Greetings from ECO-WERC!

Where ever the wind blows, people are taking interest. Here are some news stories from WERC to keep you informed of the winds of change in the small wind business and renewable energy industry:

ECO-WERC gets USDA Rural Development Grants Approved
As of September 2009, ECO-WERC has been successful in getting a number of new USDA grant applications awarded to our renewable energy customers. This year’s first drawing has netted over $170,000 in grant award money to our customers.  ECO-WERC has been writing and filing grant applications for renewable energy investors successfully since 2003.  Our batting average is now 33 out of 37 grant awards.

“In this world climate of rising costs, the USDA grant opportunity is a stimulant to the average taxpayer who wants to invest in renewable energy systems.  We think this is a great way to bring our tax dollars home.” Remarks made by ECO-WERC owner David Winkelman about the USDA Rural Energy Program that started in 2005.

The purpose of the USDA Rural Development grant program is to help farmers, ranchers and other rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption from the power grid, and to help the nation meet its energy needs. The grant can cover as much as 25 percent of the total cost of a project, limited to a minimum of $2,500 and a maximum of $500,000.

Eligible USDA grant applicants include farmers and ranchers who directly engage in production of agricultural products and obtain at least 50 percent of their gross income from the agriculture business. Also included are small rural businesses that meet SBA small business size standards. This program excludes residential purposes.

For the latest on USDA Rural Development visit www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/index.html

ECO-WERC is a pioneering and award-winning construction firm for conservation technologies, with over 100 years of combined experience as contractors, architects, designers, engineers, installers and environmental specialists.

We design and build long lasting, efficient, buildings and energy generation systems that conserve natural resources and reduce pollution. As a result, we are creating good returns on investments that build a more environmentally sustainable economy.

Here are our most recent successful recipients of USDA grants.

If you are thinking of owning a wind turbine or solar panel system, you will need a comprehensive site plan put together. This will be of great value in regard to permits, zoning, interconnection agreements, and feasibility. Also, material such as technical reports will be needed for grant applications.
For more information about WERC grant writing click here.

ECO-WERC Offers Land Management Services Department Called EARTH WERC
One of our tasks on earth is stewardship of our natural environment. WERC now has services called EARTH WERC for land managers, acreage owners, forest owners and developers.  Foresters, agronomists, perma-culture experts and scientists can help you understand how to mimic natural ecosystems to make our waterways, forests, gardens, lawns, orchards and farm land healthier, more stable, resilient and productive.

Your land needs the correct balance of microorganisms, plants, animals and nutrients to develop a more permanent resiliency to invasive species, pests and pollution. At EARTH WERC, we mix an effective blend of science, art and experience into helping our customers care for their land as a thriving ecosystem. For more information click here.

WERC to Receive Green Team Award Plaque of Honor
Winkelman Building Corp. and GLT Architects have been awarded a 2009 Green Building of America Award for their design and planning for the Kennedy Community School (St. Cloud Area School District 742) located in St. Joseph, MN.  Chosen by the Building of America Award panel in conjunction with the Community Service Awards and Construction Communication, Winkelman Building Corp. and GLT Architects will be honored and presented with the Green Building of America Award Plaque of Honor.

Only a handful of Architects, Program Managers, Consultants and General Contractors within each distinct region of the country have been chosen to receive the award from more than 8,500 entries. Each Green Building of America Green Award winner provided the panel with team members they felt were the most innovative, reliable and capable with their service or product categories.

WERC was referred as an important Green Building of America Team Member and will be listed on the Plaque of Honor and WERC will also receive its own personalized print of the Building of America Green Team Award Plaque of Honor. / More on Kennedy School click here.

U.S. Treasury Department Now Accepting Applications for Renewable Energy Grants
The US Dept. of Treasury and the US Dept. of Energy are now accepting applications to receive funding of at least $3 billion for the creation and placement into service of approximately 5,000 renewable energy facilities. The funding was made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. According to a Program Guidance document issued by the Treasury Department earlier in July, the “program will temporarily fill the gap created by the diminished investor demand for tax credits.” Since the beginning of the economic crisis in 2008, the number of renewable energy installations has decreased, as companies have encountered difficulty in locating funding for them. Formally, companies engaged in renewable energy technologies could apply for tax credits to cover portion of the cost of the project. ARRA has authorized direct payments in lieu of tax credits to companies that create and place in service renewable energy facilities beginning January 1, 2009. According to the guidance document, “Qualified property must be originally placed in service between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2010, (regardless of when construction begins) or placed in service after 2010 and before the credit termination date if construction of the property begins between January 1, 2009, And December 31, 2010.” In some cases, qualified properties include expansions of existing properties. The percentage of eligible cost for projects that qualify for payment ranges from 10% to 30%. The credit termination date ranges from January 1, 2013 for large wind projects to January 1, 2017 for solar and other projects. The Treasury Department directs applicants to its Application Submission Page for instructions relating to the program at https://treas1603.nrel.gov/

ECO-WERC Becomes a Dealer for Minnesota Based Ventera Energy -  Expanding Your Small Wind Turbine Options
ECO-WERC is very please to be able to offer another great small wind turbine option. Ventera Energy produces the 10-kilowatt Ventera VT10 turbine available with 50, 70, 90, 110 or 130-foot Rohn freestanding towers. The VT10 can be connected to a single-phase or three-phase grid intertie system.
After 3 years of designing, prototyping and field-testing, Ventera presents the all-new 10 kilowatt VT10 Wind Turbine, with exclusive taper leg self-supporting tower.  Three advanced, proprietary airfoil-shaped blades “fly” in the wind, much like a modern airplane wing, to convert the kinetic energy of moving air mass into rotating mechanical force. The blades of this propeller have a specific shape that has been developed from our 30 years of wind turbine design experience - providing the highest output at the lowest noise level at all wind speeds for a propeller of this diameter.

In wind regimes having 12.5 mph-5.5m/s or better average wind speeds at 30 feet (10 meters elevation), Ventera has achieved the goal of a 10-year payback for many if not most potential users. More information about Ventera  click here.

To Our ECO-WERC Wind Customers:
We realize how important customer service is. Your wind machine is working hard and needs attention, at least once a year. You need attention too. We are also adding services that will help you in several ways.

24 Hour Response:  ECO-WERC will do its best to provide a response to your concern or service issue within 24 hours.  Call us directly at 218-764-2321 and leave a message in the general mailbox.

New Service Contract: If you do not already have a service contract in place with ECO-WERC, please call us and have one sent to you.  It covers almost everything that is not covered by your insurance.

Sponsors for Data Streaming from your Wind Machine: To help with the all important public education, we have found educational establishments such as Vo-Tech schools, Colleges, Environmental Learning Centers and other entities that are interested in adopting wind turbine systems to teach their students. Since you are one of the first in your area, we may have a school that will adopt your wind turbine system. We can help arrange an educational partner for you if you wish to help with education.  This opens the door to additional income from sponsors who will support this education.

Finders Fee: No doubt that a few people have asked you about your wind turbine. We want to pay you one percent of the total gross sale price of any purchases that occur to people who you send to us as prospects.  Just make a list of prospects and notes for our sales people and send to us. Many of our customers have cashed in on the potential customer finders fee in the past years.

Thank you for your interest in the renewable energy industry!

ECO-WERC - Winkelman's Environmentally Responsible Construction

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3000 watt Whisper and 20 Kilowatt Jacobs Wind Turbines.

We can put the sun, the wind and the earth to WERC in your buildings!