buffer zones between fields
and nearby streams

So when I end my growing season, I take a couple of big tubs to a local animal farm and I get free poo and straw from the farmer. Take it to my garden and toss it on. Big draw backs? It’s hard work and it stinks. But so what? Why did I say that this will be a problem for you only a year? Well because you have started a compost pile (hint hint) and you have located a farmer (hint hint). What to do now for you though. Well, you can go get fertilizer for one year and tell yourself everyone has to start somewhere. Or you can buy composted manure. Here again you have be to careful. Transportation and its oil use is the real issue so read the labels. Buy the composted manured produced the closest to you. If you are lucky you can find some poo from your own state. Now, if you have started your seeds inside and it’s time to plant YOUR plants. Or if you depend on a garden center it’s time to plant THEIR plants. Try to stagger them just like you did for your early crops so that they will produce for the entire growing season.

Oh, and for awhile you maybe a standard “row” gardener but there are more efficient ways to use your land:

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/

The Official Site of Square Foot Gardening and Mel Bartholomew, Originator and Author

Welcome To My Garden

No Work, Organic Gardening the Square Foot Way

or french intensive gardening

http://www.learn2grow.com/gardeningguides/edibles/planting/FrenchLesson.aspx

A French Lesson in Intensive Planting

Linnea Thornton

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Barbara Wilde, L’Atelier Vert,Everything French Gardening, frenchgardening.com

This juvenile bed in a French garden shows how closely young plants are crowded together in intensive planting.

Crowding a bunch of plants in a narrow plot might not seem like a good idea at first. After all, it runs counter to everything you’ve learned about gardening. But this specialized method of planting – called French intensive gardening – is actually a tried-and-true technique to maximize your harvest in a small space. Even if you’ve only got a tiny plot, you can get amazing results if you develop it properly.
As you might’ve guessed by its name, French intensive gardening evolved in Europe. Its purpose is to make the most of limited growing space. Known as “square-foot gardening” in the US, it’s also the preferred method of many growers who want extra produce for themselves or to share with friends and neighbors.

Garden To Save Energy – How to rev up the veggies

Posted on March 9, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

OK so you have picked the site for your garden. You have picked the size of your garden. You have turned the soil for your garden. You have sent your soil off to be tested by the Ag extension office (if you are in the USA). There are a couple of things that you can plant now that are soil indifferent while you are waiting for the test results. The list includes most roots, like carrots, potatoes, turnips, radishes, and parsnips to name a few. All the roots care about is that the soil is well worked – no stones, no clumps and broken up deep. The onion family will grow almost anywhere any time. This is also true of the leafy vegetables. From lettuce to kale to spinach they all can be planted early and often. Sandy soil is the one thing that negates all that I have said so far. Because it drains fast and has few nutrients. But you can see whether your soil is too sandy just by looking at it.

Today I want to discuss 2 factors to keep in mind at this stage of your gardening, besides saying that you will make mistakes and nature will deal you a bad hand at times. It happens to all of us. 1. Assess your tastes. Tastes change over time and if you have never had the plant that you are growing FRESH, get fresh and try it. In my case, I had never had fresh spinach. I had grown to quickly hate the canned spinach dished out by mom and the school cafeteria, thus I thought all spinach tasted like that. Boy was I wrong! Fresh spinach rocks. I have gotten to the point where I cook with it alot too but it takes practice.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/04/earlyshow/living/recipes/main2883739.shtml

(CBS) When the editors of Taste of Home magazine asked their readers for submissions for their Garden Bounty recipe contest, they were inundated with all manner of delicious dishes, from appetizers to salads to vegetarian entrees to fruit-laden desserts.

After reviewing all the recipes, they found their winner: Kathryn Pehl, the third 2007 Taste of Home contest winners to appear on The Early Show. Katie hails from Prescott, Ariz., and the judges could not resist her Spaghetti Squash with Red Sauce, especially her flavorful tomato sauce, which is served over spaghetti squash instead of the usual pasta.

If you’re interested in participating in a Taste of Home recipe competition, the next contest is “Corn is King.” You can also still submit a recipe for Slow Cookers. To get more information, click here.

2. Every “GOOD” gardener will tell you to buy plants at a greenhouse or a garden center for great production. But think about it. The main reason this Site is discussing gardening is to SAVE energy. If the greenhouse grew their plants from seed, fine. But a lot of places truck their plants in…and that is kinda missing the point. I urge people to start there plants from seed where and whenever they can:

http://www.yougrowgirl.com/grow/seeds_veg.php

A Beginners Guide to Vegetable Seed Starting

by miss gard(e)ner Inhabit Hardiness Zones 5 through 8?
Ready to start your growing season?
The much anticipated moment has arrived.

Planning

Keep the following in mind when planning your garden:

Climate:

Space limitations:

Domestic habits:

Production levels:

tomatoes

Aesthetic desires:

Seed Sowing Schedule

This seed starting chart will help you figure out exactly when to plant different seeds.
First, determine your region’s frost-free date. Ask your local plant nursery or gardener neighbor. Alternatively, check out–www.almanac.com. The reality of weather makes an `exact’ date rarely exact. Keep in mind the forecasts for your region. A colder, longer winter? Push the date forward a few weeks. As they say, better safe then sorry.

Or the millions of other sites set up for this:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Starting-Vegetables-Indoors-from-Seed&id=479111

http://www.vegetablegardeningguru.com/seed-starting.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_12174_start-vegetable-seeds.html

This early in the game you can do other things to save energy, like starting a compost pile:

http://www.hribar.com/how-to-save-energy.htm

www.backyardgardener.com/compost/index.html

Compost heaps

There are several ways in which compost heaps can be made and various theories exist as to the way in which they should be treated. There are two important points which are essential for successful compost making and these are adequate drainage and aeration and sufficient moisture.

A compost heap is a necessary feature in the average garden. It provides a means of collecting the surprising amount of waste material which is gathered together during regular garden maintenance and it supplies the garden, or rather, the soil, with valuable organic matter. This organic matter fulfils several vital functions. It helps to improve the structure of the soil, especially the heavy clay types and the light sandy kinds. It encourages a vigorous root system and also acts as a sponge to retain moisture. Light, sandy soils tend to dry out rather badly and a high humus content is necessary to overcome this problem. Well-rotted composted vegetable waste can be used as a mulch around plants and between rows of vegetables where it will smother small annual weeds and prevent the surface soil from drying out badly.

Save water by using a soaker hose and:

http://www.uk-energy-saving.com/saving_water.html

Tips on Saving Water in the Garden

Collect rainwater and use a watering can instead of a hose. If you prefer to use a hosepipe, fit a trigger nozzle to control the flow. Water Butts for your garden can be purchased at Greenfingers Trading Ltd

Water your garden in the cool of the early morning or evening. This will reduce the amount of water lost to evaporation.

If you water plants and shrubs too often their roots will remain shallow, weakening the plant. Leave them alone until they show signs of wilting.

Regularly weed and hoe your garden, to ensure that watering helps plants and not weeds.

Plant flowers and shrubs that thrive in hot and dry conditions such as thyme, evening primrose, rock rose, Californian poppy, pinks, lavender, buddleia and hebes.

Mulches such as wood chips, bark and gravel help to prevent water evaporation and also suppress weed growth, saving you both water and time spent weeding.

Lawns can survive long periods of dry weather if the grass is not cut too short. Even if the grass turns brown, it will quickly recover after a few days of rain.

Garden sprinklers can use as much water in an hour as a family of four uses in a day. If you use a sprinkler, many water companies require you to have a water meter fitted.

This can become a lifestyle if you let it and I do.

What Is The Most Environmental Thing You Can Do Right Now – It saves energy as well

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Plant a garden. You think I am kidding right. BUT if everyone on the planet who does not have a vegetable garden planted one, the world would change. Most products that you buy in the grocery store in America travel 1,500 miles…That’s a lot of gasoline products. All the produce, herbs and flowers you grow soak up carbon dioxide, especially sweet corn. Plus if you compost your garden waste you put that carbon directly into the soil where it will not be released. Plant a tree while you are at it. If all 7 billion people in the world planted a tree our problems would temporarily be over. Young trees soak up an incredible amount of carbon as they grow. Not to mention the health and well being benefits from working out doors and being away from modern stress inducers. Or the health benefits of eating good nutritious food. If you have kids teach them how to do it (it is no longer innate) and you will have passed along a valuable skill. Invest in an efficient refrigerator and a small efficient freezer to store your valuable products. This saves bunches too. If you are really adventurous invest in a dehydrator and a solar cooker or make your own. You save even more. By the time you are done heck you wlll amaze yourself at how much you have done. Seem impossible? NOPE, it starts with the first seed you plant. So lets get agrowing.

Getting Started:

Some of you are lucky to have year round growing conditions. As the world warms more of you will enjoy that perk. But where I live in Illinois it’s pretty much a 3 season affair. Today is March 6th and I plan on planting a row of peas and some lettuce and spinach. That will be dicey though and if we have an ice storm in April or early May it will be a wipe out. Such is life. If I get lucky I will be freezing sweet peas by the end of May. Here are some great sources for getting in the groove.

http://www.finegardening.com/

Planning Your First Vegetable Garden

March 5th, 2009 in Grow It, Live It

Ruth Dobsevage, editor

So you’ve decided to grow some veggies this year? Welcome to the club. Before you decide on what to grow or pick up a spade, you need to make some basic decisions about your garden’s location, size, and shape. Here are some things to consider.

Location
Walk around your property as you try to decide on a location for your garden-to-be.

Vegetables do best in full sun. You will get decent results with less than that, but in general strive for a site that gets at least six hours a day during the summer. Remember that sun patterns change dramatically with the seasons; a site that looks good in April may be too shady when the leaves come out.

Another factor to consider is proximity to your kitchen. You are more likely to check out your garden frequently if it is close to the house. My garden is maybe 30 feet from the kitchen door. When I need some parsley or mint, or maybe a few more tomatoes for a salad, it’s not a big deal to go out and get them.

If you have a choice, a flat area is better than a hilly one. A gently sloped site can work well, especially one that faces south or west.

What about water? You will most likely want a source close by, be it an outside tap, a rain barrel, or even a stream or pond.

Don’t despair if your lot is is very small. Even if you don’t see a way to create a separate garden area, you can probably tuck a couple of vegetable plants in somewhere: near the house or by the garage, perhaps. Or on the deck in containers.

Size and shape
For a garden of moderate size, aim for 400 square feet (20×20) to 625 square feet (25×25). You’ll have enough space to grow several different crops, but not so much that you’ll be overwhelmed. If even that seems daunting, start small. You can always enlarge the space later.

Gardens are generally square or rectangular, but they don’t have to be. You may want a different configuration to take advantage of sun patterns, to work around boulders, or just for artistic reasons. The plants won’t care if they are arranged in straight lines or curves.

Personally I pick any 10 x 20 ft area that is unshaded and jump in. Begginners should start smaller. But if you are going to grow peppers, squash, corn or tomatoes you need a lot of space. Just think, the bigger your garden the less grass to mow.

http://www.organicgardening.com/

The Beginner’s Guide to Organic Gardening

Gardening is not too complex. Almost all of us–probably in grade school–planted a seed in a cup of dirt, watered it, and watched it grow. But creating a garden that produces fresh food and flowers all season is not so elementary, especially to those who did not grow up gardening. So we’ve compiled this guide to the basics of organic gardening and the keys to success we’ve learned over the years. When you’re done reading, look at your thumb–you may see a tint of green that wasn’t there before.

No. 1 Plant Seeds

1. Make your bed. About three weeks before you are ready to plant, after the soil has dried so that it doesn’t clump when you pick up a fistful, sink a fork into the earth. Loosen it down to about 12 inches, add a half-inch layer of compost, and rake the surface of your garden until it has no weeds, dirt clumps, or big stones. Over the next three weeks, pull any weeds that come up. Raking and then letting the soil sit for a few weeks brings out weed seeds that were lurking in the soil.
For more information on garden beds, check out this article about raised beds and this video to see how to build a raised bed, or watch this video to see how to turn your lawn into a garden bed.

I am not going to copy all of this stuff. go and read it yourself. If you have never done it before this is essential reading:

Garden Design

Horticulture

Garden Design

Country Gardens

Gardening How-To

Herb Quarterly

Growing Edge

Water Gardening

Garden Compass

Don’t read too long though, that’s what winter or nightfall is for. Get out doors! NOW

The Climate March In Washington – I purposely did not want to post this until the event was over

Posted on March 5, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

People protesting in great numbers or with great effect comes and goes. There are 2 types of “marching in the street”. There is Cause Marching and there is Purpose Marching. These types of protests can draw people from all over the country and draw hundreds of thousands of people; or they can consist of 25 people and Al Sharpton Marching in front of the New York Times building. Sometimes those protests can escalate to riots. Most notably the Civil War Veteran’s protest that rankled Grant’s first Term in office and the Hay Market incident in Chicago. The Poverty March on Washington led by Martin Luther King was a more peaceful example. But the March Against Climate Change was not going to be one of those.

You could tell by the lack of activity on the internet and the preposterous claims by the organizers, that this was pretty much going to be a dud. I mean does no one think rationally about these things. The organizers thought that 10,000 people would come to DC and protest in early March? In the dead of winter? Maybe on a nice spring day but….So maybe 10,000 people came to the PowerShift09 Conference but didn’t want to freeze there butts off or maybe the conference was a bust too. Who knows? Nobody is really saying. But from the pictures and everyone’s estimates about 2,500 people showed up in the SNOW…What? Don’t they get the Weather Channel? All that having been said, here is how the regular media guys saw it:

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1882700,00.html

Despite Snow — and Irony —

a Climate Protest Persists

By Bryan Walsh / Washington

The call rang out through Washington early on the morning of March 2: the biggest act of civil disobedience against global warming in American history would not, in fact, be snowed out.

Environmental groups, led by Greenpeace and the Rainforest Action Network, had enlisted eco-celebrities such as Robert Kennedy Jr. and Bill McKibben and registered more than 2,000 youth protesters from around the country for a march on the coal-fired Capitol Power Plant, which supplies steam and cooled water to Congress. They planned to shut down the plant by peacefully blocking the entrances, a textbook act of civil disobedience for which many expected — perhaps eagerly — to be arrested. The message was simple: the burning of coal, which accounts for some 40% of U.S. carbon emissions, “is destroying the planet through global warming,” as Kennedy put it. America needs to get off coal, which supplies nearly half the country’s electricity, if it wants to have any hope of controlling its greenhouse gas emissions, and it should start with the Capitol plant. (See the top 10 green ideas of 2008.)

As it turned out, the action may have been almost too successful. On Feb. 26, just a few days before the protest, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate majority leader Harry Reid called for the 103-year-old plant to switch from coal to cleaner-burning natural gas, a move long pushed for by environmentalists but blocked by representatives from coal-heavy states. Protesters claimed an early victory. “Getting the plant to switch shows the power of popular pressure,” said Steven Biel, the director of Greenpeace’s global-warming campaign. But there was no doubt that by responding before the protesters hit the streets of the capital, Congress was simply moving one set of goalposts off the field.

This is how the organizers saw it. Please note that they only list three media sources. I call that a “big whup”

http://www.capitolclimateaction.org/

UNPRECEDENTED PROTEST

March 3rd, 2009

Yesterday thousands of people came together to offer an unprecedented example of mass protest and civil disobedience for the climate.

More than 2500 activists, many willing to risk arrest, successfully blockaded all five entrances to the Capitol Power Plant for more than four hours.

As impressive as that is, this action wasn’t just about this one coal-fired powerplant. The scale and the commitment of the participants was the biggest example yet of the kind of public support necessary to solve the climate crisis.

We aren’t going to stop global warming by just changing lightbulbs and driving hybrid cars. The only real solution is to come together and demand unprecedented change through unprecedented action.

And that’s exactly what happened yesterday.

Take a look at the media coverage of the action:

From the AP: Thousands rally for legislation on climate change

In Time Magazine: Despite Snow — and Irony — a Climate Protest Persists

On Alternet: Thousands Storm Capitol Hill in Largest Protest Against Global Warming

Victory: this is how to stop global warming

March 2nd, 2009

More amazing images from the largest mass civil disobedience for the climate in U.S. history where thousands of activists shut down the Capitol Power Plant. The only way we’re going to solve the climate crisis is by coming together and taking action. Like this:

Either way it looks sooooo cold. The only way to get warm was to go back to your hotel room and suck power.

“God has a sense of humor,” said protester Rhody Streeter, of Louisville, Ky., referring to the weather.

Is Capitalism An Illusion – Have we been deluded for the last 100 years?

Posted on March 4, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

The American public has been told for 100 years that prices are controlled by supply and demand. What if that is not true? The implications for how we treat the rich are enormous. Yet the energy market, one of our largest ever, is pointing to the idea that there is no relation between supply and demand.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29495753/

Oil producers running out of storage space

Glut caused by world slowdown leaves the world awash in crude

NEW YORK – Supertankers that once raced around the world to satisfy an unquenchable thirst for oil are now parked offshore, fully loaded, anchors down, their crews killing time. In the United States, vast storage farms for oil are almost out of room.

As demand for crude has plummeted, the world suddenly finds itself awash in oil that has nowhere to go.

It’s been less than a year since oil prices hit record highs. But now producers and traders are struggling with the new reality: The world wants less oil, not more. And turning off the spigot is about as easy as turning around one of those tankers.

So oil companies and investors are stashing crude, waiting for demand to rise and the bear market to end so they can turn a profit later.

Meanwhile, oil-producing countries such as Iran have pumped millions of barrels of their own crude into idle tankers, effectively taking crude off the market to halt declining prices that are devastating their economies.

Traders have always played a game of store and sell, bringing oil to market when it can fetch the best price. They say this time is different because of how fast the bottom fell out of the oil market.

“Nobody expected this,” said Antoine Halff, an analyst with Newedge. “The majority of people out there thought the market would keep rising to $200, even $250, a barrel. They were tripping over each other to pick a higher forecast.”

Now the strategy is storage. Anyone who can buy cheap oil and store it might be able to sell it at a premium later, when the global economy ramps up again.

The oil tanks that surround Cushing, Okla., in a sprawling network that holds 10 percent of the nation’s oil, have been swelling for months. Exactly how close they are to full is a closely guarded secret, but analysts who cover the industry say Cushing is approaching capacity.

There are other storage tanks in the country with plenty of extra room to take on oil, but Cushing is the delivery point for the oil traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange. So the closer Cushing gets to full, the lower the price of oil goes.

YET the price of gasoline continues to go up…How is that possible? Prices in Springfield went from $1.75 to current price of $1.99 in a day. This article is a month old BUT:

http://money.cnn.com/2009/01/16/news/economy/gasoline/index.htm

Gasoline prices continue to rise

Pump prices rose 20 cents since January; above $2 a gallon in three states.

By Kenneth Musante, CNNMoney.com staff writer

January 16, 2009: 2:55 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Average gasoline prices rose 1.7 cents Friday, according to a daily survey of gas station credit card swipes.

The price of gas rose to a national average of $1.816 a gallon from $1.799 a day earlier, according to motorist group AAA. Prices were higher than the $1.667 a gallon reported a month ago, but lower than the $3.044 a gallon gas was selling for on the same day last year.

Gas prices have risen for the past three days, according to AAA data, and are nearly 20 cents higher than they were on Jan. 1.

Gas prices initially rose last year, following a resurgence in the price of crude oil, gas’s main ingredient. But as concern about falling demand for oil sent crude prices down more than $6 a barrel this week, the drivers may be in for a decline in gas prices as well.

“The American consumer is still staying home,” said Geoff Sundstrom, fuel price analyst at AAA.

“There’s absolutely no reason why the price of gasoline should be as high as it is,” he said.

No reason what so ever.

Changing To A Sustainable Economy A Matter Of Choice – It’s in the can man

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It really is a matter of quitting. We do not have to emit life threatening green house gases into the upper atmosphere if we do not want to. That’s a fact jack:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-sweden-carbonfree_goeringmar03,0,3023238.story

Going green: Entire Swedish city switches

to biofuels to become environmentally

friendly

Industrial community makes change with a minimum of cost, pain

By Laurie Goering |Tribune correspondent

March 3, 2009

KALMAR, Sweden — Though a fraction of Chicago’s size, this industrial city in southeast Sweden has plenty of similarities with it, including a long, snowy winter and a football team the town’s crazy about.

One thing is dramatically different about Kalmar, however: It is on the verge of eliminating the use of fossil fuels, for good, and with minimal effect on its standard of living.

The city of 60,000—and its surrounding 12-town region, with a quarter-million people—has traded in most of its oil, gas and electric furnaces for community “district heat,” produced at plants that burn sawdust and wood waste left by timber companies. Hydropower, nuclear power and windmills now provide more than 90 percent of the region’s electricity.

Kalmar’s publicly owned cars and buses—and a growing share of its private and business vehicles—run on biogas made from waste wood and chicken manure, or an 85 percent ethanol blend from Brazil.

ust as important, the switch from oil and gas is helping slash fuel bills and preserve jobs in a worldwide economic downturn. And despite dramatic drops in fossil fuel consumption, residents say nobody has been forced to give up the car or huddle around the dining table wearing three sweaters to stay warm.

“We are not eco-freaks,” said Carolina Gunnarsson, a sustainability officer with the Kalmar County regional council, as her teenage daughter, wearing a tank top, lounged on their living room sofa on a snowy February afternoon. “We’re just making it easy to change, giving people the tools.”

If you think it’s just those liberal Swedes whose sole reason for their success is “it’s small and has a homogenous population”. Like why they can supply nationwide healthcare, universal education, paid maturnity leave and have the happiest population in the whole world. Well they do the same thing in Illinois, I mean the environment part.

http://www.prairiecrossing.com/pc/site/index.html

Welcome to Prairie Crossing

Prairie Crossing is a critically-acclaimed conservation community that was designed to combine responsible development, the preservation of open land and easy commuting by rail. The community offers a variety of housing options, including 359 single family homes and 36 condominiums, all designed in Midwestern vernacular architecture and built to the highest standards of energy efficiency. The single family homes are sold out, but a limited number of condominiums are still available! Please explore our website for information about the Organic Farm, shops and restaurants, Metra commuter rail service, Charter School, and our restored natural areas, as well as the Guiding Principles underlying the community.

Then you could say, “well that is all well and good for Illinois. But that wouldn’t fly in a small rural state”. Of course unless you are in say Georgia:

http://www.serenbecommunity.com/home.html

At home at Serenbe.
Let’s say you could create the perfect place to live. Blank slate. Anything you want.

You might want a place where your quality of life was extraordinarily high. Where you felt an easy sense of community. Where the principles of sustainability touched everything from your home’s methods of construction to the organic produce on your table that was grown by one of your neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, you might prefer an eclectic group, from artists to writers to farmers to business people. You might like to walk paths that take you through both forest and meadow, ride horses along tree-canopied trails, or hear music outdoors in your neighborhood amphitheatre. Maybe you’d just like a place to get away, a place where you can enjoy a simpler life. For miles around you the Chattahoochee Hill Country is protected with a master plan that calls for 80% green space.

Let’s say you’d like a place where you can stroll as well as stride. Where you can spend time being as well as doing. Then perhaps Serenbe is a place you’d be at home.

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To All Cubs, Sox, Bears, Bulls and Chicago Sports Fans In General – Mike Nadel needs your help

Posted on March 2, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

OK I know that since I scrapped Weird Bird Friday I have only posted about Energy and Environmental Issues…BUT I spent the whole day tearing out nasty 50 year old insulation. There were thousands of mud hornets nests and wasp nests, along with some real live wasps. This was because there was an unsealed vent behind this 1950 paneling and very nasty filthy insulation full of dust. So the problem is fixed after 10 hours work and I am whipped. Energy Tough Love is sometimes a very tough dirty work. So….

My favorite sports writer and number 2 funny man Mike Nadel got terminated by the pukes at GateHouse News. Please go here to protest that:

http://www.gatehousemedia.com/

Tell the jerk faces they made a mistake.

But you can also help Mike. He started a website or Blog and he needs our help and support SOOOO if you would go there and show your support that would be great. It’s:

http://thebaldesttruth.blogspot.com

Here is a sample that I think shows his wit and charm. Please football players stay out of ocean going fishing boats. NOTHING ever good comes from it:

What’s up, Chicago?

^Since, first and foremost, I’m still a Chicago sports hack, it’s time to return to my roots with an update on what’s going on around town …

NORTH SIDERS

Bloody-sock boy Curt Schilling is telling people he wants to pitch for The Team That Championships Forgot, prompting the Sun-Times to ask readers: “What would Schilling look like in a Cubs uniform?”

The obvious answer: He’d look like an old, broken-down Cub.

There would be a sentimental reason to get him, I suppose. After all, it would be nice to have a current player who was an active big-leaguer when the Cubs won the ’45 pennant.

SOUTH SIDERS

People are doubting and dissing the White Sox again, which means they’re a pretty solid bet. Seems whenever they are supposed to be bad they end up being good (and vice versa).

Still, Sox fans can’t feel too good about their heroes’ chances if they have to rely on a pitcher – Jose Contreras – who is old enough to be Schilling’s dad.

BEARS

Jerry Angelo has a funny way of backing up his declaration that he needs to “fix” the QB situation.

Matt Cassel could have been had for a first-round draft pick. And several other quarterbacks, including Kurt Warner, could be had for nothing more than a pile of McCaskey moolah.

But no!

Kyle Orton, the QB Angelo says isn’t good enough, remains a shoo-in to return under center.

Though Orton isn’t an All-Pro, maybe Angelo finally has realized that the Bears’ receivers rank just a tad behind those Cassel worked with in New England and Warner threw to in Arizona.

Not that Angelo plans to actually bring in guys who can get open and catch the ball.

Good news, though, Bear Country … the GM is making progress in talks aimed at bringing back John St. Clair.

Super Bears, Super Bowl!

BULLS

One need not read between the lines to recognize that John Paxson is getting tired of Vinny Del Excuse. All one has to do is read the lines.

After Del Excuse told a large media contingent that the new players Paxson acquired would need time and practice to fit in, the GM told the Tribune:

“I don’t see that as a big issue. It would be great to have some practice time … but that’s not the reason we didn’t play well in New Jersey and Washington. We didn’t come out ready to play.”

Paxson didn’t need to say whose job it is to get the team ready to play.

In their most recent game, the Bulls made an amazing fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Rockets. The most amazing thing: Del Excuse actually let his best player off the bench during crunch time, and Derrick Rose responded by leading the rally.

Interesting how that works.

BLACKHAWKS

Young. Exciting. Fun. Successful.

Oh, and on TV, too.

Who’da thunk it?

When The Wind Blows – The blades go round and round, the blades go round and round

Posted on February 27, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

The money continues to mount. Think about it. Wind turbines last 25 years at least. If you buy one now the utility companies could be defunct by the time they need maintenance:

http://venteraenergy.com

Ventera’s 12kW Hybrid Electric System

Ventera VT10 on the Rohn Tower

Run Your Electric Meter Backwards!

It doesn’t get any simpler than this. This new concept in generating your own renewable energy performs much like any large electrical appliance such as a clothes dryer or air conditioner, but instead of taking electrical power FROM an outlet, you put electricity INTO the outlet! If at any time your wind and solar system is producing more energy than you are using, your electric meter will run backwards reducing your electric bill. If your electrical loads are larger than the wind generator and solar production, your meter will slow down reflecting your reduced need to buy electricity at retail from the utility. No batteries are used or required! You get up to 12 kilowatts of hybrid renewable electricity, 10 kilowatts from the new Ventera VT10 wind turbine and 2 kilowatts from solar photovoltaics 100% of which goes directly to reduce your electric bill by means of our exclusive dual input VI12 synchronous inverter.

Designed to Pay for Itself

Few things in this life are free, but you might agree our new Ventera V12 wind and solar system comes pretty close. Designed for at least a 30 year life and minimum maintenance, the Ventera wind turbine on an 80 foot tower can produce $2000 or more worth of electricity per year, electricity you would otherwise have to buy, if your wind regime is 12.5mph-5.5m/s (class III) or better and you pay 8 cents or more for electricity. In not much more than 10 years you’ll have earned back your original investment and in 30 years you could pocket 3 times or more the original investment! If you assume electric rates will go up in the coming years, and many predict they’ll go up faster than the rate of inflation, you’ll earn back your investment even faster. If you can depreciate the wind turbine cost as a farm or business expense, your payback will be even sooner. If your average wind speed is greater than 12.5 mph-5.5m/s, which is true for many sites in the US Midwest, your payback can be sooner yet. And, some states offer tax credits for small wind systems reducing the payback time even further. Careful design of every component and advanced tooling and manufacturing processes bring the initial cost of the Ventera turbine, synchronous inverter and self-supporting tower to historic lows. The frame is an aluminum casting (made from environmentally friendly recycled aluminum), not an expensive weldment. The downwind orientation eliminates the need for a costly and cumbersome tail. The blades are injection molded for low cost and absolute uniformity. The brushless, one-moving-part, large diameter alternator minimizes the use of copper, steel and rare earth magnet material. Our unique synchronous inverter utilizes a common power handling stage with separate wind and solar peak power tracking input stages to bring you hybrid grid connection at an unheard of low price.

These people are actually more for utility companies but if a town banded together they could probably buy one:

http://www.windenergysolutions.ca

“To bring Wind energy everywhere”

Wind Energy Solutions Canada is a specialized company in technical solutions for energy problems. We as manufacturers together with WES Netherlands are selling the turbine product range from a former famous Dutch Wind Turbine manufacturer.

Many of our customers can be found in the agricultural, commercial businesses and small grid operators. Because WES does not focus on the very large wind parks, but mostly on small projects and distributed generation, our customers can be assured of tailor-made solutions that can help them reduce their electricity bills and enable them to sell to the electricity net.

Our Partners:

Wind Energy Solutions BV (Netherlands): www.windenergysolutions

Is a manufacturer of small and medium size wind turbines.

They supply turbines worldwide ranging from 2.5 kW up to 250 kW. The turbines can be grid connected or they are able to stand alone with a diesel generator.

With over 1500 turbines installed, their products are present worldwide and have proven their reliability.

Greely Construction

Leading edge group of companies which provide a suite of services for the design and construction of outside plant infrastructure and distribution networks.
Focusing on the needs of telecommunications and cable operators, public utilities, and municipalities.
Conquering the design/build challenges of state-of-the-art distribution networks

This company could hand make a system for a home owner but it would be expensive. Still they ARE made in the USA:

Wind Turbine Industries Corp. Sole manufacturer of the
Jacobs Wind Systems since 1986.

The Jacobs Wind Systems are on the cutting edge for providing clean, quality, reliable and efficient power in the USA and around the world.In the energy conscious person of today we see a desire to reduce electrical usage or cut the cost paid for energy consumption. A Jacobs Wind System can provide you a means of offsetting the ever-rising costs of your electrical energy.

MADE IN THE USA

Wind Turbines For The Home – Well for the first one it would have to be a really

Posted on February 26, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

really really really big home. Maybe a neighborhood or a subdivision. Still:

http://northernpower.com

Catch the Wind

…by discovering the Northwind 100! Northern Power’s 35 years as a wind industry leader has informed the intelligent, elegant and powerful design of our 100kW turbine.

Discover how the gearless direct drive technology, aerodynamically designed blades and SmartView Web Service create the ideal energy solution for your application.

Call us at 1 877 90 NORTH. We look forward to working with you to provide solutions for your energy needs.

What’s New?

New York Times article highlights the benefits of Northern Power’s turbines

Click Here

We Are Hiring

Northern Power’s team is expanding with many great opportunities

View Our Job Listings Here

100 Kw is a tad big for our little 850 sq. ft. house but please note THEY Are Hiring. These are the much bandied about “green jobs”. Who else is hiring? MacDonalds? Back to the more affordable turbines:

http://www.redriven.net/

No. 1 in Modern Energy

Over the past year, the term “going green” has conquered the world. The media and environmental organizations are promoting sustainability, persuading people to live ecologically conscious lifestyles for the sake of the environment and longevity of the planet. A green lifestyle is no longer just a necessity, but also a huge trend. People everywhere are challenging themselves to reduce their ecological footprint by recycling, shopping with reusable bags, reducing their hot water usage, and purchasing clothing made from environmentally friendly materials. [ Read More … ]

Almost everyone is doing something small to contribute to the sustainability of the environment. ReDriven wants everyone to take their passion for the environment a step further by considering a wind turbine. Very few people reflect on the environmental impact of their energy source. They may know that it their power source is bad for the environment but think of it as a necessity; everyone needs electricity. A wind turbine substantially reduces and almost eliminates the pollution and C02 emissions generated from a traditional power source, making them a great resource for people and communities looking to significantly reduce their environmental footprint. With a wind turbine, people are able to benefit from the convenience of electricity without substantially harming the planet.

This year, the United States Government passed the U.S. Renewable Energy Tax Incentive Extension, granting tax credits to people and businesses that purchase a wind turbine. The government believes that by allowing people easier access to diverse energy sources, including a wind turbine, energy prices will drop and businesses will be able to make an easy transition into more environmentally friendly production. Like many others, the government is recognizing the ecologically beneficial nature of the wind turbine, viewing them as an intricate and essential component of America’s future. By giving people and businesses tax credits for purchasing a wind turbine, they are encouraging them to live sustainably and creating more environmentally friendly jobs, thereby promoting a healthier and more ecologically friendly America.

Few people realize how damaging their traditional fossil fuel energy sources are for the environment. With the majority of citizens still using fossil fuels and not investing in a wind turbine, dangerous amounts of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, particulates, and mercury are released into the environment on a daily basis. The use of fossil fuels over a wind turbine not only hinders people’s well-being and health, but also contributes to green house gasses and global warming. It is imperative that all families and businesses consider the long term environmental advantages of the wind turbine. Unlike traditional fossil fuel sources, a wind turbine does not emit pollution while generating energy. Although, pollution is generated while manufacturing a wind turbine, once it is constructed it is emission and pollution free. After nine months of environmentally friendly use, a wind turbine easily pays back the pollution emitted during manufacturing. Additionally, a substantial percentage of a wind turbine is fully recyclable. A wind turbine is an ideal energy source for anyone looking for an environmentally friendly and sustainable electricity source.

It is clear that the environment is in a dire situation. People everywhere are clamoring to do their part in saving the planet but sometimes a carrying reusable grocery bags and recycling just isn’t enough. ReDriven wants everyone to consider replacing their energy source with a wind turbine. Taking energy from the natural environment, a wind turbine preserves the ecological system by eliminating pollution released during electricity production. A wind turbine is the future of energy generation and an excellent way for people to significantly reduce their ecological footprint.

Wind Power

Throughout the world, wind power is quickly gaining popularity. Even though wind power only accounts for 1% of the earth’s power, the number is continually rising as wind power gains ground as a profitable and effective energy source. Wind power electricity production has quadrupled over the past six years, with Denmark, Germany, the United States, and Spain, leading the pack. Denmark generates one fifth of its total electricity through wind power, which is the highest production rate in the world. The United States and European governments, businesses, and people are championing wind power, recognizing its affordability and beneficial effects on the environment. [ Read More … ]

Many countries are now investing in wind power over fossil fuels, causing the industry to grow substantially from year to year. ReDriven wants to supply people with the tools and knowledge they need to generate ecologically friendly electricity. Wind power does not produce air pollution while generating electricity, making it better for the environment than fossil fuels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and global warming. With 20 KW, 10 KW, and 5 KW units, ReDriven have wind power turbines to fulfill all businesses, companies, and governments needs. Their modern and aesthetically pleasing wind power generators are an excellent and modern source of electricity for people looking for a cost effective and environmentally friendly energy source. People throughout the world are advocating for wind turbines and their positive effects on the environment. ReDriven is devoted to helping people purchase and attain wind power electricity sources.

In 1999, wind power only accounted for .1% of the United States’ total generated electricity. Over the past nine years, attitudes towards the environment have changed, causing wind power electricity to rapidly increase; wind power is now over 1% of the countries total electricity. With the rise of green living and the popularity of the “Planet Earth” documentary, people are no longer blindly polluting and countries and families alike are looking for more sustainable energy sources. The environment has become an internationally relevant topic that everyone is aware of. The government and environmentally conscious businesses and home owners are taking it upon themselves to consider more viable energy sources that are less harmful to the environment than traditional fossil fuels. Fortunately, they have found it in wind power; The U.S. Department of Energy has discovered that the abundance of wind flowing across the Great Plains has the ability to power the entire nation. That combined with the wind power produced by offshore turbines in the Great Lakes area guarantees an effective and sustainable means of providing the country with electricity. As time goes on, the environment will become an increasingly important political and social issue, causing the number of wind power turbines in the states to grow. This highly economic and environmentally friendly energy source will soon dominate the industry.

ReDriven realizes that wind power is the future of electricity. They are the leading American developer of wind turbines and offer 20 KW, 10 KW, and 5KW unit wind power turbines and a variety of tower options. All packages include generators, blades, flanges, grid controllers, inverters, and isolation transformers of differing sizes and powers, depending on the package ordered. Additionally, the height of the wind power turbine tower ranges from regular to hydraulic towers from 12 to 36 m tall. These modern and sleek wind power turbines are guaranteed to suit any natural landscape and produce efficient and environmentally friendly electricity. People concerned with the effectiveness and price of wind power turbines can log on to the ReDriven website to calculate the amount of energy that will be produced from the unit chosen. By filling out a form that takes into consideration average energy costs and consumption, wind speed, and other variables, everyone is able to see the potential effectiveness of their wind power turbine. ReDriven is an excellent resource for people looking to purchase and gain information on wind power.

Countries and people everywhere are searching for more sustainable energy sources and looking towards wind power turbines. With people becoming more environmentally conscious, wind power will become the electricity source of the future. ReDriven offers a variety of wind turbines to fulfill all corporations, governments, and personal needs. By logging on to their website, everyone is able to find out how wind power can work for them.

Wind Generator

Few people ever consider investing in an alternative energy source because they believe that new electricity generators are ineffective. Unfortunately, wind generators are still controversial and have a variety of insubstantial issues surrounding them. The reality is that a wind generator is an incredibly effective and environmentally friendly means to produce electricity and the majority of concerns surrounding them are incorrect and misleading. [ Read More … ]

2 KW Wind Turbine

Modern Energy

The ReDriven 2 kw wind turbine system is an excellent system for on-grid applications where 250 kwh -500 wkh of power per month will provide the necessary capacity to offset partially or fully the utility bill for your seasonal property or home.
[ Read More … ]

The ReDriven 2kw is a tailed unit that uses the wind direction to help it determine where best to capture the wind. This turbine head weighs approximately 116 lbs (53 kg) and comes with the ReDriven controller, a Power One Inverter, blades.

Product Features:

Start up wind speed is 4.4 mph
Rated wind speed (generate 2 KW) is 20.1 mph
Maximum power 2000 watts
3 blades measuring 3.2 meters in diameter
Recommended tower height is 9 meters

5 KW Wind Turbine

Modern Energy

The ReDriven 5 kw wind turbine system is the first in our line of non-tailed units. The technology found in the 5 kw ReDriven Controller is identical to the larger 10 kw and 20 kw units. Therefore you receive all the advantages of a larger unit packed into this ultra efficient power house.
[ Read More … ]

These folks even put a windmill on the lawn of the Federal Capitol Building. Way to go people:

http://www.windenergy.com

Bringing low-cost, reliable wind energy to the world

U.S. Federal government endorses small wind turbines with tax credit

New law gives up to $4,000 to consumers who purchase Southwest Windpower’s Skystream 3.7

Flagstaff, Ariz. — Southwest Windpower, the leading manufacturer of small wind turbines, played a leadership role in the passage of new legislation creating a federal-level tax credit for qualified small wind turbines.

Press Release | FAQs | Tax Form

We will finish the list up tomorrow.

They Don’t Call Them Stinking Windmills Anymore – These babies are Generators or Turbines

Posted on February 25, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

It always amazes me that anytime anybody generates megawatts they get all big chested and manly. Heh they ARE just whirrlygigs after all. Oh and I have been getting the listings of these turbine manufacturers and dealers from the American Wind Energy Associations website:

http://www.awea.org/

AWEA’s latest publication, in partnership with the Solar Energy Industries Association, is Green Power Superhighways: Building a Path to America’s Clean Energy Future. The U.S. is home to vast quantities of clean energy resources, but lacks a modern interstate transmission grid to deliver carbon-free electricity to customers in highly populated areas of the country. This white paper highlights the barriers that hinder investment in transmission infrastructure and identifies potential policy solutions.

AWEA Wind Power Project Siting Workshop
Seattle, WA
February 24 – 25, 2009

AWEA Wind & Transmission Workshop
Overland Park, KS
March 17 – 18, 2009

Wisconsin Wind Energy Supply Chain Seminar
Appleton, WI
March 31, 2009

WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition
Chicago, IL
May 4 – 7, 2009

AWEA Event Calendar

back to the whirrlygigs:

http://www.energyms.com/

Energy Maintenance Service, LLC (EMS) is a full service provider of high quality, cost effective products and services to the North American wind industry with an emphasis on Construction, Operations & Maintenance, and Component Repairs including control systems and gear boxes. Our client base includes turbine and component manufacturers; wind farm developers, owners, and operators; and industry consulting firms throughout the world.

Based in wind-rich Gary, South Dakota, EMS’ de-centralized operations are highly mobile with a labor force that can provide timely service to all major wind developments located throughout North America.

As an independent service provider, we are committed to serving a broad range of wind customers with solutions that are tailored to each customer’s needs. We rely heavily on our industry recognized team of experts, our advanced systems, and our intimate knowledge of the industry to ensure that our clients always have a positive and successful experience working with our company.

Those guys and the next guys are really for the major producers. Anybody that erected a 35 kw or a 50 kw turbine would have his net meter spinning off the house:

Focused

Entegrity Wind Systems Inc. manufactures, installs, and maintains the EW50 commercial-scale wind turbine. Founded in 2002 by James Heath, Mauri Miller, and Malcolm Lodge, Entegrity is committed to the distributed energy business model: Customers use on-site resources to help control energy costs and maintain long-term price stability for a portion of their energy needs.

Tested

Entegrity’s founders recognized that technical advancements in the wind and communications industries could help solve the crisis posed by climbing energy prices. With a resolve to provide customers with a long-term solution, they purchased the Atlantic Orient Corporation, along with the engineering and design drawings of a well-proven wind turbine. The AOC 15/50 is a commercial-scale wind turbine with a long operating history and simple, robust design. Early models of the AOC 15/50 are still in operation throughout the world, including serial number 001 at the United States Department of Agriculture’s research facility in Bushland, Texas. Entegrity has invested substantial resources in continued improvement to the turbine, now known as Entegrity’s EW50.

Committed

Entegrity is a vertically-integrated company controlling all aspects of a wind turbine project. Entegrity’s wind experts are leaders in their field, and work with our partners and customers during all phases of a project to ensure timely and comprehensive support and ongoing maintenance. Additionally, Entegrity uses local resources for construction, installation and maintenance of its fleet.

Now back to the guys you and I would hire:

http://www.gaia-wind.com/

Personal Wind Turbine

Gaia-Wind develops and manufactures small and efficient wind turbines for supplying electricity to properties such as private houses, farms, offices, companies and swimming pools. With 150 wind turbines already installed, Gaia-Wind has more than 1,000 years of operational experience. From our establishments in Århus, Denmark and Glasgow, Scotland, we can supply you with ‘your own wind turbine’, which in turn will provide you with reliable, abundant and clean energy.

Gotta luv those Brits:

http://www.provenenergy.co.uk/

Proven Energy is the world’s leading supplier of small wind turbines. Our high performance turbines are the result of almost thirty years of inspiration, innovation and development.

With over 2000 units installed worldwide, Proven Energy has unrivalled experience and has built up a global reputation for their robust and reliable performance.

Our patented Proven Flexible Blade System enables the wind turbine to generate power in light or strong winds. Our products offer sustainable energy solutions across a wide range of industry sectors, from domestic to offshore.

As the wind gets stronger, the blades twist to reduce their aerodynamic efficiency. This maintains a high output even in the fiercest storms, unlike many turbines which need to stop generating power to protect themselves at high wind speeds. The blades also regulate speed, preventing damage.

Proven Energy has many years’ experience and can help you choose the right system for your needs. We offer a complete service, from site assessment and system design to supply, installation and maintenance.

If you are thinking about reducing your domestic energy bills or providing a multi-site energy solution for your business, Proven Energy can help achieve your renewable energy aspirations. We make sure that your wind turbine choice will work productively for you and deliver all-round environmental benefits.

Click on the Buy, Sell, or Own options for further details.

More tomorrow. see yah