Wind Turbine to Help Power Brewery
Small Brewery and Energy Saver - Article in the Eau Claire, Wisconsin's Leader-Telegraph
Printable version of this article. (PDF)
Wisconsin's
Wind-Brewed Beer at Dave's BrewFarm, is a sustainably-based craft brewery and owner, Dave Anderson, is celebrating. On February 3, 2009, a new Jacobs 20 kilowatt wind generator on a 120-foot tower installed by WERC was ready to be tipped up and completed.
Anderson said the first time he visited the land that now is his 35-acre farm near Wilson, he noticed it was a windy ridge. "I stepped out of the car and I was struck by how windy this site was. Then the light bulb went on," he said. He needed a wind generator.
During his travels researching brewery techniques, he noticed that energy was costly in much of the world. Paying $8 or $9 a gallon for gas was common in Europe, and people there were investing in wind generation in a big way. The $4 a gallon gas last summer in the U.S. was a reminder that America is not insulated from volatile fossil fuel prices, so Anderson decided to generate as much energy as possible from alternative sources.
Anderson purchased the wind generator with the help of a grant from Focus on Energy, a state program that promotes energy conservation. It will cover one-fourth of the cost. He also has applied for a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to cover another quarter of the cost.
The generator
is projected to provide up to 50% of the needed electricity for the
brewery and residence and should pay for itself in 8 to 10 years. However, the wind generator is but one component of the sustainable aspect of the
BrewFarm project, with geothermal heating/cooling and solar thermal rounding
out the renewable energy mix. Greywater recycling will handle the brewery's
wastewater, which will be used in the hopyard and orchards of Little Wolf
Farmstead, the agricultural component of the project.
The BrewFarm is an innovative demonstration project showcasing the latest in
renewable and sustainable business practices, and rural development. Our
hope is that through "leading by example" other businesses will adopt these
(and other) sustainable strategies, realizing that every effort helps the
planet - and the bottom line.
Statement from owner of Dave's BrewFarm, Dave Anderson About Tip-day.
The Elegance of a Wind Generator
Hello All: What a day!
The day started at a seasonal -0F (my favorite temperature...) and the crane (60 tons - 150 ft.) made the scene around 8:45 a.m. After a false start (the crane operator thought he could pick it in the first position he chose - but couldn't. It's all about the right position...), the generator came to rest in its much more productive vertical position. Once up, I was literally slack-jawed and the only word that came out of my mouth was, wow! The generator looks twice as tall when up than when it was on the ground waiting. It looks simply elegant out there on the hill in the back pasture, and the winds will get put to good use in the very near future as we await the final wiring and commissioning.
Thanks to all who helped put this together - the BrewFarm has its new icon and is another step closer to sustainability!
Best, David
February 3, 2009 |
