Person F owns a dairy farm in southeast Minnesota. To stay competitive, he’s decided to look long term and invest in energy conservation to lower his energy bills. He has $25,000 to invest now and lower his bills immediately. He hopes to invest in a system that will pay for itself inside 5 years. His main requirement is electricity to his milking barns, but would like to supply his house as well.

Add a personal wind generator. To estimate the cost for the complete wind generator system installation, use $3,500 per kW power rating. For example a 10kW wind generator will cost approximately $35,000 for a complete installation.

The average wind speed in southern Minnesota is between 11 and 12.5mph.

At a 12mph average wind speed, a Bergey BWC Excel 10kW Class wind turbine will produce 900kWh per month or 10,800kWh/year.

At $.09/kWh, the farmer can save $65.25/month or $783/year. He will also save 1,485 lbs of CO2 emissions per month or 17,820 lbs of CO2 emissions per year.

A typical payback period is between 5-9 years.

Learn more about Wind Turbine Power Ratings »

Note: Your $25,000 will go much further when you include the readily-available tax rebates.

For comprehensive information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, please visit http://www.dsireusa.org.

Change lighting to high-efficiency fluorescent, add room fans to aid in air circulation, upgrade appliances (clothes washer, refrigerator, hot water heater, heating & cooling system) to high-efficiency models.

Add a personal wind generator (e.g.: Skystream 3.7™ Residential Power Appliance) for approximately $8,500. For a typical home, the cost of energy is $0.14/kWh. This generator will produce 400kWh per month. With that production, a household will save $672 per year on their utility bill.
At this rate, the generator system will pay for itself in approximately 12 years (with rebates, payback can be as low as 7 years). Source: Solar Hardware, 3808 Grand Ave South, Minneapolis, MN 55409, 612.824.1111.

Add a personal, inflation-proof solar collector. Thin-film photovoltaic laminates can now be bonded directly onto metal roofing panels. A home equity loan is an excellent source of funds for this project because interest rates are relatively low and payment terms can be long. The payback period varies with interest rates and electricity costs. Property values are increased because these systems decrease utility operating costs.

A woman from Topeka, KS installed this system on her small barn for just under $10,000 (costs decrease with available tax rebates). Please see the online article “Easy Solar Power” at www.MotherEarthNews.com, the October/November 2006 issue.

In the best cases, the returns will be more than 10 percent, the cash flow positive and the increase in property value greater than the system cost.

To estimate the cost for the complete solar system installation, use $7,500 per kW power rating. For example a 6.4kW solar system will cost approximately $48,000 for a complete installation.

The 6.4kW system will generate approximately 526kWh per month. At $.09/kWh, he can save $47.36/month or $568/year.

By installing the 6.4kW solar system, every year he can save 10,420 lbs of CO2 which is equivalent to the weight of a school bus. In other words, it's like planting 1,292 trees.

A typical payback period is between 5-9 years.

Design a cooperative biomass (methane) project with area farmers or individually. Biomass (plant-derived material) has been the largest U.S. renewable energy source every year since 2000; it also provides the only renewable alternative for liquid transportation fuel. Biomass use strengthens rural economies, decreases America's dependence on imported oil, avoids use of MTBE or other highly toxic fuel additives, reduces air and water pollution, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Energy web site on Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy: www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass.

Also check the Minnesota dept of commerce web site for exemptions & rebates: www.commerce.state.mn.us

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