Professional Documents
Culture Documents
n n iversa ry!
its our 2 n d a
the Middlebury So.Village Professional office building Gas prices Rise - so does your lawn! >> Cont'd on p.22 >
At
will no longer hear that hum of a lawn tall unmowed lawns this summer! Here’s
the southern gateway to Middle- community, the MSV Professional Of- mower engine that permeates our sum- the low-down: Cont'd on p.37 >
bury, in the Middlebury South Vil- fice Building, a two story, 17,000 square mer’s serenity.
lage (MSV) planned development, the foot office building, is the new home for Help is not ‘on the way’ - it is here! We
recently completed MSV Professional Of- departments of the Vermont Agency of Many Thanks for the support of our Sponsors:
have personally tested four of these on
fice Building, is a testament to achieving Human Services. our rough country, VT lawn - a former
• Green Mountain Power •
high energy performance through a col- The Renaissance Development Com- • Solar Bus • MaClay Architects • Avatar
pasture.
laborative team effort. The team of the pany determined early on that the lead- All of the mowers we tried use no gas,
developer, Renaissance Development ing goal of the building project was to oil or have fumes (no fossil fuels), no
Company, Maclay Architects and Naylor create an energy efficient and environ- filters, plugs or belts, and are emissions-
& Breen Builders recently received record mentally healthy building. A healthy free. This means no maintenance except
setting results on an air sealing test that building, from the perspective of both to sharpen the blades. You DO have to
illuminates the benefits of a detail fo- Renaissance Development Company plug the battery in to recharge the bat-
cused, flexible, team-oriented approach and Maclay Architects goes beyond mere tery. Clean. Quiet. Simple. Unplug and The Solar Bus
to goal-setting, design and construc- energy efficiency, and includes efficient you’’re on your way.
> Cont'd on p.3 >>
contents A SolAr
Powered
Editors’ page, Subscriptions ... 2 wind.......................................14,15 biochar, compost.................. 25 ComPAny
transportation.................... 4, 5 Hydro.......................................... 15 seal & insulate........................ 26
g . e . t . it !
Community ................................ 6 incentives..............................16,17 construction +..................26-30
group net metering................ 7 heating .................................16,36 passiv haus............................... 27
solar instalation...............8-13 sustainable features.....18,19,33 view from the top.................. 31
REEN ENERGY T MES
Solar pv....................................... 9
Solar hot water..................... 11
south village.....................22,23
news, clues & reviews........... 24
resources, classifieds......... 34
the green life............... 35,37-39 G ... be e ne rgy indepe nde n t !
2 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
GREEN ENERGY TIMES (G.E.T.) Letters to the Editor the information with my classes. Would Announcing A SolAr
Powered
1749 Wright’s Mountain Road • Bradford, VT 05033
t/f: 802.439.6675 info@greenenergytimes.org
Jan. 9, 2011
You have a great blog that is packed with
it be possible to get 12 copies of the
times here at school? I am currently David C. Stember
Press Release
ComPAny
May 12th, 2011
Publisher/Editor/Production … Nancy Rae Mallery great information. I don't think many teaching alternative energy to 2 classes
Content/Advertising Coordinator … David Stember & sustainability to another. I am working Green Energy Times welcomes David C.
people realize the great benefits they
Web Development, Editor … Liane Allen with the state Dept of Ed and my boss Stember to the staff of G.E.T.!
can potentially recieve just from "going
Design/Layout … Nancy Rae Mallery, Liane Allen
Printing … Valley News Lebanon, NH Using Recycled News-
print & Smudge-Free Environmentally Safe Inks
green"... Good stuff...
David Webb alternativeforenergy@gmail.com
to create a 2 year program in green
energy. Any information etc. you can
send or email would be most greatly
D avid's role in our challenging business
development and growth can help us
make much more of an impact with our
Ad Reps … Vicki Moore, Danville, VT 802.748.2655 Mar. 16, 2011
appreciated. Regards on this sunny day. mission to promote energy awareness,
… David Stember, Burlington, VT 802.540.0379 Your website is a fascinating source of - Tim Gustafson-Byrne, Newport, VT understanding and independence. He has
… Kate Leversee, Keene, NH 603.721.6129 information. already proven himself to be a valuable
From a Reader: “Statistics show that
… Julie Montague, WRJ,VT 607.686.1013 -Jim Masland, Thetford Center, VT asset to the production of our publication.
the United States still derives 90% of its
Distribution… Marty Philbrick, Linda Evans, Peter April 7, 2011 electricity from pollutants such as coal His passion to work hard to make a
Roudebush, Alycia Moore, Dwayne Cormier, Cintia Morrissey, My business ad in the Green Energy Times diffference on our planet and attempt to
Roger Lohr, Leslie Battistoni, Donna & Justice Wilson… and nuclear power plants. Coal-burning
Thank you all for your help! resulted in several calls from potential power plants are the country’s largest make a difference with the energy crises
clients within 3 days of the newspaper's emitter of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse and climate change is a breathe of fresh air.
ABOUT G.E.T. release date. Those responses were far gas that traps heat in the atmosphere David brings his enthusiasm and
Green Energy Times is powered by 100% solar, off-grid with a more and faster than any of our past causing global warming. Coal is also devotion to addressing the climate crises
3.8 kW PV system. We live and know that Energy Independence yellow pages ads have ever yielded. responsible for several other health risks and action as a founding member of
is indeed possible - with clean, sustainable renewable energy. The staff at G.E.T. have put together a Climate Action Now. We encourage all to
Our mission is to promote Energy Awareness,
such as asthma attack and other lung
Understanding & Independence. We must save our planet. dynamic blend of high quality technical ailments. It worsens the decade-long join this organization of networking: http://
Think Solar, Wind, Hydro... and energy reduction! Believe in information with a comfortable grass environmental problems that we still fail climateactionnow.ning.com/
this earth! < Solar works! … anywhere! under the sun! > roots charm that repeatedly draws to address nowadays.” David's professional history and
G.E.T. is published quarterly, Feb.15, May 15, Aug.15 & Nov.15, readers to the Green Energy Times. We ALL need to listen NOW and do accomplishments are too numerous to
by NRM Advertising Company. It is free and availble throughout mention. We feel very fortunate to have
85% of VT & 45% of NH: the Upper Valley-St.J.down to
- Dewey and Associates our part and encourage everyone to do
Brattleboro,Windsor-Ludlow, Barre-Montpelier-Burlington, April 7, 2011 likewise and then do some more! What hime on board to help us meet the futur
Stowe, Mooretown-Waitsfield, Morrisville, Hardwick, Danville, have you done TODAY to reduce your with more certainty.
We've met several times, casually, at
NEK, Grand Isle, Woodstock-Rutland-Bennington; NH:
carbon emissions? Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! ♻
Woodsville-Hanover-W. Leb.-Plainfield, Enfield-Claremont, various green-related events. I've been
Keene-Concord-Plymouth-Laconia, Littleton, & towns in between.
2 If you would like to have G.E.T. available somewhere you have not
"digitally stalking" (that's a good thing)
Green Energy Times and I think you are
April 7, 2011
Correction for Feb.15, 2011 Issue:
seen it, let us know! You can also download each issues of G.E.T. The article by Abraham Noe-Hays en- It was brought to our attention that the
online at www.greenerergytimes.org. doing some really cool, creative stuff... - titled “Saving Energy with Composting caption for one of the images in the
We encourage you to patronize our advertisers. We strive to selec- Robert Farnum, Hanover, NH Toilets in Your Community” was espe-
tively include those that we feel can offer trust-worthy services & biomass article in the recent Feb. 15, 2011
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
April 9, 2011 cially informative and well written. I issue of GET was incorrect. The caption
products. G.E.T. cannot be held responsible for advertising claims.
To advertise in G.E.T. contact Ad Reps listed above. I teach green industry technologies at would like to request permission to re- was printed as ‘Burlington College in
Editorial Policy: Green Energy Times works with a variety North Country Career Center in Newport, produce this article for local distribution Burlington, VT’. It should have been
of writers and also publishes community submissions on VT. I have been getting your newspaper and for submission to our local newspa- ‘Bennington College in Bennington, VT.’
various topics. We aim to publish content that is independently "green energy times" wherever i can per (Cape Cod Times). Thank You, Apologies and the mistake were brought
researched, unbiased and relevant to our audience. Submissions
find it. Great Stuff!!! I have been sharing - Jim Corven, Sandwich, MA. ♻ to our attention just after the publication
are subject to our guidelines. Publication is subject to our editorial
Net Zero
judgment & schedule. was released, from Cindy at BERC.
Subscriptions: $20/yr. Contact us for a subscription form.
G.E.T. wants to thank everyone who has submitted articles or
helped in any way to make this all a reality. We want to also thank Vermont Building how
sustainable
our advertisers & ask that you support them. Say that you saw
them in Green Energy Times. Now let’s all g.e.t. moving ahead Presented in Montreal is your
towards a clean, renewable future - one where our children &
grandchildren will be able to breathe & grow, live & love on this
beautiful planet where we live. Thank you for reading G.E.T. Send The American Society of Heating, Photovoltaic Systems as a part of the
community ?
pg 18, 19, 33 >>
your comments & suggestions to: info@greenenergytimes.org. Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning
Net-Zero Energy Building Track.
We want to hear what you are doing to make a difference! Engineers (ASHRAE) members, from << Cont'd from Front Cover < ENERGY BILL
Together we all can make the difference! Peace! ♻ The net-zero, 16,800 square-foot Put-
around the world, will convene in Mon-
ney School Field House, located on the Vermonters statewide,” added Staskus.
treal this June for an annual conference
Green Energy Times wants to hear what Putney School campus in Putney, VT, The bill also prevents a gap in funding
titled “Sustainability Knows No Bor-
YOU are doing to help to reduce your and our includes a gymnasium, as well as adja- for the successful Clean Energy Devel-
dependence on Fossil Fuels. Your example may be ders”. Five days of technical programs
cent spaces for recreation, health and opment Fund (CEDF). This fund makes it
the one that makes the difference! will run from June 25th through June
socializing. A 37 kW tracking PV array is more affordable for Vermont homeown-
Next Issue of G.E.T.: Aug.15, 2011. 29th. ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an
provides as much electricity in a year as ers and businesses to install small-scale
Feature: How Sustainable Is Your Community? international, engineering organiza-
the building consumes. First occupied renewable energy systems.
Different towns will be highlighted in each tion with more than 50,000 members.
November 2009, the first year of data The bill includes expansions Vermont’s
of our issues throughout the year. ASHRAE focuses on the advancement
Let us know what your town is doing! shows that the building achieved net- existing Property Assessed Clean Energy
of heating, ventilation, air conditioning
Feature 2: Rte 100 Corridor - Action abounds! zero design performance. Additionally, (PACE) districts, a program that allows
and refrigeration to serve humanity and
802.439.6675 • info@greenenergytimes.org the building is currently on-track for a towns to offer loans to homeowners
promote a sustainable world through
LEED 3.0 Platinum rating. looking to make energy efficiency retro-
research, standards writing, publishing
The aforementioned design team fits. Other provisions in the bill provide
subscription
form
and continuing education.
members will present building statistics incentives for consumers looking to
Speaking at this conference will be
r1 yr…$20r2 yrs…$35r3 yrs…$50 and first year energy data, and discuss install high efficiency biomass heating
three experts from New England, pre-
___________________________________________ the selection of air-source heat pumps systems. It also establishes low sulfur
name
senting a paper on theior collaborative
___________________________________________ for building heating for this net-zero, and biofuel mandates for heating oil
address design of the net-zero Putney School
___________________________________________ cold climate building. They will also sold in Vermont, timed to match imple-
Field House:
___________________________________________
city.state.zip discuss lessons learned during commis- mentation by surrounding states.
___________________________________________
• Andy Shapiro of Energy Balance, sioning and first year operation, includ- Governor Peter Shumlin is slated to
phone
___________________________________________
Montpelier, VT ing challenges relating to building net- sign the bill on May 25 at the commis-
email
___________________________________________
• Daniel C. Lewis of Kohler & Lewis zero in terms of cost, and marketplace sioning of a 150kW solar array at the
website
Keene, NH availability of components. Farm at South Village in S. Burlington.
Offer good in U.S. only. Canada: $US 24.00. Foreign: $US 30.00
Gift subscriptions available! • Bill Maclay of Maclay Architects For more information on this confer- The event will run from 1:00pm - 3:00pm
please send check to 1749 Wright’s Mountain Road
Bradford, Vermont 05033
Waitsfield, VT ence or this presentation in particular at 130 Allen Road East, in S. Burlington,
802.439.6675 The presentation on this ground- please visit the ASHRAE conference VT.
info@greenenergytimes.org
www.greenenergytimes.org breaking project will be presented in a website at http://www.ashrae.org/ For more information visit www.REV-
solar power works! …anywhere under the sun session focused on Building Integrated events/2001-montreal-conference ♻. ermont.org ♻
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 3
Biomass EnErgy rEsourcE cEntEr (BErc)
BERC is a national
nonprofit that helps
communities, schools
and colleges, govern-
ment agencies, busi-
IS CREATED EQUAL
of their local biomass
energy resources.
Take a closer look at what runs through a Green Mountain BERC helps to develop successful community-scale biomass
system models by providing:
Power line. Behind the electrons, you’ll see an abundance
• General information on biomass energy
of renewable generation, the passion of dedicated
• Pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and other analyses
employees, a commitment to Vermont-based wind and
solar development, customer choices about the source of • Biomass fuel supply assessments and market development
generation for their electricity, and the promise to make • Technical assistance for working biomass systems
the environment and our communities better every day. For more information, contact BERC at:
PO Box 1611, Montpelier, Vermont 05601 • 802-223-7770
Read our new energy plan at greenmountainpower.com info@biomasscenter.org • www.biomasscenter.org
S helburne
a healthy work environment for its oc- reason this project was so successful is
cupants. Maclay Architects pushed this because of the time that Jeff Glassberg,
goal by providing clear metrics in the MSV’s owner representative, took to
specifications and developing design
details that helped bring this to reality.
The project specifications set an ambi-
gather all of the project team together
and explain what he was trying to ac-
complish.”
F armS
tious original goal for an air sealing tar- The selection and installation of build-
get, beyond that required by Vermont ing envelope components are also of
Energy Code, and this goal was exceeded utmost importance to ensure that ma-
by a significant margin. After completion terials perform at their optimum ratings. 3
of the building envelope, a final blower Window installation is likely the most
door test completed by Efficiency Ver- >> C ont ' d on p . 31 >>
mont determined the final air infiltration
reading to be 0.06 CFM50/sq. ft. exterior
surface area. This reading means that NAYLOR & BREEN
for every square foot of exterior surface BUILDERS, INC.
area of the building envelope, 0.06 cu- Commercial • Custom Residential • Institutional
bic feet per minute of air travels through
Come visit! We are a 1,400-acre working farm, a non-profit
the envelope when pressurized to 50 educational center and a National Historic Landmark.
pascals. “The goal set out in the design
specifications was 0.20 CFM50/sq. ft. ex- Daily through October 16th
terior surface area, so this result is 2/3rds • Property Tours • Cheesemaking Demonstrations
better than anticipated,” according to • Children’s Farmyard • Farm Lunch • Special Events
Bill Maclay from Maclay Architects. • The Inn aT Shelburne FarmS
Energy consultant, Sandy LaFlamme, Breakfast, dinner, Sunday brunch, Sunday Supper,
of Efficiency Vermont states that, “This Middlebury South Village Professional Office Building
beautiful accommodations Reservations: 802-985-8498
is one of the tightest commercial build- Open Year-Round
ings tested by Efficiency Vermont – and Naylor & Breen is committed to providing • Walking Trails • Award Winning Cheese
it also achieved Core Performance, a na- the highest quality construction on schedule, • Welcome Center & Farm Store
tionally recognized set of high-perform- and at a competitive price, while building
ing building standards offered through strong and lasting relationships with our Sun to Cheese Tours • Vermont Cheesemakers Festival
Efficiency Vermont.” These results really clients, employees,subcontractors, vendors • Draft Horse Field Day • Fresh Network Forum
‘push the envelope.’ Sandy LaFlamme and professional partners. • Morning Birdwalks • Book Talks • Garden Talks
Orah Moore
also indicates that, “This building will ... and more at www.shelburnefarms.org
save an estimated $2,800 annually in (802) 247-6527
propane costs over a 2011 code-mini- 1611 Harbor Road • Shelburne, VT • 05482
2335 Franklin Street, Brandon, Vermont 05733
mum air sealed building.” And this sav- www.naylorbreen.com 802-985-8686 • www.shelburnefarms.org photos: A. Blake Gardner,
TRANSPORTATION
4 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
true synthetic oil base stocks are artificially 3. Recycling Used Oil: What Can You Do? U.S. Environmental Protec- how long it takes to charge the batteries. For if anyone is testing that concept. ♻
created. Synthetic motor oils are not derived tion Agency, Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response (OS-305),
from fossil fuels, take less energy to produce, EPA/530-SW-89-039B, June 1989. ♻
and regularly out-perform traditional, petro-
leum-based motor oils in industry tests. Syn-
thetic motor oil generally lasts longer in your CVPS Update: GMP to Install Public Charging Stations for Electric Cars
engine, maintains better viscosity in extreme
temperatures and allows your engine to run
charging stations G reen Mountain Power announced plans
to install three public charging stations
for electric cars in 2011. The charging sta-
a place to charge up away from home," says
Powell. "GMP is installing these charging sta-
tions to help jump start the development of
at a higher efficiency than conventional mo-
tor oil. It may cost a little more, but a synthet- tions will use state of the art technology, the infrastructure needed to make electric
A
ic motor oil is decidedly better for both your couple of you have asked today if we are powered by the sun and is “still nailing down vehicles convenient to operate."
car and our planet. planning any public charging stations some of the details, but we are expecting to The locations of the charging stations will
Re-refined motor oil is another good op- for electric vehicles. The answer: We sure are! have an announcement in a few weeks and be one in Montpelier and two in Chittenden
tion. Most consumers don't realize that We have had a team working on it for several a new mini-web site on charging stations in County. Green Mountain Power is consider-
conventional, petroleum-based motor oil is months. Since utilities can’t legally give away June, said Dorothy Schnure to Green Energy ing populated locations with easy access and
100% recyclable. Motor oil can get dirty, but electricity, one of the things we are looking at is Times on April 26th, 2011. high visibility.
it never wears out. Used motor oil can be re- how to charge for the use of such a site. I expect "Electric vehicles are part of Vermont's Each charging station will have two char-
refined and turned back into a product suit- we’ll be doing something later this year, but we energy future," says Mary Powell, President gers. The Level One charger will use 110 volt
able for providing quality engine lubrication. haven’t announced anything because we don’t and CEO of Green Mountain Power. "Trans- household current, and will be compatible
Re-refining is energy efficient; less energy is know exactly where or when. portation currently represents a significant with hybrid vehicles such as the Toyota Prius
required to produce a gallon of re-refined We do have two solar-powered charging percent of Vermont's carbon emissions and that have been converted to "plug-in" tech-
base stock than to produce a gallon of base stations already for our own electric-hybrid electric vehicles need to be part of a cost- nology. The Level Two charger will use 220-
stock from crude oil. vehicles, one complete and one under con- effective strategy to reduce dependence on 240 current, and will be compatible with the
Re-refined motor oil also creates a closed- struction. The first one is directly behind fossil fuels. These new charging stations will new electric vehicles entering the market,
circuit of fossil fuel usage as we are able to the office building here on Grove Street in help highlight the environmental benefits such as the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf.
infinitely re-use the same organic matter Rutland, which has been up and running for of fueling more vehicles with electricity." As About Green Mountain Power. Green Moun-
originally pulled from the Earth. several months. The second is under con- part of the project, the company plans to tain Power (www.greenmountainpower.com)
A particularly sad fact is that in the U.S., struction in the little parking area at our so- install solar panels to produce renewable generates, transmits, distributes and sells elec-
less than 60% of used motor oil is recycled. lar project on Route 7 in Rutland Town. We energy equal to the amount used by each tricity in the State of Vermont. It serves more
This wasted oil could be used to make re- added one set of new panels over there spe- charging station. than 175,000 people and businesses. ♻
refined motor oils, but instead it ends up cifically to charge our vehicles, but the final "One of the barriers to switching to all-
polluting our waterways. Used motor oil can electrical work isn’t quite finished yet. We electric vehicles is the concern about finding
contain hazardous toxins like benzene, lead, currently own four hybrid-electric vehicles.
zinc and cadmium. One gallon of used motor
oil can ruin the taste of one million gallons of
drinking water, enough water to supply fifty
We are also working on communications
materials for auto dealers who will sell elec-
tric and hybrid-electric vehicles to let them
people for an entire year. know about time-of-use rates that could be
Many do-it-yourself oil changers dispose of very attractive to EV and HEV owners.
their used motor oil the “old-fashioned” way:
by burying it in their backyards. This old, im-
properly-disposed-of oil ends up in our wa-
When plans are more finalized, we’ll up-
date you.
Steve Costello, (802) 747-5427, CVPS - Recog-
terways, polluting our environment. nized by Forbes as One of the Most Trustwor-
At Oil n' Go, we are dedicated to preserv- thy Companies in America. ♻ www.connecting commuters.org
TRANSPORTATION www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 5
Community page - misc stuff… action required for a bright energy future
By Johanna Miller
monters while significantly curbing our
panels. At Perry’s Appliances, - Submitted from Jessica Loef- done. Strategic, coordinated state-level ac-
we learned that energy star fler's 5th Grade Class, Bradford tion is also pivotal to making real, substan- that it is actually implemented.
products use less electric- Elementary School ♻ tive, meaningful change. Vermonters interested in moving the state
ity and can save you money Please do your part to Thankfully, the Department of Public Ser- towards a clean energy future are absolutely
pivotal to the process underway. And town
in the long run. Aubuchon’s vice recently commenced a much-needed
Hardware store was another help the environment update to Vermont’s Comprehensive Energy energy committees, where leadership on
energy is manifesting meaningful results,
place that we visited. We did a scavenger
hunt on sustainable products you could
by teaching your friends & family Plan, last formally enacted in 1998.
Their goal? Craft a current, comprehensive are key to the ongoing success of the plan
buy for your home. about sustainability. and coordinated approach to meeting Ver- - and energy action generally.
We learned many things on this trip. mont’s energy needs. It’s a goal the state must Find out more about how Vermonters are
One thing we learned was that using LED B.E.S. Awarded VT Community meet. Without such a guiding framework the innovating at the grassroots on energy in a
☀
• Make your own energy • Maximize state and federal tax benefits
• Reduce high energy bills • Increase the value of your home
SOLAR
Installed by
SYSTEmS
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SERViCES
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8
Renewable Energy Systems & Technologies, LLC
PO Box 277, Bridgewater Corners, Vermont 05035
Tel: (802) 672-2299 • sales@restecsolar.com www.dcenergyinnovations.com
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Energy
Conservation
Energy Audits
Weatherization
Sustainable Design
Services
Electrical
Building Diagnostics solar electric solar hot water • Design and Installation
Infared Testing of Solar Power Systems
Help with Energy
Incentives
• Vermont Solar Partner
• NABCEP Certified Installer
• Free Price Estimates
• Locally Owned and Operated
wood heat Solar Incentives and Tax Credits
passive solar are available; call to learn more!
Phone: 802-223-7014
locally grown produce www.TheSolarSpecialists.com
☀
Many good articles have been written in this publication over the last several years
which explain solar photovoltaic technology; what it is, how it works and how it
interconnects. These articles have also emphasized that solar PV is an important
and valuable part of our energy future and that solar is an abundant and effective
resource here in New England. There are many compelling reasons for a home or
business owner to invest in solar whether those reasons are related to investing in a
sustainable future or pursuing a high rate of return on the investment.
Independence
Many “early adopters” of solar (back in the 1970’s) did so to achieve energy
independence. That motivation continues for many today as solar provides a
certainty for the availability of electric power at a fixed price. When the solar system
includes batteries it provides additional security against the interruption of power
and assures complete independence.
Financial Benefits
Federal Tax Credits and State Incentives are equal to 30% and 15% or more of total
project cost, respectively; thus these benefits can reduce project cost by 45% or
more. A typical PV investment will provide a rate of return greater than 8% and can
exceed 12%. A PV investment compares very favorably to an alternative Wall Street
investment (a stock, bond or Certificate of Deposit) as: 9
A PV investment is in your own home - you are the “investment manager.” You are 41 KW ground mounted Photovotaic array located in Westminster West, VT.
not sending your money to Wall Street to be managed by and with the promises of
a portfolio manager.
The PV investment “return” is only based on your electric savings in your own home.
Based on the reliability of PV this is a consistent and predictable return. PV system
monitoring consistently validates the forecasted PV electric production.
An 8-12% Return on Investment is an attractive return particularly when compared
to investments of equal risk (i.e.: Certificate of Deposit).
PV is an excellent hedge against future utility cost price increases. If utility costs
spiral your costs of electricity will be fixed and prepaid.
SOLAR HOT
WATER
PRODUCES UP
TO FIVE TMES AS
MUCH ENERGY
PER SQ FT AS
SOLAR ELECTRIC
SYSTEMS.
IF YOU HAVE
ELECTRIC HOT
WATER, A SOLAR HOT See a working system on our showroom roof!
WATER SYSTEM WILL
SoLar
REDUCE YOUR ELEC-
TRICAL DEMAND BY
50-70% DEPENDING
ON USAGE. Design & Installation of
Both Solar hot water & Photovoltaic Systems
SOLAR POWER home comfort warehouSe
M etruk’s WORKS …ANYWHERE
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54 Bridge Street, white river Jct., Vt
802.295.8778 www.homecomfortwarehouse.com
UNDER THE SUN!
10 E lectrical 1802-082610
C ontracting
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AND WIND
WIND POWER
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metruks@comcast.net
32 Lower English Settlement
Road, Underhill, VT 05489
O ver view:
There was a time when a “solar system” referred to a star with some accompanying
planets.
Then, in the 1970s, during our first major oil shortage, “solar systems” came to
mean a system of solar collectors which convert solar energy to “thermal” energy
for hot water production.
Currently the term has been co-opted to refer to the new kid on the block,
photo-voltaic (PV) panels which convert solar energy to electrical energy.
“Thermal” systems are the preferred first step (assuming an appropriate site) for
residential alternative energy installations for several reasons:
1. They are affordable and have an return on investment (roi) of 7-10 yrs versus the
20-25 yrs for a PV system. After rebates, energy credits, etc. they typically rep-
resent an out-of-pocket expense of $4,000 to $6,000 for an installed system.
Not cheap, but still within the reach of a large fraction of home-owners.
2. They are an “evolved” technology. The approximate 80% efficiency of thermal
collectors at turning the suns light into hot water has only small potential for
improvement as compared to the 12% conversion rate of collectors.
3. They are very simple, durable and, with modest maintenance, reliable over a
long span of time. This is a critical issue when considering roi.
SOLAR Q&A
…Since 1988
www.independentpowerllc.com
Solar Uncertainty
with Howie Michaelson, Catamount Solar (previously Sun Catcher)
Independent POWER
While many of us have lived with solar for years, and many more are just delving in, there are ques- VERMONT SOLAR PROS
tions and concerns that repeatedly come up around its day-to-day functioning. In this column,
Howie will try to answer those questions in a simple clear fashion. Please submit your questions to: Solar Design
questions@suncatchervt.com or info@greenenergytimes.org, for inclusion in future editions! Sales ☀ Installation
1. Are Halogen lights better than compact fluorescent lights for energy
Dave Palumbo, Forrest Palumbo, Nathan Skorstad Hyde Park, Vermont
efficiency? What about LED lights? Halogen lights are a form of high output lights that
work very well for spot or task lighting. They provide a good quality, bright light that is good for good
definition and seeing detail. However, if you've ever touched a halogen while it was on, you will know
that much of the energy used is converted into heat as opposed to light, a problem with the traditional Energy
Off Independence
Grid? On Grid? Starts At Home
incandescent bulbs we are using less of these days because of inefficient light output. The advantage
of halogen lighting is that it is typically brighter and often better lighting than the standard Compact SOLAR MAKES SENSE
Flourescent (CF) bulbs on the market, which many people do not like, especially for areas where good NOW IS THE TIME TO GO SOLAR
definition lighting is desired. They are about twice as efficient as incandescent bulbs and about half as ef- State and federal incentives offset installation cost by 40 - 50%
ficent as CF's, however, because of the quality and focused quality of the light, it is often a better energy RENEWABLE ENERGY
It's good for our community, environment and nation
efficiency choice than CF's for work spaces and reading lighting.
On the other hand LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting seems to be on the verge of taking over the Competitive
Local Pricing
Provider on Complete
of Solar Systems,
Design, Sales
Energy-Efficient
and Installation Appliances and System
in the Northeast Components
Kingdom
market. It is extremely efficient lighting (using perhaps 1/10 of the traditional incandescent bulb, and
perhaps twice as efficient as CF's (or better) with no mercury content (a problem with disposal of many 802-535-6191
CF's). The biggest hurdle that LEDs need to get past is the quality of the light (as many early adopters info@solartechvt.com
have found) and the high cost, much as was the case in the earlier years of CF's. However, even in the last Sutton, Vermont
12-18 months LED lighting has advanced dramatically and is now quite affordable (with some shopping
around), and there are many examples of LEDs producing high quality light. At this point, it is probably
well worth the investment, particularly for “off-griders,” since the still higher cost of LEDs is likely justified
12 RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL
by the dramatic energy savings they afford (in an off-grid home, lighting, particularly in the low solar RENEWABLES • OFF-GRID • GRID-TIE
months, ends up being a substantial percentage of the load). By reducing your electrical load, you can
spend less money and natural resources investing in the solar energy equipment needed to power your
home or business, whether on- or off-grid
SOLARWIND ELECTRIC
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
2. Can I install a grid-tied Solar Electric system myself? The short answer is,
if you live in a single family home in Vermont you can install a Solar Electric system yourself, but not a
Solar Thermal system tied to your Domestic (potable) Hot Water system. However, because of the com- RICHARD RATICO
plexity of sizing, designing, and safely installing a Solar Electric system, it is not recommended as a DIY
project. Modern grid-tied Solar Electric systems run high DC voltage, which needs to be handled in very P.O. Box 402
specific ways in order to insure the safety of “life, limb, and property,” and should not be attempted by Bradford, VT 05033
anyone who is not well trained in these types of installations. The equipment used must be UL listed, and 802-222-9028 NH Lic. 1048M
installed in compliance with National Electric Code (specifically Article 690, as well as all other pertinent ratico@valley.net VT Lic. EM-4156
articles). For Solar Thermal systems in Vermont, any plumbing tying into the house water system must
RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • INDUSTRIAL
be done by a licensed plumber. In addition, in order to qualify for the Vermont State Incentive grant, the RENEWABLES • OFF-GRID • GRID-TIE
installation must be done by an approved Vermont Solar Partner (see http://www.revermont.org/main/
incentives-partnership/partner-info/ for a complete Partner list). New Hampshire does not have an “ap- Sun CatCher, Kinney and Sun, and triple play Solar are now
proved vendor” list in order to qualify for those state incentives.
in future issues of G.E.T.: SOLARWIND ELECTRIC
• How often should I charge my batteries in my off-grid house?
What about my grid-tied house with battery back-up?
• My Solar Hot Water system does not seem to work as well in the winter as the summer.
RICHARD RATICO
Does this mean that my solar electric system doesn't work as well then, too? ♻
P.O. Box 402
Bradford, VT 05033
802-222-9028 NH Lic. 1048M
Three's the Charm ratico@valley.net VT Lic. EM-4156
Three Vermont solar specialists have joined forces creating a new company with de-
cades of valuable experience to serve the needs of Vermont /New Hampshire home
owners and businesses. Catamount Solar merges the efforts of Sun Catcher, Kinney
and Sun Solar Construction, and Triple Play Solar to form a partnership backed by
more than 30 years experience in the solar industry. The new company provides con- Dan Kinney
sumers with a 100% local, dependable, owner-managed business.
“Our clients definitely benefit from the broad and deep experience that Catamount
Solar brings to their projects,” noted Howie Michaelson, owner of Sun Catcher. Sun Serving all of Vermont and New Hamphire for
Catcher has been a REV Solar Partner since 2006 and is a NABCEP certified PV installer.
Prior to founding Sun Catcher, Mr. Michaelson was a lead installer at groSolar. He has
☀ Grid-Tied PV Systems
lived off-grid for 15 years and is one of the state’s leading off-grid solar experts. Kin- ☀ Solar Hot Water
ney and Sun Solar Construction was founded by Dan Kinney in 2009. Kinney was the
Howie Michaelson ☀ Off-Grid Systems
first employee at groSolar, and installed hundreds of systems in his 10+ years there.
He is also a recognized PV trainer providing installation and safety courses for stu- All Residential and Commercial Applications
dents at Vermont Technical College and other clients. Triple Play Solar was founded
by Kevin McCollister in 2009. Prior to this enterprise, McCollister was Senior Commer- Experience You Can Trust
cial Project Manager at groSolar and Northern Power, and managed the successful
installations of large-scale projects totaling more than 2 megawatts.
“No matter what type of project – large or small, roof or ground mounted, residen- 802-272-0004
tial or commercial, the owners of Catamount Solar have done it before and are ready
Kevin McCollister
to lend this experience to your unique project circumstances,” added Dan Kinney. ♻
Why Solar Now! By J. Scott Hansen
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 13
For those of us who are wishing for a greener planet, Federal Tax Credit: The Federal government pro-
but are uncertain about the economics of solar pow- vides a 30% tax credit for the installed cost of solar
er, help has arrived. The cost of solar panels has been systems. Unlike tax deductions, tax credits are a dol-
steadily falling while the incentives have increased lar for dollar reduction in the amount of taxes owed
significantly, so the time to install solar is now! Let’s by an individual or business.
look at New England in general and a couple of states State Support: State incentives vary significantly
in particular. and important grant and loan programs can vary by
It’s time to abandon your concerns about New utility district or county within the state. The Data-
England being too far north, too cloudy or too cool base of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency
for efficient use of solar power. When it comes to ex- http://www.dsireusa.org provides the best residen-
ploiting its solar resources, Germany has been the tial and business information regarding incentives
most successful. Germany generates over 2% of its for solar power.
electricity with solar, while in New England, wind and Vermont: Residential solar systems up to 10kW can
solar combined account for under 0.5%. Now con- qualify for the following incentives:
sider the fact that Boston is almost 700 miles further • Vermont’s renewable energy rebate program will
south than Berlin and New England’s average annual pay a rebate equal to $0.75 per installed watt of
hours of sunshine is almost 60% more than what Ger- capacity, up to 10 kW.
many receives. Also, solar panels do not require full • Utility providers will credit back to the customer,
sunshine and operate at about 50% capacity in light, at the prevailing kW hour price, excess solar
overcast conditions. The cool New England tempera- generated electricity that is net metered into
tures also help solar efficiency as opposed to desert the grid.
climates where the heat can reduce solar output by • Vermont does not have a SREC program.
as much as 10%. • Solar and related equipment are exempt from the
The significant advantage that Germany has had state’s sales tax. Vermont allows municipalities the option of exempting so-
over New England is government incentives to install lar from the property taxes.
solar systems. In the US, the federal, state and local
governments have started to provide meaningful, al- Economics for Solar in Vermont: A 5 kW solar system purchased for $32,000
though somewhat confusing, incentives and the eco- will qualify for a renewable energy rebate of $3,750 and a federal tax credit of
nomics of going solar have never been better. In MA*, $8,475; resulting in a net investment of $19,775. Assuming the system generates
for example, a typical 5 kilowatt (5 kW or 5,000 watts) 6,000 kW hours annually and that all power is used by the solar operator, if elec-
system with solar panels guaranteed for 20 years can tricity inflation is 6% the system will pay for itself in a little over 13 years.
The heart of the solar argument is that, for so many reasons you have already
Anaerobic Digestion at Keewaydin Dairy Farm Fukushima Nuclear Reliability and German Wind
German Wind more Stable than Fukushima Reactors
The Avatar Anaerobic Digester (AD) Advantage:
Scaleable and Modular Design Ideal for Small - Mid Size Farms
April 14, 2011 By Paul Gipe
Completly Automated and Controled System with Min. Maintenance
Generate Heat, Electricity, Bedding, Fertilizer and Reduce Overall Operating Costs
I
largely funded by gigantic subsidies that dwarf wind power will shed most energy production
those given to the renewable energy industry. We costs relating to drilling, mining, refining, deliver- n 2007, Governor John Lynch of NH signed the
taxpayers subsidize uranium fuel enrichment and ing, storage, processing, waste treatment and the “NH Renewable Energy Act” that required 25 per-
a huge portion of the decommissioning funds re- discarding of traditional fuels. In addition, renew- cent of the State’s electricity to come from renew-
quired to dismantle and clean up these plant sites able energy systems offer the advantage of being able energy by 2025. The City of Keene responded
once they reach the end of their relatively short fabricated, installed and operational in a very short by committing to increasing the use of renewable
design life cycle. None of these ‘true costs’ appear period of time with relatively low decommission- resources and raising the overall energy efficiency of
as part of our nuclear power retail rates. With a re- ing costs that, unlike nuclear energy, need not be its municipal energy use.
alistic accounting of ‘true costs’, wind power can al- funded by the public. Renewables like wind also Interest was generated by the then Mayor Mi-
$2,522
- 200
- 300
$2,022
Encore
Legislative Action on Energy
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 17
There were two primary pieces of en- eration allowed from the current 2% cap committed to 93 projects, its anticipat- lington Electric Department - to provide
ergy legislation this past legislative ses- to 4% of utilities’ peak energy demands. ed this approach will raise between $2.7 administrative support to municipalities
sion. The bills were H.56, an ‘omnibus’ • Raises the size cap on net-metered sys- million and $3 million of those funds to who seek it, if they choose.
energy bill that, among many elements, tems from 250 kW to 500 kW. support other CEDF-approved renew- • Limiting the program to residential cus-
focused largely on expanding oppor- This provision will make the decentral- able energy projects - at no additional tomers only, not commercial properties.
tunities for moving small-scale solar ized generation of homegrown energy cost to Vermonters. While it’s unfortunate this program is
projects forward in Vermont and H.155, in Vermont more viable for Vermonters. The CEDF is pivotal to growing a de- no longer be available to commercial
a bill to make strategic changes to the • Creates a financial incentive to catalyze centralized, homegrown renewable parties, it’s possible that it could be ex-
clean energy financing program, often more net-metered solar. energy economy in Vermont. panded fairly easily to include commer-
referred to as PACE. The bill establishes a small benefit (up Makes changes to Vermont’s “Property cial customers down the road.
The House passed both bills decisively to 20¢ per kWh) that would be paid by Assessed Clean Energy” program.
Ac- Includes a ‘bill-back’ provision that would
in April and, in late-session action in the utilities to solar and net metering cus- tion by federal mortgage backers Fannie allow the state to recoup legal fees it incurs
Senate, the two bills were merged into tomers for the energy they produce. Mae and Freddie Mac essentially halted in defending itself against in litigation.
one - H.56. In the waning days of the This will help make solar energy more many promising PACE programs across This kind of “bill-back” authority is com-
session the full Senate overwhelming affordable and viable for Vermonters. the nation dead in their tracks over the mon in other types of litigation involv-
passed the bill, the House concurred • Provides necessary bridge funding for past year - including in Vermont. To ad- ing utility companies, but it also opens
with the Senate’s changes and the bill the Clean Energy Development Fund. dress Fannie and Freddie’s concerns and the door for the state to charge Entergy
moved to the Governor's desk for sig- While many iterations of a funding to provide Vermont municipalities more Corporation for the legal fees the state
nature, where Governor Shumlin was stream for this small-scale renewable surety, H.56 makes some strategic fixes to incurs as it fights the lawsuit the compa-
eager to sign into law. energy development program were Vermont’s existing legislation, including: ny filed against Vermont last month.
While not as ambitious as many clean considered this year, ultimately, at the • Making the PACE assessment on a These are some of the core elements
energy advocates would hope, H.56 - urging of the Shumlin administration, home secondary to the mortgage. of the 2011 legislative session’s energy
called the Vermont Energy Act of 2011 - they were all shelved for a solution that legislation. Lawmakers pointed to the
• Creating two mandatory ‘loan loss re-
takes a solid step forward on expanding will essentially use existing funds in- need to wait for the state’s update to its
serve funds;’ One paid for by participants
opportunities for efficiency and renew- stead of creating a new fee (as had been Comprehensive Energy Plan — due to
and one, a statewide loan loss reserve
ables. H.56: proposed). be completed by October 15 this year
fund, administered by the State Trea-
Expands opportunities for net metering. Modeled on current federal law, the - before embarking on more ambitious
surer, paid for by Regional Greenhouse
Despite significant interest in siting provision would allow the 23 businesses energy action.
Gas Inventory funds of up to $1 million
small-scale solar and wind projects in offered a solar tax credit to take a 50% dollars. Together, these funds should For more information about H.56, please
Vermont, the current limit on net-meter- discount on the value of those credits in provide the safety net municipalities contact Johanna Miller, Energy Program
ing projects could halt these develop-
I n c e n t iv e s I n c e n t iv e s I n c e n t iv e s
VT STATE INCENTIVES NH STATE INCENTIVES FEDERAL PERSONAL TAX CREDIT for:
f for any combination of the following. Can
Rebates Solar Water Heat, Photovoltaics, Wind, Fuel
NEW HAMPSHIRE
combine rebates from multiple technologies. $25k For information, see: http://bit.ly/NHIncentives Cells, Geothermal Heat Pumps, Other Solar
lifetime cap on rebates. See: http://bit.ly/VTIncentive Electric Technologies.
See: http://bit.ly/FedTaxCredits
ELECTRICAL (Solar PV, Wind, Hydro) ELECTRICAL (Solar PV, Wind, Hydro)
1) Grid-connected, not off-grid. What is it?
Residential Renewables (Solar PV, Wind) Credit applied to taxes owed (dollar for dollar
2) New system: must include all equipment for
(No NH Funding until July 2011, at earliest) reduction in taxes), up to 30% of cost of system.
functional, independent system.
VERMONT
3) Inverters must be UL 1741 listed, or listed by If you owe less than your credit, remaining 17
equivalent national rating organization.
4) Must comply with requirements of applicable
portions of VT Public Service Board Rule 5.100.
HEAT & HOT WATER (Solar, Geothermal, Wood Pellet)
Geothermal Heat Pumps, $800/ton up to 5 tons;
FEDERAL
credit can carry over to the next year’s taxes.
Ferrisburgh, VT
Ralph Shepard's Wind Turbine
Ferrisburgh Going
Renewable with New
Town Energy Committee
Local Energy Committee Success Story
T his new Town Energy Committee began in
the summer of 2010 when the selectboard Ferrisburgh Energy Committee
helps local resident install PART B
B
appointed Bob McNary to represent
Ferriburgh. The stated goal of the new group EAURACRATIC details! Our decision
is to make home energy conservation audits
a new home-based to buy was greatly influenced by two
available to the local townspeople and to Wind Turbine Energy System incentive programs: • 30% of the purchase
assist residents with funding applications price can be claimed as a Federal Income
T
needed to implement home energy Tax Credit, secondly, the VT Small Scale
he idea of installing a wind turbine has month we used close to 1000 Kilowatt Hours
conservation measures. Renewable Energy Incentive Program, as
always appealed to us, yet the process was (KWH) and paid about 14¢/kWh for that
The Ferrisburg Energy Committee described below, will pay $1.25/installed
mysterious and daunting. Who do you call, power, so our total monthly savings could
meets the second Monday of every month watt. Before committing to buy, we received
how do you know it will generate enough be about $140.00. Please note, we still pay a
at 6:30 at the Town Clerk’s office. a letter of commitment from the program,
power to pay for itself, how much does it basic monthly service charge as well as for a
Everyone is welcome to attend. If you reserving funds for our project. Nothing
cost, what permits are required, etc.? We security light (about $23/month), so our bill
would like to become a member of the contained in the application prepared us for
had lots of questions and very few answers. will never be zero.
Energy Committee, be in a support position, the Red Tape to follow.
I contacted NRG Systems 3 years ago and To determine how much power we could
come to a meeting or contact Bob McNary, We assumed complying with the stated
expressed our interest to be a test site, but expect to generate there were several
Feerisburgh Energy Coordinator. requirements would suffice. Nowhere was
nothing came of it. (I recently learned that options. The most accurate and conservative
there mention of a review by the Vermont
Committee Progress to Date Includes: small-scale residential wind generation is not
their primary market).
would have been to erect a monitoring
station and collect a year's worth of data, like
Department of Historic Preservation. Our
turbine did not affect any structure over 50
18 The 1st Green Energy Fair When I learned of the Ferrisburgh Energy an NRG Systems would do. A much simpler
years of age, but the approval and release
Co-sponsored with Ferrisburgh Central Committee, I thought they might be resource way was to examine a commercially available
of our incentive funds had been delayed
School last October. This successful event for impartial information, and so they were. wind forecast survey. We compared data
well over 2 months - because we potentially
drew over 300 attend-ees and showcased At last October's Town Energy Fair at the from that survey with the actual results from
disturbed archaeological ground features!
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
dozens of hands-on energy related projects Ferrisburgh Central School, I had occasion the Ferrisburgh school turbine located 3
We could have built a new house or barn,
for youngsters. Many local private vendors to examine the Bergey Turbine installed at miles away, and found a strong correlation.
run a water line, plow the fields, paved the
were also on hand to display solar hot the school and meet Tom Halnon, owner The data suggested we could expect 900-
drive, or planted trees without any historic
water systems, photovoltaic arrays, foam of Vermont Green Energy Systems, who 1100 kWh/month from a turbine similar to
review, but because this is a Federal and State
insulation products and energy efficiency had installed it. Tom was very helpful and the one at the school. I backed this up with
Government subsidized incentive program,
demonstrations and information for the answered the majority of my questions. what I call the "flag test"! At the time we
we needed Historic Preservation approval
adults. I was further directed to the Ferrisburgh purchased our home in Ferrisburgh, it was
before the promised funds could be released.
Central School web site where a link is called Fox Meadow Farm. As I was replacing
Working to Raise Funds established to view historic production data our American flag for the second time in two
With $16,000 at stake, you can imagine
To replace the commercial refrigeration unit our concern. Verbal approval was received
from their wind turbine. After a detailed years, I got to thinking about the wear and
at the Ferrisburgh Central School Kitchen. recently. As I write, the funds are supposedly
review of the data, I was left with a decision tear our flag had experienced, and suddenly
The existing system is almost 40 years old, being processed for release.
to make. Would installing a wind turbine make realized, a first quality American flag does not
inefficient and so old that it’s impossible - Ralph Shepard, Ferrisburgh, VT ♻
financial sense for us? This was not a simple get severely frayed on the fly edge in one year
to find replacement parts. Through a yes/no question. Not only was the initial out unless there is a lot of sustained wind. I even
combination of grants and private sponsors of pocket cost substantial, but how much suggested to my wife we should name the
and rebates, the committee has already could we save from our bill each month, and farm "Windy Acres", and the idea of a wind
raised 25% of the funds that will be needed how long would it take to recover our out of turbine really began to make sense to us.
to replace this unit with a new Energy Star pocket expenses? Once the decision to purchase a turbine
rated unit. To begin, I must explain how net-metering was made, the question of which turbine,
"Rain Barrel" Workshop works. Our turbine is connected to the grid. and from whom loomed over us. I must
When the wind blows, any surplus power we admit I was so impressed by the Bergey
May 22nd. The committee will be hosting.
generate is fed back into the grid. When there turbine offered by Vermont Green Energy
$20 fee for materials. Participants will create
is no wind, or when we are using more than Systems I looked no further. The turbine
their own rain barrel system, which they can
we are generating, we draw power back from is not only made in the USA, but the tower
complete and take home that day. Laura The Ferrisburgh Solar Farm Team!
the grid. The grid acts like a power “savings was fabricated right here in Vermont! What’s Left to right: Ernie Pomerleau, Tracey Schoonmaker,
Killian, a UVM Water Resource educator,
account” with a 12-month look back. Surplus not to like about that! We signed a contract Steve Ploesser and Brian Waxler
will give a short presentation and then lead
S
power fed into the grid by a winter gale can be with Tom with a completion date of prior
this workshop. Along with all the tools and
recovered for our use during a July calm. The to end of last year. Tom completed all the ignificant snowfall is a major challenge
supplies needed to create your rain barrel,
power is not actually stored; it merely changes paperwork and obtained the permits. From for a ground-mounted PV system in VT. The
permanent markers will be provided for
the aggregate demand on the generators that standpoint, it was completely painless design of the Ferrisburgh Solar Farm allows
creative decorating, so bring your stickers
feeding the grid. Any surplus power at the for us. There were a few weather related snow to slide off the modules, but does not tilt
and your artistic ideas. This promises to
end of the 12-month look back is forfeit. So, delays, but all in all, we stayed close to the them so steeply that shadows pose a problem
be a fun and productive family event. Pre-
the most we can save, is the amount we use! original schedule. (30º.). It also allows for snow to accumulate
registration is requested. Call Bob McNary,
We CANNOT sell surplus power! Our turbine began generating power on the ground (48” clearance.) The array was
Ferrisburgh Energy Coordinator for further
The questions we had to answer were: early in January and thus far is exceeding our put to the test during the winter of ’10-’11.
information.
how much power do we actually use, how expectations with lots of power “banked”. Our The modules were covered with snow and
"Solar Initiative" Program much does that power cost to purchase, output is consistently 10-15% greater than that ice within weeks of operation, but as planned
June, 2011 The committee is scheduled to and above all, how much can we reasonably of the Ferrisburgh School turbine, (an outcome for, they cleared off when the sun came out.
have a representative from VPIRG come to expect to generate? The first two answers anticipated by the forecast I might add), and Despite record snowfalls, the system is right
town to speak about the "Solar Initiative" were to be found in a detailed examination has exceeded our usage for the first 3 months on target for producing the estimated annual
program. ♻ of our monthly electric bills. In an average of year by about 15% as well. energy for the year! ♻
sustainable
www.greenenergytimes
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 .org 19
May 15, 2011 19
Four Spires - Montpelier, Vermont North Street - Montpelier, VT
Montpelier, VT
O u r S tat e
C a p i to l
Community Profile:
• Population: approximately 8,000
Montpelier, the nation’s smallest capitol, is a
center for government,commerce, industry,
services, and entertainment.
EnvironmentallySmart
EconomicallySmart
FashionablySmart
LocallySmart
COME
VISIT OUR NEW
One COmpany. One Call. SHOWROOM!
802.885.2300
Now Located at 8 Leroy Road in Williston, VT
www.hbenergy.com
21
the farm at
22 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
The system is
anticipated to be
commissioned < Cont'd from Front Cover
south village
during the final
the local com-
week of May and munity as well as
a ribbon cutting to South Village
event is planned residents, offers Farm at South Village
Solar Array
for the project on members weekly S o u t h B u r l i n g t o n , Ve r m o n t
Farm. By cluster-
W
1813
21st century solutions to underutilized property: Spear Street
• to create harmony between the natural & built ing the housing
environments that fosters sustainable growth by into a compact
22 creating opportunities for infill development & the village footprint, more than 70% of the The Farm and Community Energy Ven- net metering systems in the GMP service
generation of clean, renewable sources of energy. land at South Village has been forever
• represents environmental leadership, to foster
tures program aims to provide farm and area with a $0.06 payment adder on top
job creation & revenue generation in the rapidly
conserved for agriculture, wildlife and communities with reduced electrical of the retail rate for every kilowatt-hour
developing restoration & green energy economies. recreation. With 165 acres of open space, costs by constructing farm-based renew- generated. Reduced electricity costs are
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
residents are able to enjoy 180º views of able energy systems. Farmers, communi- an immediate benefit for host sites and a
the Green Mountains, Lake Champlain, ties and non-profits can begin a path to hedge against future increases in energy
and the Adirondacks. energy independence through a lease- costs. Moreover, these financial benefits
A residential development that con- to-own model for renewable energy sys- come with no up-front costs to the host.
nects homeowners to the food they eat – tems that is similar to the financing used At the end of the PPA term, the farmer
Panels: and now to the electrical power they con- for other more commonplace equipment has the right of first refusal to purchase
528 Suntech 280 Watt sume – is a model whose time has come. and structures. the system at a depreciated fair market
Solar PV Modules Local, regional and national interest in Under this program, Encore Redevel- value. If he/she elects not to purchase
South Village is at an all-time high, with opment and its investors will design, the system, he/she will have the option
Inverters: recent articles appearing in local media, permit, construct and own renewable of either renegotiating the lease with the
16 Sunny Boy 8000 Watts Vermont Life and the New York Times. energy systems that will provide electric- original investors or entering into a new
2 Sunny Boy 5000 Watts When the carbon-free electricity begins ity at below current market rates through lease agreement with a separate third-
Mounting flowing in early June, it will power the a Power Purchasing Agreement (PPA). party investor/owner. In any of these cas-
entire infrastructure associated with the Added revenue from the Green Mountain es, this means the farmer will ultimately
Schletter PV Ground Mounted
Farm at South Village, including green- Power Corporation’s SolarGMP program gain possession of a system that will pro-
Racking System
house ventilation, lights, heat, irrigation make the project feasible. Recognizing vide them with many years of clean en-
Data Acquisition pumps, refrigeration and cooling for a fu- the value to ratepayers of distributing ex- ergy to support their operations.
Draker Laboratories ture farm store. A portion will also power cess power to Vermont’s grid at times of The system is anticipated to be com-
all of the streetlights and sewer pumps peak demand on sunny days while also missioned during the final week of May
Expected Output for the South Village community while reducing transmission and distribution and a ribbon cutting event is planned for
~ 170,000 kWh the rest of the electricity produced by the costs, SolarGMP provides owners of solar the project on May 25, 2011. ♻
GHG Avoided Farm at South Village solar array will be
used by the City of South Burlington to
~ 32,000 lbs CO2/ yr
power essential infrastructure including
based on estimated GMP rate
stoplights and sewer pump systems.
including T+D loss
For Will Raap, South Village has pro-
vided an opportunity to connect his
background in urban planning with his
long-time commitment to land conser-
vation, local food production and renew-
able energy. He has played a leading role
in the South Village development, the
Farm at South Village, and now in the on-
site solar project.
“Our first energy crisis in the 1970’s was
a wake up call that the pattern of sprawl-
ing suburban developments far from jobs
with long commute times and consum-
ing valuable farmland was not sustain-
able. Village-style developments closer to
commercial centers that preserve open
space and can produce food and energy
for residents is just plain smart.”
S u s t a i n a b l e www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 23
Net Zero
Envision your home in Vermont’s premier Village location. A
pastoral setting in S. Burlington, amidst panoramic views of
the Green Mountains & Adirondacks, surrounded by over 100
Homebuilding at
acres of conserved farmland, nature trails, wildlife corridors,
woods, fields and ponds, come and visit us; southvillage.com
Open House Thurs - Sunday 12-4:00 pm
form
For as long as I can remember, every Sun- ent at the NH Lakes Association’s annual r1 yr…$20r2 yrs…$35r3 yrs…$50
day, my Dad has ventured out on the party meeting, where my parents, Glyn and Shir- ___________________________________________
name
barge, rain or shine, to gather water samples ley Green were awarded the prestigious ___________________________________________
as a volunteer for the UNH Lay Lakes Moni- John F. Morten Memorial Award. This award address
___________________________________________
toring Program, which measures the health was created in 2002, in honor of the late ___________________________________________
city.state.zip
of the lake. Both my parents helped estab- John F. Morten, in recognition of his lifelong ___________________________________________
lish the NH Lakes Association’s Lake Host™ work to protect New Hampshire’s lakes and phone
___________________________________________
program on Crystal Lake, keeping it free ponds. rWind farms in the U.S. have helped avoid nearly 62 million email
pounds of pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen ___________________________________________
from exotic aquatic plants like milfoil, since I know I was lucky to spend my summers oxide (NOx), tied to global climate change. website
rThe amount of solar energy intercepted by the Earth every
the program’s inception in 2002. They have on beautiful Crystal Lake. But I think Crys- minute is greater than the amount of energy the world
Offer good in U.s. only. Canada: $Us 24.00. Foreign: $Us 30.00
Gift subscriptions available!
also both volunteered as NH Department tal Lake is pretty lucky to have my parents. uses in fossil fuels each year.
please send check to 1749 Wright’s Mountain road
rIdling your vehicle pollutes, wastes fuel, and contributes to Bradford, Vermont 05033
of Environmental Services’ Weed Watchers Glyn and Shirley Green have spent their climate change. Idling a car more than 10 seconds uses
program, surveying sections of the lake ev- lives looking out, not only for the neigh-
more fuel than turning the engine off and on.
Warm up by driving slowly, warming the transmission, wheel
solar power works!
bearings, and engine. Idling produces more than twice the normal …anywhere
ery summer for infestations of exotic plants. bors’ kids and their community, but for the
In addition to organizing the CLIA picnic ev- future of our beloved Crystal Lake. ♻
harmful emissions and damages your engine by depositing
residues from incomplete combustion. Fuel usage is ZERO. under the sun
Revolution Compost
BioChar at Shelburne Farms Food Scrap pick-up and Compost delivery by Bicycle
Workshop at Shelburne Farms explores
current standard list as provided by
many ways Biochar can benefit
Chittenden Solid Waste and are brought
environment
to CSWD drop sites.
“I got interested in biochar because With the recent relocation of the
it links agriculture, energy and the A large scale biochar cooker from Cape Cod demonstrated by Intervale Compost operation and
environment in a very compelling way.” Peter Hirst & Bob Wells, biochar gurus from Cape Cod, during closing of the collection site at the
Marshall Webb, Forest Manager and a biochar program at Shelburne Farms in the spring of 2010. Intervale, Revolution Compost presents
leader of alternative energy projects at a convenient alternative to car or truck
Vermont Soil Science program. Peter and
Shelburne Farms has been interested in delivery to other drop sites.
Bob also demonstrated a smaller version
biochar for several years, and has been The collection zone currently covers
of the “cooker”, a top-lit up-draft stove
finding ways to produce it, use it and tell downtown Burlington, South Burlington,
that could produce biochar for small scale
the world about it. the “Sisters” neighborhood, and a good
operations, giving everyone a chance to One Revolution, Vermont Bikes at Work,
Shelburne Farms is a 1,400 acre working chunk of Winooski. A service zone map
see, feel and even taste the pure carbon originally profiled last year in Green
farm, environmental education center is available at their website. Bromley
product of their process. Energy Times, has begun a new service
and national historic landmark on the welcomes inquiries about additional
On April 30 this year, Jock Gill and in the Burlington and surrounding
shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, areas and hopes to expand with the
Marshall Webb led a day-long Biochar communities providing pick-up of
Vermont. The mission of the historic demand.
Bonanza workshop with a different compostable items from residences and
estate is to cultivate a conservation ethic Revolution Compost is a new venture
objective. The 10 Bonanza participants offices by bicycle. The new service is
for a sustainable future. Marshall says, of One Revolution. Since last June One
learned about the benefits of biochar called Revolution Compost and it’s had
“I could see how the farm could take Revolution has cycled collectively over
and they also learned how to make small a great start locally.
advantage of all the benefits of biochar 15,000 miles and weekly delivers 1-1/2 to
gasifier stoves called iCans. Under Jock’s For a one-time start-up fee, Revolution
(carbon negative energy, water filtration, 2 tons of CSA products for the Intervale
guidance, they made the mini stoves Compost provides customers with a 6-1/2
improved soil fertility, etc.) and use each Food Hub to offices and schools, in
which produce heat and a handful of gallon tote, and optional compostable
step of the process to initiate a discussion addition to regular same-day delivery
biochar with each burn. bags. The tote can be securely latched
about a sustainable future.” and catering delivery.
Made from recycled cans using a and is suitable for outdoor storage.
Several times in the past two years, Riders rode every week this last winter
hammer and nails to make holes, these Each week, or every other week if
Marshall has led demonstrations of the with studded tires and Bromley feels
little cans (in this case 19 oz. soup cans) customers choose, Revolution Compost
magic of producing biochar and its many that their reliability is proven having met
can produce a surprising amount of heat riders come by with by with cargo bicycles
applications for groups ranging from farm all schedules during a particularly tough
with hardly any smoke from less than a
Biochar is elemental carbon - pure and with the help of a UVM soil science 25
carbon not in chemical combination - class we've made in-ditch filters to see RECHARGEABLE MOWERS Cont'd from p.37 >
therefore permanently fixed in soil, how much we can reduce phosphorus The Hustler Zeon™ Zero-Turn Mower.
not taken up & recycled by plants or and E.coli in storm water. This year will John Deere is in trouble! With enough
other organisms. It is carbon that is mark the first experiments in the market juice to mow over an acre on a single
removed from the carbon cycle and garden using biochar to augment the charge, it is made of steel vs. molded
returned to the earth. soil in the seven-acre garden where plastic. It is one tough machine. We re-
Since it is made from organic matter vegetables, fruit and herbs are grown for ally put it to the test on the roughest
that would have otherwise have the Inn and Farmers Markets.” stuff I could find. It even has a wheelie
decomposed into C02 and other He is also looking to the future. He says, feature so it cannot flip over backwards
greenhouse gasses, biochar in the soil “I'm hoping to see a biochar production on a steep hill. It works (don’t ask!) The
represents a net CO2 sequestration: facility at the dairy producing enough roll bar is foldable and the 42” wide side
energy to more than displace 6,000 gal. discharge mulching make for a quick
A ton of biochar directly reduces net of propane annually and make one ton PEOPLE POWER > FOSSIL FUEL POWER inexpensive operating machine. Dual
atmospheric CO2 by about 3 tons. of biochar per week for use on our own Come on bike, on skates, on a board, or on foot. electric transmissions for true zero turn-
In addition to direct carbon fields and for sale.” ♻ Come with your friends, your family, your neigh- ing maneuverability works like a charm.
sequestration, a recent study by bors and your copworkers. Come be a part of a The 4 marine deep cycle batteries are the
Cornell materials and soil scientists, global rally to demand action from world leaders. same that many folks use to store power
Dr. Kelli Roberts and Dr. Johannes from solar (Trojan T-105’s, known to take a
It's time to get moving on the climate crises.
Lehmann calculate that use of biochar lot of charging & discharging). At 6 mph,
displaces and reduces other carbon this is no toy - its a real work horse.
and energy uses, such as chemical I WANT one. It sells for around $5,000.
fertilizers, by 3-4 times the amount of So, there you have it. The Batteries are
direct sequestration, resulting in: over 95% recyclable. Very inexpensive to
Photo by Marshall Webb operate - electricity is cheaper and pric-
Total CO2 equivalent reduction of
es fluctuate less. We hope that you con-
over 10 tons/each ton of biochar
Participants in the April 30 Biochar Bonanza workshop watch as sider all of this and do one more thing to
added to the soil.
their newly constructed icans transform wood pellets into biochar. help yourself and the planet. ♻
seal & Insulate
26 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
superiorfoam1@aol.com Russell Haney
Free Buildings are
Estimates
the leading
Qualify for source of green-
Energy
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For your basement, attic, crawl space, or new construction. 802-733-1063
seal and insulate the basement and Spray Foam & Cellulose Insulation
crawl spaces, air seal and insulate
the floor below the three season www.weatherizationworks.com • weatherization@gmail.com
porch and walk in cooler, air seal and
insulate the accessible second floor
framework, and upgrade to a more
efficient heating system. Right now, the average
26 The Donnelly’s chose to have Vermont family spends
the recommended insulation and air $2,500 per year on heating...
sealing work completed by Building And that number’s going to go
Scott and Cathy Donnelly, proprietors of Energy. The Lakeview Inn reduced their air leakage by way up if fuel prices increase.
Lakeview Inn Greensboro, VT were con- a whopping 23% and their projected fuel consumption
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
cerned about energy use and cost, fro- by nearly 20%. Building Energy submitted the project
zen pipes, and maintaining guests com- to Efficiency Vermont’s Building Performance Incen-
fort at their Inn. They contacted Building tive program. The project qualified for an incentive that Start planning now to use
Energy for a commercial energy audit to reduced the cost of the insulation and air sealing mea- less fuel next winter.
receive a diagnosis on air infiltrations is- sures by 17%. The Donnelly’s also hired Benoure Plumb-
sues, evaluate their overall energy use, ing and Heating to replace their older oil boilers with a Get EnergySmart.
and learn about optimal heating options new high efficiency propane unit. The combination of Call today to schedule
for their historically registered air sealing measures
a home energy
Inn originally built in 1872. and boiler replace-
ment enabled glycol to
assessment.
Scott Gardner and Brent
Mellen of Building Energy per- be removed from the 888-583-7110
formed the energy audit. They baseboard hot water "They did what they said
determined that there were system. It is estimated they would do and did
many areas that could be im- that the boiler up- a great job!"
proved in the 9,500 sq.ft, inter- grade and elimination www.energysmartvt.com “If people are looking to cut the
mittently occupied building, of glycol will result in Mention that you saw this ad for a 10% cost of heating, it’s definitely
which was consuming approxi- an additional 20% re- discount off your energy assessment. worth the investment.”
mately 2,760 gals of fuel oil duction in heating fuel
annually. The primary recom- consumption.
Now the Donnelly’s
Tired of high heating bills?
ENERGY
are able to operate the Inn
more efficiently while pro-
viding guests attending
meetings, weddings, & re-
AU D I T S
treats at the Inn with supe-
rior comfort & cleaner air.
More Info: Building 603.366.1550
Energy http://www. www.LRThermalScan.com
short & long term buildingenergyvt.com/
Email: DCallahan@LRThermalScan.com
ergy homes touted by BSC, John Straube Kohta Ueno of BSC reframed the ques-
writes such houses “consume 40-60% tion, “How Low Can You Go,” in his part
more energy than Passive House but of the presentation asking “What is the
are more cost effective”. (Cost-effective best choice of use of resources on a
Habitat House image courtesy of Alriti Architects refers to initial costs to build and the re- global scale, saying “those last few inch-
turn on investment over the long-term.) es of added insulation levels and low-air
Recently there’s been a lot of press Righter & Tittmann Architects (ALRITI), They follow the BSC R5/10/20/40/60 en- sealing rates, reach a place of diminish-
paid to Passiv Haus projects. Over the Inc. who collaborated with Peter Schnei- closure insulation recommendations: R5 ing return and a much longer payback”.
last decade in Europe more than 15,000 der from Vermont Energy Investment for triple glazed low-e windows, R10 sub Whether one or the other, how can
buildings whether new construction or Corporation (VEIC) and Preferred Build- slab insulation with R20 in conditioned we afford not to adopt ever increas-
renovations have been built to these stan- ing Systems (PBS) out of Claremont, NH. spaces in basements, R40 above-grade ing higher performance standards?
dards. Stateside it’s called Passive House The first was a high end home reno- walls and R60 for roofs. Like Passive House, Through intensive efforts such as those
and is supported by a national non-profit vation of a Bauhaus inspired concrete air-sealing is stringent at 3 ACH@50 Pa shown at BBBD 2011 we can dramati-
PHIUS, the Passive House Institute-US. home, the second a cutting edge Passive with some homes able to come in at half cally reduce our energy consumption
The Better Buildings by Design Confer- House meeting head-on the problem of of that with additional detailing care. and lessen greenhouse gas produc-
ence (BBBD11) held February in Burl- the mass market factory produced home. In either, the very low air-sealing rates tion today. With oil over $100 per bar-
ington, showcased a wide variety of
one stop
Zero energy Building
John B. Unger Murphy 802.748.5800 439 Cliff Street • St Johnsbury, Vermont 05819
WARD SMYTHE
Energy Leaders
Turtle has expanded its focus over the decades, and is now
the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, an or-
heat your home with hugs
Creek Builders
28 ganization that supports and promotes sustainable
energy and energy conservation in all types of build- a little body heat can go a long way
By Liane Allen ings.
W
In the early
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
c o n s t r u c t i o n
Green Makeover
T r u m b u l l - N e l s o n ASPEN
CONSTRUCTION SERVICES
Helping People and Businesses
to Reduce Energy Use
Building Efficient, Healthy and Sustainable We are committed to
Homes, Work Places and Communities net zero energy.
4 LEED Accredited Professionals on Staff • Energy Evaluations • Experience
with Geothermal & Biomass Heating and Energy Star Building Certification Ask us why.
29
r e n o va t i o n s
Window & Door Efficiency Snowdog
S
by Emily Marsh
omething many of us overlook in the ConStruCtion,
search for more energy efficiency is
simply efficiency itself. When building or
Ltd.
renovating a home, we must look not only
to new alternative energy technology, but
more simply building efficiency. Windows
and doors play a large part in keeping hot or Repairs
cold air out of our homes. Here in the north-
east our goal is to keep the heat in. There are Remodeling
several ways to ensure that the windows and
doors installed in one’s home are efficient.
Renovations
Placement, installation, and product quality Energy Efficient Retrofits
all contribute to finding the right windows
and doors for your home.
There are several ways in which to deter-
mine the location of doors and windows in a
newly constructed or renovated home. Win-
dow placement is the best way to provide
maximum solar gain, which is especially im-
portant here in Vermont with our cold win- 31 P.O.
Brookside Drive
ters. Windows should be placed on the south
Box 1337
facing side of the house, in our region. This Norwich, Vermont 05055
will reduce our need for expensive and cli- (802) 649-3605
30
mate changing methods of heating in winter michael@snowdogvermont.com
months. Skylights, if installed properly can
also be instrumental in solar heat gain, as Snowdog Construction donates
well. It is important to install shades or plant 1% of gross sales to Cover Home Repair
Cyan Magenta Yellow Black
New Hampshire
ing heat inside and should be placed on the
S USTA INABLE E NERGY
south side of the house, if possible. Installa-
Clay Plastering
tion methods are important, as well.
R ESO URCE G R OUP
The value of installing doors and windows H OME P ERFORM AN CE A SSESSMENTS
that keep the cold air out is underestimated. Cut fuel use. • Save money.
According to the Consumer Energy Center, Improve health, comfort & safety. Beautiful Walls by Nature
up to 30% of heat loss occurs through win- www.SERG-info.org/energy-assessment Eco-friendly and Zero VOC
dows and doors. They must have proper New Walls or Old
weather stripping to be at their maximum ef- 802-785-4126
• Lime plastering, drywall and painting available •
ficiency. If this is done improperly there will SERG@valley.net
be significant heat loss. The best method of Errol Towers
insulating between the frame and the casing 603-745-9442 bestwalls4u@eagle1st.com
http://www.americanclay.com/photo-gallery
is with foam spray. It is important to use the
expanding foam that is designed specifically
for either windows or doors. If used improp-
erly it can affect the alignment of the window and doors, it is important to also look at the U-factor and the
or door in question. R-value of the product. The U-factor is the rate at which heat
Also important is the quality of the product is transferred through the product and the R-value is the Providing Quality Insulation and Fireproofing Solutions Since 2001
used, which can be found by checking effi- product’s resistance to heat loss. These ratings can be found
ciency rating systems, such as NFRC (National on the NFRC website (www.nfrc.org). • Spray Foam Insulation
Fenestration Rating Council). Fiberglass is the The importance of building efficiency has often been Closed Cell / Open Cell Foam
most efficient material for windows. Vinyl is overlooked in our recent past, in the drive for quick and
efficient, as well, but contains VOC’s (volatile easy development. Though there is a resurgence of • Fireproofing
organic compounds) that are carcinogenic, higher quality construction, it is good to pay attention to Cementacious & Ceramic Coating
and can also cause other health issues. Win- new designs and products that reduce our energy needs.
dows and doors that contain glass should If you are building or renovating your home, I would rec-
be double pane and low emissions glass (or, ommend researching the windows and doors you will be
New Construction • Additions
Low-E). Low-E glass is glass that is coated installing, to get the best energy savings possible. Effi- Renovations
with an extremely thin layer of metal oxide ciency Vermont (www.efficiencyvermont.com) is another Attics / Basements
that lets heat and light in, while preventing resource to use for information on home energy efficien-
heat from moving out. The coating is on the cy. Reducing Vermont’s energy consumption is important call today for a free estimate
inside pane of a double-pane window. Some- in creating less dependence on outside sources for our
times gas is injected between panes to serve energy needs. Each step we take to conserve energy will
as extra insulation. Triple pane windows are shift us away from fossil fuels and toward renewable and
also an option, but there is some debate as sustainable energy.
to whether or not the resources and cost are Editor's comment: One of the benefits of energy efficient fiber-
worth the small amount of energy savings glass windows is that the frames are insulated and they do not con- St. Johnsbury • Bennington
they have over double pane windows. Doors duct the cold... The added value of triple over double panes is that
can also use double pane glass for greater
energy efficiency. When looking for windows
every bit that helps to reduce your heat loss or solar gain, well, the
more help - the better, no matter how small or large that is. ♻
748-5600 • 866-851-3661
David Blittersdorf’s www.greenenergytimes.org
www.greenenergytimes.org May
802.439.6675 M 15, 2011
ay 15, 2011 31
31
used as a food reserve. prices will soar. Devaluation of the dollar ergy is 2/3rds the price of heating oil, lo- most US states) to ensure safe, structurally
Petroleum and feed commodities will be perceived as inflation. In the ex- cal production of bio-fuels is good for the sound, and efficient buildings. Ward was the
have complementary supply and de- treme case, whenever a currency cannot economy and enhances food security. first National Green Building Standard Certi-
mand curves. Oil supplies are fixed and buy food it is worthless. © Mark A. Boivin, all rights reserved. fied Green Professional in VT. All Turtle Creek
do not respond quickly to price, i.e. There is a symbiotic relationship be- Printed here with permission. All opinions employees are now certified, and his goal is
they are inelastic. Demand for oil does tween urban and rural communities. expressed are solely the author’s. ♻ to educate 450 builders in VT.. ♻
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May
ay 15, 2011 33
Earth Day
night stay in Concord, the new Resi-
YMCA to kick start their recycling
dence Inn Concord is the first Mar-
efforts. GC sponsored Green Traditions
riott in America with free 220/110
in March, an Irish Music Concert, which
Volt Electric Car Charging Stations.
raised $3,000 for the YES Team, (Youth
Environmental Services.) GC also spon-
Inside, you’ll find climate control Explore Concord’s Green Businesses
rooms, water saving efforts, and a
sors Soles for Souls in August and Green Your Home, Your World | Company C | S&W Sports
non-chlorine, salted pool.
Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. GC Lotions N’ Potions | Cafe Indigo | GES Solar Store
started the monthly Green Living Film Bona Fide Green Goods | The Works Cafe
Series held at Red River Theatres 18 Merrimack County Savings Bank
months ago. The most recent showing Concord Cooperative Market
of Queen of the Sun and panel discus- Grappone Automotive
sion was a sell-out success.
GREEN CONCORD
For local green happenings:
greenconcord.org
facebook.com/#!/GreenConcord
ad©2011 OwlWomanDesign.com
resources CLASSIFIED ADS
34 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
CCV
(We’ll haul off your junk!)
the 20th century. The beginning of the 20th at 12 locations
century moved us into the fossil fuel age. The 2141 Route 15, Hardwick, VT 05843 • Facility Hours: M-F 7-4, Sat. 8-1 statewide and online
utilities leading the way in the 21st century 802-472-5100 — 877-275-9919 www.ccv.edu
"Green" Gardening
www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675 May 15, 2011 35
T
by Annemarie Godston
he term “Green” means doing things in an environmentally friendly and sustainable
way. Gardeners should make every effort to sustain our gardens without a negative impact
Of the Month harvested for clothing, twine and ed-
ible oil containing seed. Space is framed
In this month’s column we are going for a door, an antique windshield she
on the environment. How can we do that?
to take a break from our exploration of found, left over from the old days, and
Generate healthy soil without the use of chemicals. Chemicals are often made in an
molecules and talk about sustainability. the stacked stone hearth and chimney
energy “expensive” way, and are usually bad for the environment. To make soil better, feed it
What is it? What would it look like? she has been building all summer.
with “compost”. Compost feeds the soil and helps to make it more “user friendly”! Compost,
And would we be happy living in a sus- She harvests the grain and ties
made with garden and kitchen cast-offs, is a “green” product for your garden that only requires
tainable society? and weaves the straw over her dome to
sunshine, water, and organic matter.
There is an aspect of sustainability cover it tightly. Then she wets down the
For sandy soil, compost will bulk up the soil and hang onto water, helping hold the moisture
that I am quite sure of. And that is this: grasses and inoculates them with spe-
until the plant roots are able to utilize it. If your soil is mostly clay, compost will break up the
“A sustainable civilization will be biolog- cial mushroom spores. The mushroom
non-permeable matter and allow the soil to absorb the moisture.
ical, rather than technologically based.” mycelium grows over her dome and
Compost encourages the presence of little critters in the soil, making it more productive,
You see, the ecosystem is sustainable, they coat it with a hard, waterproof, self-
and encouraging the presence of earthworms that leave tunnels for the water to run through,
adaptable and in it for the very long healing covering. By the time the cold
as well as fertile castings. Microbes and insects also come to feast on the organic matter,
term. Are we? rainy season hits she is safely ensconced
leaving their own helpful contributions.
Let’s imagine what it would be within her cozy nest with her gourds,
Now, let’s think about WATER. Plants grow wild ALL over this world, be it roadsides; or
like to build a house in our imaginary grain, seeds firewood and critters.
non-productive fields and lots. Where there is soil, there will be vegetative growth, surviving,
sustainable Vermont world… One way Sustainable societies will take on
using only rain for sustenance. Use native plants whenever possible, being acclimated to their
would be to stack stones. Stonewalls many forms, matching individual micro-
environment and found in local fields and roadsides - like lupines, blackeyed-susans, daylilies,
and thatched roof houses can last for ecosystems and priorities. But the com-
asters and various white daisies or others found at local nurseries.
hundreds of years. mon theme of biology rather than tech-
If we water often and little, plant roots come up to the surface to grab all the water they can
But today, our imaginary build- nology will run through it all.
get. If they are watered less frequently, but more deeply, the roots will go deeper, looking for
er is a single woman with minimal tools. Worldview and food go hand in hand.
water. Those plants will be healthier because the roots are larger, longer and stronger! Plants
How would SHE build a sustainable Our religious beliefs and practices and
with shallow roots are more vulnerable to drought and drying breezes.
house? One way might look like this: our society’s beliefs and practices mirror
The message here is to water deeply. The water should trickle slowly into the soil right
Our builder selects a well-drained site or our food growing/gathering patterns.
around the plant. If you MUST water, do it slowly and gently so the moisture will get right
knoll and opens up a 100’x 100’ clearing As the average citizen grew further and
where it is needed. Expensive drip watering equipment is not necessary. If you lay the hose
using hand tools, and animals. The ma- further away from personal involvement
in the garden and let the water slowly seep into the ground, it will accomplish the same
nure and leaves are carefully gathered in food growing, storage and prepara-
thing. There are hoses available that “seep” the entire length, either through the hose itself, or
and composted, and the dead wood is tion, we also have became increasingly
through perforations made for this purpose. You just lay those hoses throughout the garden,
cut and stacked for later use. divorced from our own biology of being.
turn the water on and allow the water to run gently for an hour or more.
S ustainable H omes
- In the Summer ? The Efficient,
Clean-Burning,
By Ken Welch
A while back, the creator and editor of this unique and informative news-
Ahhh summertime!!! Warm summer breezes on your
Heat-Storing, print solicited input from folks on how sustainable they feel their lives are
s
and what the activities or conditions are that make it so.
face; the smell of sweet basil in the garden; chickens in Wood-Burning, The responses,published in the G.E.T , contained common chords
the yard. Yeah that's what we're thinking about now! Alternative. such as using public transportation, having several hybrid cars in their
Sugaring is all done and now it's okay to think seriously driveway (???) burning wood from their woodlot, gardening and such.
Radiant fireplace design from Finland
about actual for real warm weather. Maybe even hot! Made in Vermont Conspicuously absent was the mention of living in a home that sustains
Did I say "hot”? itself. (Except for the Keith Dewey excerpt)
Ding Ding. Reality check time. Maybe now is the time I wonder why this is and would like to pursue that topic in this ar-
to think about NEXT winter. Maybe now is the time to ticle.
start planning ahead. The leaves will be turning before As a home rehabilitation specialist, I am constantly analyzing existing
you know it! homes and structures in light of trying to make them safe, healthy and
No, I'm not talking about ordering your firewood for efficient…all components of sustainability, right?
next winter. Everybody knows about that. I'm talking My personal goal and one that is reflected in our organization in our low
about a masonry heater. cE
• Ex
p budget home rehabilitation projects is to strive for a zero energy build-
10
A masonry heater is to a wood stove like a sailboat is n
E
ing, one that is retrofitted to all of the above standards and more but pays
ExpEriE
rt
to a canoe.
isE • K
years for itself by contributing positively to the buildings energy appetite.
Masonry heaters are first of all beautiful. Custom • o
n
Zero energy dwellings are readily attainable if you have a lot of cash,
brick or stone installed by a mason craftsman that will
wlEdgE
(Solar, Wind and Hydro) are necessary to make a home sustainable. Can weatheriza-
house with 2' of snow on the ground!? Or how tion consisting of air sealing, insulation and HVAC efficiencies make your home sustain-
about climbing up on your roof to check the chim- able without adding renewables…. what
ney with ice everywhere and a cold wind trying to do you think ??? I would like to hear your
blow you off the roof! Or maybe you would like na- thoughts.
tive fieldstone from your back 40 on your masonry Every July in Tinmouth VT, is a friendly
heater. Kind of hard to dig that up in February. gathering of the tribes; this four day event
But the main reason for installing your masonry is called SolarFest. SolarFest is a celebra-
heater in the summertime is so you can get it all together BEFORE it gets cold! Then tion of life through community, music and
you can look forward to next winter: warm gentle heat radiating from the beautiful sustainable living.
stonework; the smell of bread, warming in the masonry heater oven - nodding off on During this event discussions such as
the couch in mid afternoon. … Ahhh. - by Royce Thompson ♻ the current topic are bantered about fre-
quently and thoughts shared in presenta-
tions, workshops and group discussions.
Lithium and Ultralite™ are the two key words that set the New Recharge Mower® apart
from anything else on the market.
Maintaining your lawn should be enjoyable, easy and without strain. Concerns about
the environment have us looking for alternatives to the gas and oil powered mowers
that produce large amounts of emissions and other nasty pollutants. Current models of
rechargeable lawn mowers use extremely heavy lead acid batteries that can weigh as
Lithium Battery
much as the user. Trying to push some of these units, even up small hills, takes an
incredible amount of effort.
no emissions
current lead acid and gas mowers, that we say it is virtually effortless. At only 35 lbs
(16kgs.) the Recharge Mower® (Model PMLI-14) is so easy to use.
The Ultralite™ Lithium Powered Recharge Mower® has a fully moulded body that will
no gas not rust or dent and provides a 15” cutting path. The cutting height is easily adjusted
to 6 increments using only 1 handle. The Ultralite™ design, allows the unit to be easily
rolled even into tight spaces. Since the Lithium Powered Recharge Mower® is battery
no oiL operated, there is NO gas, NO oil and NO fumes. Simply plug the battery pack into the
Energy Star rated Smart Charger and in only a few hours you’re ready to go again.
The Ultralite™ Lithium Powered Recharge Mower® is available through the company
website at www.RechargeMower.com or through a host of online retailers including;
GET
For a with Value ENERGIZE D.
Thriving By Meg Klepack, Local Food Coordinator, City Market UPPER VALLEY FOOD CO-OP
Regional Economy...
J
White River Jct. VT
ust last week another study was quietly released that called 802-295-5804 uppervalleyfood.coop
Rooted in a Healthy, Just into question our global food system. The study found half the an electrifying force for local
meat and chicken, purchased at supermarkets across the coun- food 5 energy 5 community
& Sustainable Food System... try, were contaminated by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.
Join Your Local Food Co-ops! What I found even more alarming was half the bacteria were Convenient Location
We are more than 20 locally-owned food co-ops across western found resistant to antibiotics.
New England, including the following area stores. For more The dangerous state of the conventional food system is re- and Great Selection
information and a map of locations, please visit www.nfca.coop. vealed a little more each day. Here is just a sampling of a few of • Over 1,200 Vermont products
Vermont New Hampshire
the impressive statistics: • Extensive beer & wine department
Buffalo Mountain Food Co-op, Hardwick Concord Co-op Market, Concord
City Market / Onion River Co-op, Burlington Co-op Food Stores, Hanover • We’re now at a point where the average food item of food • Large variety of wellness products
Co-op Food Stores, White River Junction Co-op Food Stores, Lebanon
travels 1500–2500 miles before reaching the consumer. • Hot and cold food bar
Dottie’s Discount, Brattleboro Kearsarge Co-op Grocer, New London
Hunger Mountain Co-op, Montpelier Littleton Food Co-op, Littleton • 93% of the soy and 70% of the corn grown in the US is now • Deli sandwiches
Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, Middlebury Monadnock Community Co-op Market, • Fresh local produce
Plainfield Food Co-op, Plainfield Keene (Opening in 2012) genetically modified and, as a result, 80% of the packaged prod-
• Artisan cheese
Putney Food Co-op, Putney Massachusetts ucts U.S. grocery stores now contain GMOs.
Rutland Area Food Co-op, Rutland Green Fields Co-op Market, Greenfield • Fresh cut meat
Springfield Food Co-op, Springfield Leverett Village Food Co-op, Leverett 10% of the average American’s calories (and 20% of many kid’s • Friendly staff
South Royalton Food Co-op, S. Royalton McCusker’s Co-op Market, Shelburne Falls
Upper Valley Food Co-op, White River Junction River Valley Market, Northampton
calories) now come from corn sweeteners.
• 0Iowa is losing an average of 5.2 tons of topsoil/acre to ero-
The Neighboring Food Co-op Association sion each year.
P.O. Box 93 // Shelburne Falls, MA // 01370-0093 • An estimated 70% of antibiotics are used for raising livestock
info@nfca.coop // www.facebook.com/neighboring // www.nfca.coop in the US where they are routinely fed to poultry, cattle, and
swine in their feed.
• The food system is one of the biggest sources of greenhouse gas
S hop L ocal
emissions. Estimates are up to 37% of our carbon footprint comes
from growing, processing, and transporting food.
That laundry (or grocery?) list scratches the surface of a few issues
hidden behind the shelves of cereals and sodas in every grocery store
in the nation. It’s clear this is an unsustainable system, corroding both
our health and our environment.
M
at a point with local food that demand is out-
illions of people live in New England and The Japanese nuclear nightmare could so pacing supply. Twenty-two co-ops in western
northern Japan and we’re all fortunate easily happen here. Individually, we can eat New England have begun working together
that some of our neighbors grow food. Now, foods that help our bodies handle stress and as the Neighboring Food Co-op Association 39
vegetables and milk grown on northern Japan’s toxins (see my friend’s recipe below). Together, (NFCA) to address this very issue. The NFCA
farms are contaminated with radiation. we can insist that Vermont Yankee develops saf- has undertaken a regional sourcing initiative,
In March, I drove by many farms to stand vigil er spent fuel storage and shuts down in 2012. compiling demand for products feasible to
with 600 of our neighbors outside the Vermont Mary McClintock is an award-winning freelance grow in New England, but for which a steady
Yankee nuclear reactor. Those farms grow veg- writer who lives in Franklin County, MA. Her weekly supply is currently unavailable.
etables, milk, and more. The Vernon nuclear column, “Savoring the Seasons: Enjoying Locally successful local farms, clean air and water, and By demonstrating the market for frozen fruits
reactor is the same design as those leaking ra- Grown Food Year-Round” appears in The Recorder healthy food accessible to all members of the and vegetables, dried beans and grains, and
dioactivity in Japan. The Japanese nuclear reac- (Greenfield, MA). Her articles have appeared in the community), the cooperative grocery store value added dairy products, we hope to begin
tors were damaged by lack of electricity to keep Christian Science Monitor and Orion. Mary can be can operate in ways that keep these ‘global to work together with farmers, producers, &
cooling water in them. In the 2008 ice storm, reached at mmcclinto@yahoo.com. ♻. ends’ in mind as it makes business decisions. likeminded organizations to fill these gaps.
parts of New England lost power for a week. This is radically different from the corporate At the same time we’ll be developing regional
Michael Docter of Winter Moon Organics in shareholder model that controls most con- sources for products in a manner that advances
Hadley, MA said, “Everything I have ever owned, Magical Medicinal Miso Soup ventional supermarkets where profit is the our vision of a thriving regional economy,
every piece of land I have worked, every seed by Dori Midnight, Northampton, MA only driving factor. rooted in a healthy, just and sustainable food
sown, and every bushel of food I have ever har- Miso is suggested for radiation protection. Recent survey data from 17 food co-ops in system. To learn more about the work of the
vested has been downstream from the Vernon Sauté one onion, sliced thin until translucent. New England found they collectively purchase NFCA, visit www.nfca.coop. ♻
Nuclear Plant. For years, I have often wondered Add water, seaweed (I like Kombu and $33 million in local products
"what if?" So much of what we do as farmers Wakame), shitake mushrooms (dried or fresh), per year. At City Market, over Happy Birthday to US!
is manage risk. We diversify, we hedge against burdock root, carrots, and other hearty roots. 20% of our sales are from We’re celebrating our
weather, we extend seasons, we sell directly Simmer for 25 min. food grown or produced in 70th Year serving the
to our neighbors. If we manage risk properly Add shredded or sliced ginger near the end, Vermont. Compare this to farmers and shoppers of
and make lots of friends, we can endure natu- so it's strong, and some garlic. the 5% local sales it is esti- Putney. Help us reach
ral disasters. Even devastation wrought by mated Vermont as a whole
You can also add greens, like kale or spinach. our anniversary goal of
hail storms, drought, tornadoes, earthquakes Because you don't want to boil your miso, supports. Twenty percent is
1,000 members--
– these are seasonal set-backs. Give us anoth- I usually put a large dollop of miso paste a feat City Market is proud
of – it would be far easier for And stay tuned for our 1-91 Exit 4 - Open 7 Days
er growing season and we will re-plant. The in my bowl and pour the broth on top
birthday bash at the 802-387-5866
Fukashima farmers are finished farmers. They to dissolve it. our buyers to call up a na-
tional distributor and have end of this summer! www.putneyfood.coop
have sown their last seeds.”
40 May15, 2011 www.greenenergytimes.org 802.439.6675
SAVE UP TO 50% BY
USING CURRENT
FEDERAL AND
STATE INCENTIVES!
For 65 years, VELUX has been utilizing the power of the sun to bring
natural light into homes through skylights, sun-tunnels and roof windows.
Now VELUX is bringing its Solar Water Heating system, proven for years in VELUX SOLAR HOT
Europe and around the world, to the United States. WATER SYSTEMS
Using the sun to heat the water in your home will significantly reduce your SKYLIGHTS
monthly utility bill, and your family’s carbon footprint on the world. SUN-TUNNELS
So if using the sun to save energy, reduce your utility bills or just improving BLINDS & CONTROLS
your living space is something that interests you give us a call and let us
SALES
show you what the sun can do for you.
INSTALLATIONS
SERVICE