The Rural Voice, 2003-05, Page 58BEHLEN BINS
BEHLEN STEEL STRUCTURES
BERG SUKUP BROCK GSI
PATZ JADVENT
RAD SPI
ALL SIZE BIN 4,
FLOORS
John Baak
Construction Ltd.
R.R. 1 Hanover, ON N4N 3B8
E-mail: JohnBaakConstruction@sympatico.ca
BARN
RENOVATIONS
• Renovations to farm
buildings
• Concrete Work
• Manure Tanks
• Using a Bobcat Skid Steer
w/hydraulic hammer,
bucket, six -way blade &
backhoe
BEUERMANN
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or 519-887-8447
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54 THE RURAL VOICE
AgriTech
Searching for altern
Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton, ON.
When Premier Ernie Eves froze
electricity rates last fall, most
homeowners and some farmers were
happy for the relief. However,
everyone knows the 4.3 cent price
will be short-lived.
What happens when the lock is
taken off and prices double or triple?
Some might go looking for altern-
atives such as solar or wind, options I
had thought viable for most people.
Yet after attending a wind power
seminar in Goderich recently, I
discovered that it takes a lot of
money to become self-sufficient.
One watt of production capability by
a photovoltaic (solar) panel costs $10.
A 100 -watt panel, which costs $1,000,
will provide enough power for six,
100 -watt light bulbs, on a sunny day.
It was suggested that cost-
effective uses would be water
pumping, pond aeration, electric
fencing, back-up power or remote
needs. It is not cost effective to use
for heating and cooling requirements
unless the hydro rate is more than 18
to 30 cents per kWh.
Wind power is also suited best to
specific purposes such as remote
locations, large -volume water
pumping and power back-up. Small
wind power systems are not
economical unless the hydro rate
rises to 12 to 16 cents/kWh.
The cost to install a wind power
system may also be cost prohibitive
as the price on a smaller unit with a
1,500 watt rating starts at more than
$12,000 just for the turbine,
controller and tower. Efficiencies
only come with Targe systems. Hybrid
photovoltaic and wind power systems
are better, but the total cost could
reach $50,000 and the per watt price
still would be extremely high.
Even an investigative study to
determine the productivity of the
ative energg sources
wind at the chosen location can cost
$20,000 to $30,000.
Speed is the most critical
component in determining the
amount of power available. Though
more power comes from higher
winds, there is also a cut-out point
where the turbines turn out of the
wind. This is usually at around 25
metres per second (90 km/h). There is
also a cut -in speed at around 3.5
metres per second where there is no
power in the wind.
Geographic features impact site
selection. Shoreline, higher altitudes
or a ridge perpendicular to the wind
direction are preferred. A one-year
assessment with the use of an
anemometer will measure the wind
resource to establish if a large capital
investment is feasible.
There are numerous websites
devoted to wind power and other
alternative energies. For information
on specific projects such as the co-
operative Windshare on Toronto's
Lakeshore check out Ontario Sustain-
able Energy Association (OSEA) at
www.ontario-sea.org. Lakewinds,
another project in the works, is a
consortium of co-ops from across
Ontario currently investigating the
possibility of a wind farm for which
residents not of the immediate comm-
unity could be members and benefit
from the investment in green energy,
Huron Wind, www.huronwind.com,
is the Kincardine -area project only
recently put into operation which
already needs repairs.
If you are just wanting to learn
about the alternatives, The
Alternative Energy Store at
www.altenergystore.com/cart?source
=googleas_ offers a toll free phone
number, seminar listings, question
and answer "university" and cost
estimation calculator.
Other options include the Canada
Wind Energy Association,
www.canwea.ca; www.solarpath.com
or company sites such as Pico
Turbine at www.picoturbine.com and
Cowley Ridge Wind Power Inc. at
www.cowleyridge.com. A simple
search will yield many possibilities.
Contact me at jlbecker@wightman.ca
or through The Rural Voice office,
with topic suggestions or feedback.0