Michael Bergey, Sean Middleton, Andy Kruse, and Henry DuPont explain how small, 
distributed wind power can benefit rural homes, farms, communities, and small businesses.

Home, Farm & Community Wind Energy Systems:  
Reaching the Next Level
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
3:00 - 4:30 p.m. , 366 Dirksen Senate Office Building  

Sponsored by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is pleased to invite you to a briefing on Home, Farm & Community Wind Energy Systems: Reaching the Next Level.  Small-scale wind energy systems provide clean, renewable power to rural landowners, ranchers, farms and small businesses for on-site use and community development.  They help relieve pressure on the nation’s power grid while providing domestic jobs and contributing to energy security.  Small wind systems were pioneered by US industry, but the United States’ leadership in the sector has eroded due to inconsistent policy support.  There have been no federal tax incentives specifically for customer-owned wind systems since 1985.  Existing incentives, such as the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC), are focused primarily on large-scale commercial wind farms; turbines owned by end users are ineligible.  The House energy bill (H.R. 6) includes an investment credit for residential solar applications but does not address small or community wind systems.  The United States is well positioned to dominate in this growing sector of the industry.

Panelists:

• Michael Bergey, President, Bergey Windpower (Presentation)
• Sean Middleton, Manager of Engineering, Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative (Presentation)
• Andy Kruse, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Southwest Windpower (Presentation)
• Henry DuPont, Managing Director, Lorax Energy Systems (Presentation)

Home, farm and community wind energy systems have huge potential in the United States, but in order to succeed, the industry needs a strong commitment from federal, state and local government more comparable to that provided to other renewable energy technologies.  Currently, four U.S. firms supply at least one-third of the total global market for small wind turbines, serving as one of the few remaining energy export markets for the country.  These firms employ workers for turbine manufacturing and support an international network of small wind dealers, selling turbines to thousands of consumers and small businesses every year.  Both the production and deployment of this technology bring significant benefits for local economies.

Wind-powered water pumpers of yesteryear are symbols of rural America’s self-reliance and innovation.  This technology is no exception.  By tapping into an additional resource that provides cost-effective distributed generation interconnected to the local utility grid, small-scale wind development can provide improvements for constrained regional transmission systems.  Today, there is an opportunity for strong public support and political will to build on this legacy of innovation, helping rural utilities, schools, irrigators and others meet the bottom line.  Advocates urge the establishment of new incentives, such as a 30 percent federal Investment Tax Credit for small wind systems that will assist hundreds of thousands of farmers, small businesses and other property owners throughout the country in producing their own electricity and investing in a cost-effective homegrown resource.  Concerted support for this industry would lead to increased manufacturing volumes, thereby resulting in lower technology costs and substantial reinvestment in rural communities.  The small wind industry has seen remarkable growth over the past 15 years and is poised for further growth under a more supportive policy environment.