Everything is setup and looking good.  There is a big money vibe with everyone feeling good about the expo coming to Dallas off of last years success in Chicago.   Texas has one of the largest footprints of renewable energy production, larger than some countries.  

This industry conference brings the best minds and companies together to share real world experiences and upcoming academic technologies. 

Check it out and get more info at Wind Power Expo   See you there.

If you did not know about this event and want to know then go to our SignUp page.

German power and gas conglomerate E-On has announced production of the largest wind farm to date in Texas and the world.  The company operates in multiple countries. The stock dropped on the news and is operating at a 10% lower stock price than the prior year.

It is great the company is forging ahead with green solutions and putting in substantial capital along the way.   While the ride is not easy the goal is profit and with such large projects already in the ground investors will be happy again soon.

Visit the company website www.eon.com for first hand information because we realize there is a lot of misinformation being blogged with this announcement.  This is a Power Company!

The first wind generator in the Tyler-Lindale area was raised February 28, 2006.

We are Michael and Nancy Nichols, small business owners. We were awarded a grant from the USDA Rural Development to install a windmill to provide electrical power for our company. Michael Nichols has always been interested in harnessing the power of wind for energy, “With the rise in utility costs, it is wonderful that our government has the foresight to support environmentally friendly projects such as this.”

Unused power is supposed to be bought by the utility company, which was the original agreement back in 2006. The reality is that ONCOR and TXU have created one roadblock after another, but that is another story.

GENERAL INFORMATION: We have a 10 kW BWC Excel, America’s most popular residential & small business wind turbine. The BWC EXCEL is a modern 6.7 meter (22 ft) diameter, 10,000W wind turbine designed for high reliability, low maintenance, and automatic operation in adverse weather conditions. It is available in two configurations: battery charging and grid-connected. It is a ruggedly built turbine that comes with the longest warranty (5 years) in the industry. Connected to the grid, the BWC EXCEL can provide most of the electricity for an average total electric home at moderate wind sites. The all new GridTek 10 power processor (inverter) is the most advanced in the industry and it carries a full UL certification to the latest utility standards. Prices, which include a voltage regulator, pump controller, or a line-commutated inverter, range from $19,900 to $24,750. The BWC EXCEL is most often installed on a guyed lattice tower, which is available in heights of 18 m (60 ft.) to 37 m (120 ft.). Prices range from $6,200 to $9,200. Tilt-up versions of these towers are available for sites without crane access. Non-guyed lattice type towers and monopoles (tapered tubular) towers are also available to heights of 37 m (120 ft). The BWC EXCEL was introduced in 1983 and it has been installed at over 900 sites around the world.

FYI from Nancy: Government grants are complicated. Mike Bergey with Bergey Windpower helped me a lot, but Mike and I still spent 100 hours putting this grant together. You may as well figure that you have to put up $50K at the onset. The grant reimburses 25%. Your business or farm should depreciate the rest so you have that tax savings. Compared to other parts of the country, Texas has few incentives for wind power at this time. East Texas does not have a lot of wind but we believe that there is enough wind here to provide for our business, home, and farm. I must say that there is a deep sense of satisfaction and independence watching our meter spin backwards.

President Obama has extended the existing federal tax credits and made a couple of useful changes for 2009-2010.

1. Solar electric is a straight 30% up to a $2,000 credit.  Include the cost of your electrician and other actual labor costs.  If you are a DIY your labor is free. Update May 2009: We understand the $2,000 limit has been dropped but cannot at this time confirm exact limits.

2. Qualified solar water heating property costs is a straight 30% up to a $2,000 credit.

3. Qualified small wind energy is a straight 30% up to a $4,000 credit. Update May 2009: We understand the $2,000 limit has been dropped but cannot at this time confirm exact limits. The size limit is 100kw installations.

4. Qualified SEER 14-16 Air conditioning and Heat pumps have 30$ up to $1,500.

This is a good leap forward for geothermal, solar water heaters, solar panels all qualify.  Caulk your house to seal up leaks, add weather stripping on the doors, get new air ducts installed, these all count.  A fresh coat of paint even helps and makes the old castle look better at the same time.

If your calculation exceeds the allowed rebate you can roll the overage forward to future years so get busy and start your conversion.  Later you will be part of the solution to our energy problems.

There is an option for fuel cell rebates but who has a real product for real people?  Nobody.

You must reduce the basis cost of your home by the amount of any credits allowed.  This won’t matter for people to sell a home and buy a home costing more money.  This comes into play if you sell and do not buy anything as a replacement.  The IRS wants to tax the profit you made which is sold price minus cost.   See your accountant we are not accountants.  Here is a link to the tax form

Direct excerpt from the energy department.
“Home Energy Efficiency Improvement Tax Credits
Consumers who purchase and install specific products, such as energy-efficient windows, insulation, doors, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment in existing homes can receive a tax credit for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500, for improvements “placed in service” starting January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2010.”

May 2009 Update: Radiatn barriers may not qualify, labor will not qualify for tax credits.

Automotive tax credits for Hybrids is worse.

This may or may not be new but there is a dis-incentive for automakers to produce Hybrid cars.  After 60,000 elegible vehicles are sold the tax credit will be phased out for each manufacturer.  Is Obama in bed with big oil too?

Do your own research at the energy department.
Automotive tax credit summary

We are still digesting all the publications and some of the credits for business just make you laugh.  There is more work to do..
If you want to know more then sign up for the Announcement List

After looking at wind maps and finding that your zone is at least a 2 you have arrived at the get down to business question of how about my property?

The rules apply to businesses and residential locations. Wind is wind!  In some areas there are unique pockets where the wind is generally stronger.  The reasons vary.  Maybe all the buildings line up a certain way and your office is at the end so perhaps you can benefit from “wind block build up”.   This can create opportunity in areas that are generally not wind candidates otherwise.
You are going to be spending some money on your project and it pays to have knowledgable people provide an assessment.   We should really call this getting a second opinion because you should first use good old common sense and not get tied up on the idea you just have to have wind power.  Get a small weather station, preferrably one that has data logging capabilities you can have downloaded to a computer.  You may need several depending on your property size so you can help with exact site selection. Monitoring for a year is not a waste of time.

In some areas you may have limits on location placement so test those areas and drop it if the data says you couldn’t even fly a kite.  Get with your local weather station and see if they will help you with annual wind data.  In addition to your common sense you need to know factually what to expect all year long.  Data from a city 50 miles away is useless it needs to be local.

If you want assistance with finding someone to help you with a wind assessment drop us a comment and we will see what we can do.  Be sure to let us know where you are including zip code.

The City of Plano, TX has announced an energy efficiency rebate and incentive program for its residents.  It’s an across-the-board 20% rebate program that greatly simplifies the discounts offered as compared to other rebates in the past.

Rebate and Incentive Program Goals

• Demonstrate individual energy savings by tracking usage (kWh) and monthly payments
• Encourage energy-efficiency upgrades throughout the City of Plano
• Demonstrate total energy savings as a City

Qualified Purchases

• Residential upgrades or replacements that are considered energy efficient. Examples include but are not limited to:
  • Energy Star Appliances
  • Air conditioners (14 SEER and above)
  • Attic Insulation
  • Solar Screens/Solar Film
  • Radiant Barrier
  • Duct Replacement/lnsulation
  • Low-e windows
• The City will rebate up to 20% of qualified purchases up to $2000 per household
• Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis until funds are exhausted
• Minimum purchase to be rebated is $100

Eligibility Requirements and Guidelines

• Must be a Plano resident
• Only one application per household
• Residential dwellings only
• Items must be purchased and installed between 5115/2008-5/15/2009
• Resident must track and report energy usage for current year for at least three months after installation as well as the same months from the previous year
• City of Plano must be able to verify purchase price, purchase date and installation (receipts and other designated means)
• Rebate check will be awarded after all eligibility requirements have been met

Commitment Program and Bonus

• Any Plano resident who commits to tracking and reporting energy usage will be eligible for monthly drawings for energy efficiency give-a-ways (ex. programmable thermostats)
• Those who commit to track and report energy usage for at least 6 months will be eligible for a “Tracking Bonus” that will be awarded through drawings.
• Encourage energy-efficiency upgrades throughout the City of Plano Demonstrate individual energy savings by tracking usage (kWh) and monthly payments

The event held in Richardson went as planned with TUE, GM and Half Price Books executives sharing stories about their efforts to lower their carbon footprint.   There was an all electric Ford Ranger converted by a local company hoping to sell kits and conversions outside for viewing.  The conversion work was clean enough but the prospect of having to drive 30mph to get 40 miles on a charge leaves room for improvement.  The Ranger still has A/C and power steering in the design. The company is still refining the conversion process to increase mileage.    We will have the podcast of Ed Begley’s conversation with the audience.  A straight talker who says what’s on his mind while not going extreme in any areas.

Ed Begley, Jr., Keynote Speaker
Ed Begley, Jr., known for pioneering green living will deliver the keynote address and cover his 30 year eco-journey.  He will outline making positive environmental changes to make a big impact on individuals, communities and the world. Presenting “bottom line” benefits and providing the economic motivation to move forward with green efforts, Begley will explore the challenges we face and how they can be overcome. He will also share first hand knowledge of his favorite green products.

Project Green Summit: Putting Green Into Action

Charles W. Eisemann Center (View Map)
2351 Performance Drive, Richardson, TX 75082

Tickets are $8.00 and available through the Eisemann Center Box Office (972-744-4650 or on-line at www.eisemanncenter.com).
All of the proceeds of the event will benefit the Texas Trees Foundation and North Texas affiliates of Keep Texas Beautiful.

Go Green and you will never go back!

I was watering in the morning and looked up under the eve and could see that dust was caked in the soffit vent above me so I blasted it with water and the dirt just poured down.  If you don’t know what a soffit vent is you may have another type of ventilation technique for your attic. It gets hot in Texas and I would have cooked eggs on the sidewalk but I already had breakfast.  I changed the filter a few weeks ago and had the air ducts professionally cleaned a couple of years ago and made this discovery that everyone in the A/C business knows but maybe not everyone else thinks about, which is why I am writing this blurb today about cleaning your soffit vents. After searching to spell it correctly the world uses soffit and soffet but soffit is how dictionary .com spells it so that’s good enough for me.

When I was finishing I could see the screen again that keeps the bugs out and as clogged as the soffit vent was certainly no air was moving either.  Big problem! I quickly went around the entire house and all but one was pretty dirty.   I had turbine fans put in several years ago and noticed they did not turn as fast as they used to.  After cleaning out the vents those turbines are noticeably faster again.  So, if you are like me and never cleaned the attic vents it will pay to check yours so the air can move freely in the attic. There are many types of vents.  It was over 100 today and without air moving I can only guess how hot it could get in the attic and what that is doing to my electric bill.  What ever type of attic vents you have, if they are clogged will not do much good to move air as needed and we all know the result.  Yes, it’s another project to be done around the house but this one is fast, cheap and easy to do.