Resources for Home and Farm (Small) Scale Wind

Welcome to the Small Wind Resources Page! From this page, you can search for and access resources related to small wind. You can enter any term you'd like in the search box, or simply browse the collection!

Title	Summary
FY 2012 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Soliciation issued	On January 20, 2012, the FY 2012 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Solicitation was issued. The REAP program provides grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Deadlines are set for March and June of 2012.
Turbine Bulk Buy Program Aimed at Furthering Small Wind Development in MN	Windustry and the Region Nine Renewable Energy Task Force are managing a Small Wind Bulk Buy Program to help rural enterprises take advantage of the state's wind resources and net-metering laws.
Is Wind Electricity Right for You?	The Bergey Excel-S is a popular small wind turbine. Home Power magazine publishes an annual Wind Turbine Guide for considering and planning a wind energy electric system for home, farm, or business. The 2011 guide "Is Wind Electricity Right for You?" covers site evaluation, towers, and turbine choices. Wind energy experts Ian Woofenden and Mick Sagrillo review 24 small wind turbines with a detailed table of specifications along with wind installer survey results.
Small Wind Certification Council	The Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) is an independent organization that assesses and issues certificates and consumer labels for the performance and safety of small wind turbines in accordance with criteria established in the AWEA Standard. SWCC Certification is based on an evaluation of the wind turbine design (Structural Analysis) and field testing (Power performance test, Acoustic sound test, Safety & Function test, and Duration test). Eligible turbines are currently defined as electricity-producing wind turbines with a swept area up to 200 m2 (approximately 50-65 kW).
REDI Resources	Clean Energy Project Builder (formerly REDI Resources) is an online directory of community and small wind, and solar power companies from all over the United States who serve Minnesota’s clean energy industry. The directory allows you to browse companies; to search by specific services like engineering, operations & maintenance, or legal services; to find companies near you using geographic search; and to find companies through a range of other details like service area, number of employees, or completed project capacity.
Small Wind Conference 2010 draws large and engaged group	Windustry helped organize and produce the sixth annual Small Wind Conference, held this past June in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Nearly 400 small wind systems and business colleagues attended from across the United States, as well as Mexico, Canada, Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
Americans Making Power Act Proposes National Net Metering	Washington, D.C. - Rep. Jay Inslee (WA) has introduced the Americans Making Power Act, or AMP Act, which would establish a national standard for net metering. The legislation would allow Americans to feed back into the grid excess renewable power they generate through their homes, small businesses and even places of worship.
Power Through Policy: Best Practices for Cost-Effective Distributed Wind Survey	The project, "Power Through Policy: Best Practices for Cost-Effective Distributed Wind," will identify policies most helpful in making consumer-owned wind turbines more affordable, measuring the impact of various policy combinations on the cost of energy, and highlighting attractive state and utility markets for small wind turbines that offer the quickest return on investment.
Power Through Policy: Best Practices for Cost-Effective Distributed Wind Survey	The project, "Power Through Policy: Best Practices for Cost-Effective Distributed Wind," will identify policies most helpful in making consumer-owned wind turbines more affordable, measuring the impact of various policy combinations on the cost of energy, and highlighting attractive state and utility markets for small wind turbines that offer the quickest return on investment.
Wind Turbine Guide 2010	Two veterans in the small wind industry, Mick Sagrillo & Ian Woofenden, review home-, farm-, business-, and school-scale wind turbines, with perspectives on the three most common mistakes to avoid and the three most important decisions you need to make for a wise buying decision.
Minnesota Small Wind Turbine Rebates Available	Minnesota - Rebates of up to $10,000 are now available for Minnesota homeowners that install qualifying small wind turbine systems. Reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Small Wind Conference	A Gathering of Installers, Manufacturers, Dealers and Distributors The 7th annual Small Wind Conference on June 14 - 15, 2011 in Stevens Point, Wisconsin is the premier event for small wind-electric system installers, designers, manufacturers, educators and advocates, and for those involved in sales, specification, management, funding, and permitting of small wind systems. This is a key opportunity for open and honest dialogue, networking, and education within the industry. Nearly 400 small wind professionals and industry representatives from across the United States and nine countries attended the 2010 conference. This year's keynote speaker is energy activist and analyst Randy Udall. Udall is an engaging and frank speaker about peak oil, the changing world we face with regard to energy use, and why "energy is an IQ test Americans tend to fail."
IREC Releases 2009 Interconnection and Net Metering Guides	The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) has just released the 2009 updates for its highly respected and influential rules and procedures for interconnecting and net metering distributed generation.
Residential Renewable Energy Federal Tax Incentives	The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 extended many consumer tax incentives originally introduced in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) and amended in the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-343).
Incentives for wind energy systems	This handout is a compilation of Minnesota-specific and federal incentives for wind energy systems. The list is divided into programs that are funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the stimulus bill) and programs that are funded through other sources. This list was last updated August 21, 2009.
Wind Energy Basics - Revised Edition	"Wind energy works and makes environmental sense—more so today than ever before—but consumers have to be on their guard," writes wind energy pioneer, expert, and advocate Paul Gipe in his newly revised *Wind Energy Basics, Second Edition: A Guide to Home- and Community-Scale Wind-Energy Systems*. Gipe has worked for over three decades in renewable energy, has authored seven books, and has lectured widely on wind energy and how to minimize its impact on the environment and the communities of which it is a part.
Wind Powering America Small Wind Resources	The Wind Powering America web site contains resources for Small Wind for Homeowners, Ranchers, and Small Businesses, including Small Wind Electric Systems Consumer's Guides, events, webinars, news, publications, and web resources. Wind Powering America is part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program that leads the nation's efforts to improve the performance, lower the costs, and accelerate the deployment of wind and water power technologies. Visit the Wind Powering America web site.
NREL Small Wind Turbine Research	National Renewable Energy Laboratory operates a Small Wind Turbine Research program. Their work includes independent testing, regional test centers, turbine development, and field verification. Visit the National Renewable Energy Laboratory web site.
Office of Energy Security - Minnesota Department of Commerce	The Office of Energy Security at the Minnesota Department of Commerce is working to move Minnesota toward a sustainable energy future, managing energy assistance funds, advocating in the public interest on energy utility rates and facility siting. We provide information and assistance to residents, builders, utilities, non-profits and policy-makers on home improvements, financial assistance, renewable technologies including wind energy information, policy initiatives, and utility regulations.
Small Wind Turbine Installation Workshop - news	Due to increasing interest in renewable energy and residential-sized wind turbines, this three-day workshop is being offered to provide an opportunity to learn the ins and outs of small wind project development. The timeliness of this workshop complements the growing demand and interest in renewable energy.
Small Wind Energy Guide: Kandiyohi County, MN	Kandiyohi County in Minnesota created a small wind energy guide to help homeowners and residents learn more about installing a small wind generator system on their property. To see the complete guide, please visit: http://www.kandiyohi.com/smallwind.htm
AWEA Guide for State and Local Governments: How and Why to Permit for Small Wind Systems	Click on the pdf link below to download "In the Public Interest: How and Why to Permit for Small Wind Systems" published by AWEA in September 2008. The Guide for State and Local Governments includes discussion of various issues to consider, as well as "red herrings", best practices and a model ordinance.
IA: Wind Production Tax Credit Extended, Revised	In May 2008, the wind energy credit (§ 476B) was significantly modified by S.F. 2405, retroactively effective for entire 2008 tax year. The IUB has issued proposed rules for implementing the changes related to eligibility and tax credit applications (Docket No. RMU-08-04).
"Zoning for Small Wind: The Importance of Tower Height"	This presentation from the U.S. Dept. of Energy goes through the importance of tower height in small wind energy. Click here to download a PDF version of this presentation from the USDoE website.
Community Wind Energy 2006: Home and Farm Wind Turbines - Addressing Barriers - Siting, Permitting, Zoning and Interconnection	This session focused on providing practical information and advice on addressing barriers to home and farm wind projects. Topics include: when and how to approach local boards and state agencies to secure permits, how to build support for your installation, and tips on working with your installer and utility to interconnect your wind system.