Do you perform small wind site assessments?
If so, please take this important survey!
NABCEP is developing a Job Task Analysis for Small Wind Site Assessors.
A vital part of this process is surveying the field to validate the work the Technical Committee has completed. This survey will end in late September
The link below will take you to the survey.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/SmallWindSiteAssessor
Sixth Annual Small Wind Conference the Best Ever!
by Mick Sagrillo
Once again, the Small Wind Conference has lived up to its reputation
as the premier small wind event in the United States, with over 364 people
attending from all across the Unite States, as well as Mexico, Canada,
Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
The conference, developed and coordinated by the Small Wind Conference
Coordinating Committee and organized by Windustry from Minneapolis, began
with a keynote address by Larry Flowers from the Wind Powering America
project at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado.
Following Larry’s excellent analysis of the current state of small
wind in the United States, five presenters delved into the nuances of wind
resource assessment and siting lessons.
Larry Flowers and Trudy Forsyth presented Robert Preus of XZERES Wind
Corp. with the 2010 Wind Powering America Small Wind Advocate award for
his longstanding small wind advocacy, including working with Texas, Idaho,
and Oregon on removing small wind barriers. Robert also worked with Dr.
Rob Wills of Windmonitoring.com to facilitate a small wind section for the
National Electric Code. Dr. Rob Wills was recognized for his NEC leadership.
This year’s poster session featured eight presentations ranging from
wind energy education to wind assessment techniques to Department of
Energy/NREL regional small wind test centers.
Three sessions highlighted wind turbine manufacturers. Midsized
turbines (turbines above 20 kW and up to 100 kW)—a fast growing
segment of small wind installations—garnered their own session this
year. In all, fifteen manufacturers gave updates on the status of their
companies and products over the two days. Of note, XZERES Wind Corp.
announced a new 10-year warranty on their turbines, following Bergey
Windpower's lead from last year.
New this year was a presentation by administrators of three state
public-benefits programs, explaining what they look for in grant applications
and installations. The end of the first day was celebrated with a social in
the atrium at the conference venue Ramada Inn, with local brew provided by a
variety of sponsors.
Day two began with a breakfast for the Women of Wind Energy, who have
started a new chapter called Women of Small Wind Energy. The morning conference
sessions began with a review of issues of particular interest to installers,
including climbing safety and the organization of a working group to craft a
best practices and standards document.
The standards landscape that is unfolding in the United States was covered
next, in a panel featuring the Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC), the
North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) efforts to
certify small wind installers and site assessors, the status of the National
Electric Code (NEC) section for small wind, and efforts by Underwriters
Laboratories to develop safety codes for turbines.
Following the standards session, presenters focused on reports about
turbine testing and results. The second and final day of the conference ended
with Kevin Schulte of SED in New York and Alicia Leinberger of Seventh Generation
Energy Systems in Wisconsin discussing what installers need in order to make
their businesses sustainable. All presentations and
discussions elicited enthusiastic audience participation and questions,
always a welcome portion of the conference.
This year’s Small Wind Conference Installer of the Year Award
was presented to Lisa and Joe DiFrancisco of North Coast Energy Systems in
Pennsylvania for all the work they have done to advance the interests of small
wind in the eastern United States. This year’s Small Wind Educator Award
went to Ken Starcher of the Alternative Energy Institute in Texas, in
recognition of his role in advocating for small wind technology and educating
numerous university students, international interns, and consumers on small
wind industry issues. Awards included the token (but gigantic) wrench, the
symbol of all small wind installers and advocates.
The culmination of the conference was a barbecue sponsored by Bergey
Windpower at nearby Pfiffner Park on the Wisconsin River in Stevens
Point. Of particular interest was the unveiling of Bergey’s new 5 kW
wind generator, sure to make an impact in the marketplace once it is available.
In addition to all the conference activities and social events, this
year saw a record 22 sponsors help offset the cost of the event. In addition,
25 exhibitors, from manufacturers to component suppliers to consultants and
site assessors, answered questions about their businesses from attendees.
Our sincerest appreciation goes out to all sponsors and exhibitors for helping
to make the conference the success that it was. The participants enjoyed a
networking and educational event second to none in the small wind world.
In addition to the two-day Small Wind Conference, a flurry of other
events took place during the conference week. Monday saw a pre-conference
workshop on the Fundamentals of Wind Energy by Roy Butler of Four Winds
Renewable Energy, and Jenny Heinzen, wind instructor at Lakeshore
Technical College. Paralleling this workshop was our first ever Zoning Summit.
Presenters included Megan Amsler of Cape & Islands Self Reliance, Mike
Bergey of Bergey Windpower, David Blittersdorf or AllEarth Renewables, Lisa
DiFrancisco of North Coast Energy Systems, Mick Sagrillo of Sagrillo Power
& Light, and Ron Stimmel of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).
A group of key small wind stakeholders met on Monday evening to discuss
how to advance the interests of small wind industry going forward in the
next few years. Stakeholders included manufacturers, installers, educational
interests, public benefit program representatives, and small wind advocates.
A new distributed wind energy association may evolve out of these discussions.
Following the Small Wind Conference, the Small Wind Certification Council
board of directors met to discuss the status of small wind turbine
certification, and the process for reviewing turbines once certification
is in place. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners
(NABCEP) convened a group of fifteen small wind experts to develop the
job task analysis for a new wind site assessor certification.
Finally, the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s 21st Annual Energy
Fair, the largest renewable energy and sustainable living event on the planet,
educated and entertained all for the long weekend after the conference.
The Small Wind Conference coordinating committee would like to thank
all who exhibited, participated, and helped with the event, especially our sponsors,
including:
Bergey WindPower
XZERES WindCorp.
SouthwestWindpower
Valmont Newmark
Talco Electronics
AnemErgonics
Home Power Magazine
Etesian Technologies
Fortis Wind Energy-US
Focus on Energy
Endurance Windpower
Ohio Green Wind
NABCEP
New Roots Energy
Wind Turbine Industries Corp.
Four Winds Renewable Energy
AllEarth Renewables
North Coast Energy Systems
Seventh Generation Energy Systems
DC Power Systems
Wisconsin Public Service
NatureWise
We would especially like to thank Windustry for their work choreographing the conference
logistics. Samantha Smart-Merritt, Christina Mills and David Tidball provided outstanding
support for the conference.
Mick Sagrillo, left, and Trudy Forsyth, right, present the Small Wind Educator
Award to Ken Starcher, Alternative Energy Institute, in recognition for his
enthusiasm, dedication, advocacy, and contributions to the small wind industry.
The Small Wind Installers Award to Lisa and Joe DiFrancisco, North Coast Energy
Systems, Pennsylvania, for all they have done to advance outstanding installations
of small wind systems.
Plans for next year’s Small Wind Conference in central Wisconsin are under
way now. Keep your calendar open for Tuesday-Wednesday June 14-15, 2011.
The Small Wind Conference Coordinating Committee includes:
Roy Butler
Trudy Forsyth
Jenny Heinzen
Mick Sagrillo
Brent Summerville
Ian Woofenden
