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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
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The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
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Custom chicken coop builder sees success By Brooke Bechen
Regional Editor | brooke.bechen@ecpc.com
BURLINGTON — Mike Vanderhoef remembers being a 10-year-old kid, waiting for his turn to run his homemade pinewood derby car for a 4-H competition in his county fair’s farm building. This project sparked his interest in woodworking, leading him to explore wood shop classes in high school and landing him a job as a finish carpenter after graduation, honing his skills in cabinet making and fine finished wood work. But Vanderhoef always had ambitions to own his own business, finding an opportunity after connecting with his customers in construction. “While working construction jobs, I was being asked
One of Vanderhoef’s most memorable projects was this chicken coop that found its home in Darlington. The coop included features such as a crooked roof, sky light and recycled cabin windows.
Submitted photos
The Chicken Coop Co. owner Mike Vanderhoef, who lovingly refers to himself as The Chicken Coop Guy, is pictured here next to a rabbit cabin he built for a customer.
if I could make chicken coops,” he said. “And it just took off from there.” Vanderhoef started The
Chicken Coop Co. in his backyard in 2013. The following year was the official starting year for the business,
which only sold custom chicken coops to start. Now the business sells a variety of unique wood-crafted pieces,
including cat houses (which are much like bird houses, with a large hole for an outdoor cat to nestle in to), rabbit hutches, duck coops
and other enclosures. And with the majority of the pieces custom-made See COOPS, Page 4
Page 4
Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
COOPS from Page 3
for each customer, there’s typically never a dull day for Vanderhoef in the chicken coop construction business. From his shop in Burlington, Vanderhoef receives inquiries from customers with a wide variety of needs for their chicken coops. Most inquiries come in from The Chicken Coop Co. website and Facebook page, with most customers from the Great Lakes area. However, the company has shipped a coop as far as Colorado, he said. Vanderhoef stays pretty busy February through July, designing coops that meet his customers’ needs. On his website, customers can browse designs and select a variety of add-on options that are available or articulate their needs to Vanderhoef and he can design something completely custom-made. “Some coops are designed by necessity while some are just a thought I had while working on a project and I’ll try and see if it works,” he said. It takes Vanderhoef about
Submitted photo
Mike Vanderhoef checked out the finished product after completing the first chicken coop he ever built back in 2013, constructed in his backyard in Burlington.
two weeks to complete each coop, constructed with premium lumber selected specifically to withstand Wisconsin winters. After
they are completed, they are delivered to the customer fully assembled and ready to be placed in just the right spot on their farm or property.
Vanderhoef said since opening his business, the coops he has designed have gotten much bigger, more decorative and more high
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end. Just this past December, he built one of his biggest coops yet — a 6-by-24-foot coop with a screened-in run, painted to match surrounding buildings on the property. One of the most memorable chicken coops Vanderhoef has designed and created was one that went to Darlington, he said. It was
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built into a hillside next to a log cabin in the middle of the woods. “That coop had some really neat features like a crooked roof, sky light and recycled cabin windows,” he said. It isn’t unusual for customers to add their own special features to their coops, including reclaimed windows, stains and paints and more to make them their own once delivered. But the special touches Vanderhoef puts into the coops’ designs are what customers appreciate the most. “People seem to appreciate the little details of how our product caters to both the chicken and its human,” he said. And while Vanderhoef likes hearing from customers about how much they, and their animals, are enjoying their coop, his favorite part of the job circles back to his interest in woodworking and creating something from scratch. “The daily challenges and engineering feats, and seeing the project done at the end of the day, are my favorite parts of being a craftsman,” he said. For more information, visit The Chicken Coop Co.’s website at https:// thechickencoopco.weebly. com or their Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ chickencoopco.
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Focus on Energy programs recognized The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy has recognized two Focus on Energy programs as being among the best in the nation. The ACEEE conducted a national review and identified 53 programs it deems are exemplary, based on their effectiveness and innovation in helping customers achieve greater levels of energy efficiency. The list includes Focus on Energy’s Retail Lighting and Appliance and Large Energy Users programs. “These programs are delivering energy savings that help customers reduce their costs and maintain comfortable, durable, safe homes and productive businesses. They also make an important environmental contribution by reducing pollution from the use of fossil fuels,” said Rachel Gold, ACEEE’s utilities program senior manager. Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s statewide energy efficiency and renewable resource program, established its Retail Lighting and Appliance program in 2011. The program has offered incentives for ENERGY STAR-certi-
fied LED lightbulbs at retail locations, a $75 rebate for smart thermostats (online or at retail locations), an online appliance research marketplace and participation in the ENERGY STAR Retail Products Platform pilot. The program has been very popular, evidenced by a 2016 evaluation that found Wisconsin was first among 38 states studied for LED market share. It has also saved a tremendous amount of energy, with lifecycle electric energy savings from 2014 to 2016 totaling more than 4.23 billion kilowatt hours. That’s enough to meet the electrical needs of 522,625 homes for a full year. “Constant improvement for customers is a program hallmark,” said Keith Cronin, a program manager at Focus on Energy. “We’ve made instant lighting discounts available everywhere in Wisconsin via over 1,000 retailers, including chains (big-box and value), independent stores and an online retailer. We helped educate Wisconsinites about ENERGY STAR-certified LEDs through more than 100 in-store lighting demonstrations,
and pop-up retail events with Wisconsin’s largest companies and utilities provided rebated products and one-on-one customer engagement.” This marks the third ACEEE Award for Focus on Energy’s Large Energy Users program, which was also honored in the ACEEE’s two preceding national reviews in 2013 and 2008. The program offers energy expertise and financial incentives to about 750 unique customers at 1,200 facilities across Wisconsin, including manufacturers, healthcare networks, university campuses and large commercial facilities. Projects include everything from upgrading
to more efficient lighting and refrigeration equipment to manufacturing process changes and strategic energy management. The LEU program boasts high levels of year-to-year participation and customer satisfaction. For projects completed between 2015 and 2017, LEU customers will see estimated lifecycle energy savings of more than 6.5 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and more than 553 thousand therms of natural gas. Those electricity and natural gas savings, combined, equate to more than 8.2 billion pounds of burned coal. “Early on, Wisconsin
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
Proper wood burner installation, maintenance keeps risks low By Jenessa Freidhof
Regional Editor | jenessa.freidhof@ecpc.com
STEVENS POINT — Wisconsin is one of the top three states in the U.S. for the number of wood burners, according to Rural Mutual Insurance Co. Safety and Loss Manager Chris Schlecta. The cold Wisconsin winters and the abundance of wood are a perfect combination to keep Wisconsinites warm, but Schlecta said they also bring fire dan-
ger if not used properly. “Where we typically see the problem is when wood burners are not installed properly or contained properly,” he said. According to Schlecta, for every $1 of premium that Rural Mutual Insurance brings in on a building that has a wood burner, the company is paying out $1.60. “There is a loss there when we start detail diving, but we realize that these are out there,
and when we look at the bigger picture, it still makes sense for us to insure these,” he said. Schlecta said Rural Mutual Insurance works to make sure their customers understand the risks involved with using a wood burner. He said the first thing people should consider when installing a wood burner is the manufacturer’s label on the device itself. Every wood burner manufactured since the 1970s has a plate on the back of the unit stamped with information on how far from the wall or other combustibles the back of the stove should be installed. “There are a couple of ways that you can shorten that distance using what is called protective
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Minnesota families who have owned their farms for 100 years or more can apply for the 2019 Century Farm Program. Produced by the Minnesota State Fair in conjunction with the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, the Century Farm Program was created to promote agriculture and
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really easily,” he said. Schlecta said it is also important to use the appropriate appliance for the application. “You can’t take a wood furnace that is designed to be a standalone outdoor heater and put it inside of a building,” Schlecta said. “If you have an outdoor burner, it has to be outdoors.” Many people want to heat their sheds or garages and Schlecta said there are approved devices for those structures, including some oil burners and pellet stoves. “Those are usually pretty well built and they don’t have the same exposures as traditional wood burners,” he said. Another thing to keep in mind, especially on
Birds just love this barn. The webs in these trusses are easy nest areas for birds. They also restrict air flow, which leads to poor ventilation and moisture buildup in the building.
honor historic family farms in the state. More than 10,500 Minnesota farms have been honored since the program began in 1976. Family farms are recognized as a Century Farm when three requirements are met: The farm must be at least 100 years old according
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farms, is the use of burn pits and barrels. Schlecta said, as a general rule of thumb, he recommends keeping them at least 100 feet away from vegetation, vehicles and buildings. “Keep in mind, don’t use it for burning trash. The DNR gets a little upset about that,” he said. “Don’t burn on windy days or when there are red flag warnings in your county. And make sure you have a water source.” Schlecta said it is key to inspect and maintain all wood burners and other similar appliances annually. With wood burners, inspecting for creosote buildup in chimneys will help prevent chimney fires and help the burner last longer.
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coverings,” he said. “There are nine different things that the National Fire Protection Association allows for, and they are often laid out in the owner’s manual, but make sure that you are following those manufacturer guidelines.” The newer the device, the better designed for safety it is, with some newer wood burners coming with very short distances manufactured into them. Schlecta said one thing you can’t do with a wood burner is have it inside a shed or garage where fuel or flammable combustible vapors may be present. “... (I)f you open up that door and there is a gas fume or other flammable vapor, if a spark pops out, it could ignite
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to authentic land records, in continuous family ownership for at least 100 years (continuous residence on the farm is not required, and at least 50 acres and currently be involved in agricultural production. A commemorative certificate signed by State Fair Board of Managers President Paul Merkins, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Paap and Gov. Tim Walz will be awarded to qualifying families, along with an outdoor sign signifying Century Farm status. Applications are available at mnstatefair.org/ about-the-fair/awards-andrecognition, at fbmn.org, by calling the State Fair at 651-288-4400 or at county Extension and Farm Bureau offices. Applications are due March 4. Recipients will be announced in May. Previously recognized families should not reapply.
The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Page 7
Grant program to generate $4.5 million in new solar projects RENEW Wisconsin’s Solar for Good program has issued 36 grants to Wisconsin nonprofit organizations to install new solar-electric systems. Altogether, these grants will total more than $445,000 and lead to more than $4.5 million in new solar investment. The new solar arrays, planned for installation over the next year, will add 2.13 megawatts of new solar power to Wisconsin’s electric mix. This round of funding featured a diverse group of awardees from every part of Wisconsin. The winning projects
include Beloit College, which will convert a former coal-fired power plant into a carbon-neutral student activity center, complete with solar electric and geothermal heating; Sawyer County Housing Authority, which will install solar arrays on six multi-family, lowincome housing facilities, directly offsetting their residents’ utility bills; and Primates Inc., a sanctuary for retired primates from the research and film industry, which plans to construct a 30-kilowatt array for their habitats near Westfield. RENEW’s fall 2018
funding period builds on the success of Solar for Good’s previous rounds in fall 2017 and spring 2018. During the first and second funding rounds, RENEW issued more than $200,000 in grants, helping 23 Wisconsinbased nonprofits invest more than $1.67 million in new solar projects. The Solar for Good program is primarily funded by philanthropists Cal and Laurie Coulliard of Deerfield. Solar for Good grants fund up to 20 percent of an organization’s solar installation. RENEW plans to issue another
round of grant-funding in spring 2019. For more information, visit www. renewwisconsin.org. RENEW Wisconsin is
Precision dairy conference set in Minnesota The 2019 Precision Dairy Farming Conference will be June 18-20 at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn. Topics will include robotic milking; parlor automation; automated calf feeding; pedometry and activity monitoring; precision technologies to monitor health, behavior and productivity; in-line and on-line milk sensors; automation and quality control of on-farm milk handling and storage; automation technologies for feeding the dairy
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
Anaerobic digesters provide numerous benefits By Benjamin Wideman
Steve Dvorak is president of DVO Inc.
Regional Editor | ben.wideman@ecpc.com
CHILTON — DVO Inc. continues garnering headlines with installations of its patented anaerobic digesters throughout the country and around the globe. But recent accolades and high-profile projects aren’t necessarily the company’s biggest source of pride. “One of the things we’re most proud of is the fact that the first digester we ever built in 2001 is still running today (at Gordondale Farms in Nelsonville), and there are very few people anywhere who can say that,” said Melissa VanOrnum, vice president of marketing for DVO, which is based in Calumet County. “Our track record of successful digesters and repeat business at farms that
Photo by Benjamin Wideman
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Submitted photo
DVO Inc.’s Two-Stage Linear Vortex anaerobic digester at Statz Bros. Farm in Wisconsin.
expanded shows we are committed to quality service and being a great partner with our customers. VanOrnum That’s really important to us.” During the past 18 years, the family-operated company has installed more than 120 of its patented TwoStage Linear Vortex digesters in 19 states, including 26 sites throughout Wisconsin. The company’s digesters also can be found in Canada, Australia, China, South Korea, Serbia and Chile.
The majority of DVO digesters are installed on dairy farms, including 10 dairies in Fair Oaks, Ind. Poultry, swine and beef cattle farms also are on DVO’s agricultural list. DVO digesters were developed under the direction of company president Steve Dvorak, who began working with traditional “upright” digesters in 1985. In 1999, he began a 1½-year process working in labs and on farms to perfect a new system. The result: Two-Stage Linear Vortex digesters. In layman’s terms, DVO digesters use bacteria to first break down complex materials into simple acids like
vinegar. Then, methanogens convert those simple acids into carbon dioxide and methane. Hence the first part of the name: Two-Stage. Linear Vortex refers to material flowing horizontally. The system is then agitated with the injection of biogas, causing a vertical lift. DVO’s patented process then creates a circular mixing, or corkscrew (vortex) effect. Manure and other organic wastes are converted into three valuable byproducts: a biogas that can be burned in a genset or turbine to create electricity or scrubbed See DIGESTER, Page 9
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The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
DIGESTER from Page 8
to make natural gas (for example, CNG for transportation fuels); a biosolid, used as high-quality bedding for cows or as a soil amendment; and a liquid stream that is non-odorous and can be applied as a fertilizer to growing crops. “One of the main reasons places have these digesters is for the bedding for cows,” Dvorak said. “A lot of people use the separated solids after the digester for bedding. It gives them more income by replacing the cost of buying bedding and also then selling the surplus bedding.” VanOrnum, who is Dvorak’s daughter, said his creation has stood the test of time. “He worked hard to combine those two traditional types of digesters (upright/ mixed digesters and plug flow digesters) into one,” VanOrnum said. “So when people look at our digester they think it’s just a plug flow, because that’s what plug flow digesters look like from the outside. But what they can’t see is that corkscrew mixing, that vortex, inside the digester. “So he basically took a plug flow digester and added mixing to it. He got the benefits of both without the drawbacks of either one of them. That’s what makes us unique — he combined the two. Nobody else is mixing a plug flow with biogas like this.” Dvorak said the TwoStage Linear Vortex digester also accommodates sand-bedded dairies. Before buying a DVO digester, customers often want to know how much biogas they’ll make, how much they’ll get for bedding, the project’s cost, whether there are any government programs available for cost sharing and how much labor is required. Dvorak said the simplicity
of his digester design means, “Typically every dairy has somebody who’s already handling the manure and bedding for their cows. That person could easily take care of the digester because it only takes half an hour a day to run it.” Farm digesters usually can be built in about six months. Dvorak said they can be designed to accommodate any size farm; it just depends on the volume of waste. The largest individual farm with a DVO digester is in Idaho with 16,000 cows, whereas the smallest is in
Vermont with 400 cows. DVO made headlines this winter in California, where the California Public Utilities Commission, California Air Resources Board and California Department of Food and Agriculture announced funding for six pilots projects in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys designed to demonstrate the efficient production of biomethane from dairy digesters and its injection into natural gas pipelines. DVO, in conjunction with JG Weststeyn Dairy (2,200 milking cows) in Wil-
lows, Calif., was awarded funding for one of the pilots. Biomethane generated by the digester will eventually be used as vehicle fuel in California, replacing about 1.25 million gallons per year of fossil fuels. Another significant benefit of the digester, VanOrnum said, is its ability to better handle nutrients. “A digester doesn’t destroy nutrients,” she said. “The fertilizer value, it’s the same amount of NPK, but what happens inside the digester is the bacteria will convert the fertilizer from
an organic to an inorganic form, so it comes out like 85 percent inorganic. “What that means is now this digested liquid is no longer like raw manure. You can put it right onto a growing crop. So we have our customers applying their digested liquid during growing season. It allows them to play Mother Nature. If it’s the middle of July and we haven’t had rain in three weeks, they can go to their lagoons and put the digested liquid onto their crops. “It’s 98 percent water, and it doesn’t smell when they’re
applying it because we killed the odor at the digester. So it allows them to put nutrients on when the plants need it, so they increase their crop yield. But it also allows them to put a greater volume of liquid onto the land. “So not only are they increasing their crop yield and reducing their likelihood of runoff and reducing the odor when they spread … but we’ve had customers be able to add cows without purchasing additional land.” For more information about DVO, visit www. dvoinc.com.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
Improvements approved for Minnesota State Fairground Almost $20 million in improvements and maintenance projects for the Minnesota State Fairground were approved earlier this month by the fair’s board of managers. The board approved $16.3 million in capital work — $16 million of which is earmarked for a major new exhibit complex on the North End of the fairground, as well as $3.4 million in maintenance projects. The North End development, which is currently under construction on the fairground, will feature a 12,000-squarefoot exhibit hall that will be the fair-time home to annually changing museum-quality exhibits. The North End also will have features that recognize Minnesota innovations in agriculture, industry and the arts, along with uniquely Minnesota attractions, food and com-
mercial exhibits. Improvements and maintenance projects approved for the coming year include upgrades to the stalling and technology equipment in the Swine Barn; installation of a new overhead cover for the Exercise Ring in the livestock area; improvements to the restrooms in Lee and Rose Warner Coliseum; upgrades to the lighting and fire suppression system in the Department of Natural Resources Building; and dozens of paint, sewer, street and sidewalk and landscape projects throughout the 322-acre state fairground. All projects will be funded through State Fair operating revenue and grants from the Minnesota State Fair Foundation. The fair is financially self-supporting and receives no government aid of any kind.
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Green Tier report, videos show how collaboration yields results The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Green Tier program launched a video series in November with its report to the Wisconsin Legislature, showcasing new tools for participants committed to improving their environmental footprint. In the videos, Green Tier participants tell how partnerships forged through the program helped them minimize their environmental impacts, maximize their bottom line, and share their experiences with others. “It’s gratifying to hear how Green Tier has helped our customers become stronger, more productive organizations contributing to a healthy environment, workplace and economy,� said former DNR Secretary Dan Meyer. Green Tier is a voluntary sustainability program that provides a framework for businesses and organizations who want to proactively improve their environmental performance. Participants
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The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Page 11
With TLC, poinsettias can make it to next year By Katie Winslow
University of Minnesota Extension Educator
Many people may have received or been given poinsettias as gifts during the holiday season. Sadly, many people do not know how to care for poinsettias, or believe that they will not turn color again next year and end up throwing out the plant. However, with a little tender loving care and a bit of diligence, poinsettias can change color again next year. Leonard Perry, professor from the University of Vermont, has come up with an easy way to remember the care schedule for poinsettias: • New Year’s Day: Fertilize with an all-purpose houseplant fertilizer at recommended rates. Continue to provide adequate light and water for prolonged bloom for several weeks. • Valentine’s Day: Check the plant for signs of insects such as white fly. If the plant has become long and leggy, cut back to about 5-inches tall. • St. Patrick’s Day: Remove faded and dried parts of the plant. Add more soil, preferably a commercially available sterile soil mix. Keep the plant in a very bright interior location. • Memorial Day: Trim off 2-3 inches of branches to promote side branching. Repot to a larger container using a sterile growing mix. • Father’s Day: Move the plant outside for the summer; place in indirect light. • Fourth of July: Trim the plant again. Move it into full sun. Continue to water and fertilize, but increase the amount to accelerate growth. • Labor Day: Move indoors to a spot that gets at least six hours of direct light daily, preferably more. As new growth begins, reduce the amount of fertilizer. • Autumnal Equinox: Starting on or near Sept.
21, give the plant 13 hours of uninterrupted darkness (put the plant in a closet, basement or under a box) and 11 hours of bright light each day. Maintain night temperatures in the low 60 degree Fahrenheit range.
Continue to water and fertilize. Rotate the plant daily to give all sides even light. • Thanksgiving: Discontinue the short day/long night treatment. Put the plant in a sunny area that gets at least six hours of direct light.
Reduce water and fertilizer. • Christmas: Enjoy that “new” poinsettia. Start the cycle all over again. During all of this time, unless otherwise stated, the poinsettia should be cared for as a normal house plant
with regular watering (when dry) and plenty of sunlight. Be sure the plant has adequate drainage. Many poinsettias come with a foil wrapper around the pot that needs to be removed. Try not to get discour-
aged if the poinsettia does not change color next year. Like many holiday plants, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactus and amaryllis, the process for proper bloom time can be challenging.
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Page 12
Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
Future looks bright for Cheq Bay Renewables By Heidi Clausen
Editor | heidi.clausen@ecpc.com
Bill Bailey and his wife, Gayle Chatfield, were researching energy alternatives for their energy-hungry greenhouse business just south of Bayfield along the Chequamegon Bay, an inlet of Lake Superior, when they realized they had tapped into something much bigger than themselves. “We were looking at $800 to $900 bills each month for electricity and burning 16,000 gallons of propane,” Bailey said. But they quickly found that out they weren’t alone in their concerns over their energy future and desire to use more renewable sources. The couple’s work with solar
The deadline to sign up for Cheq Bay Renewables’ next solar group buy is April 1. Contracts and money down are due July 1. CBR will host an annual solar tour in late-September or early-October and field days throughout the summer. For more information, visit www.cheqbayrenewables.org/ or call Bill Bailey at 715-779-3231.
over the past several years led to the formation of an all volunteer-led nonprofit, Cheq Bay Renewables, which facilitates solar group buys. In a group buy, the cost is tiered so the more solar that’s installed, the lower the cost is for all involved. CBR recently launched its 2019 solar group buy, with about 100 people expressing interest so far. Typical in these kinds of projects, about a fifth of those interested will move
forward in the process, Bailey said, but with theirs, it’s been more than half. Education is a big piece of it: “We give them the information up front,” he said, and “we connect the dots.” CBR’s 2018 solar group buy was the largest ever in Wisconsin, at 552 kilowatts of installed solar capacity and 85 installations, including a dozen businesses, all completed over three months. The average project size was 6 kW.
Submitted photo
The Voss and Lewis residence in Bayfield hosted a safety session for the Cheq Bay Renewables Solar Group Buy last August.
The organization was honored earlier this month by RENEW Wisconsin during its Renewable Energy Summit in Madison. “We’re real proud of that,” said Bailey, president of CBR and recently retired from the greenhouse business after 35 years. “We’re pretty excited about all the things that have happened over the last year or so.” About five years ago, Bailey installed a solar photovoltaic system and a couple of biomass boilers to help reduce their propane use, saving hundreds of dollars on electricity and about 16,000 gallons of propane each month. “We were just amazed at how well all the systems worked,” he said. He and his wife began promoting the concept of a solar garden locally, and a couple of years later, under strong
local leadership and by putting out solid information, had completed the largest solar project ever done that far north. A nonprofit organization was formed and grant assistance received. The group has begun looking into municipal projects in the Bayfield, Washburn and Drummond areas. Among the sites are schools, sewer plants and a county garage. Many of these sites represent 100 kW each, and the total project size would be 635 kW, Bailey said, adding, “Economy of scale drives the price down to the contractor.” Other future projects could involve the city of Ashland, with about 9,000 residents, and the two area tribes, Bad River and Red Cliff. “When they’re ready to move forward, we’ll be there for them,” Bailey said.
Let the sun shine What the relatively small communities of Bayfield and Washburn, located in a generally economically depressed area, have been able to accomplish is impressive, Bailey said. Group buys, sought in an effort to achieve volume discounts, most often are arranged by large municipalities. State and federal agencies have been keeping tabs on this unique project in this sparsely populated area of far-northern Wisconsin. “They’re all watching what we’re doing up here. We can expand our model to (other areas) very easily,” he said. “The important part is we have developed two models — one for group buys and one for municipal projects — and this could be duplicated elsewhere in the U.S.” See SOLAR, Page 13
The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
Page 13
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SOLAR from Page 12
He attributes their success to the overall mindset of those in this area; many people are artists or farmers and have an attitude of self-sufficiency. Farmers are among those reaping the biggest rewards for their investment in solar, he said. “There’s a strong sense of environmental preservation because of the lake,” he said. “(People) want to do something about climate change.” Another reason the project has been so successful, he said, is that it was presented to residents with a solid economic analysis to back up the concept. Project contractor Next Energy Solution in Shell Lake, also selected as the 2019 contractor, laid out attractive prices on a ready-to-install system
that people could put in themselves. “They give you a set of plans and give you the parts in a kit arrangement,” Bailey said. “They were able to reduce the price another 25 percent off the already good price.” Especially popular with farmers and other hands-on folks, the RTI system could be purchased for $1.70 per watt, he said. In 2019, the price will be reduced to $1.57. On top of that, they can get a 30 percent tax credit and take equipment depreciation of another 20 percent. “That’s really cheap,” he said, adding that he put in his system in 2013 for $4 per watt. “Strong economics are a big part of it.” Some solar energy systems are going in for a quarter on the dollar and paying for themselves in three or four years, he said.
Preliminary site assessments were done for all participants, and CBR volunteers handle all the paperwork, Bailey said, adding, “We had a strong list before we picked out the contractor. That reduced the cost for the contractor so they could pass those savings along.” Bailey said people in the area often come up and thank him for what he and others have done to promote renewable energy in northern Wisconsin. CBR has been a great way to build a sense of community in this rural area. “A lot of people see what’s going on and thank us and are real supportive,” he said. “People are engaging; it lifts the whole level of the community. We got a thing going on here, and it’s kind of snowballing on itself. It’s rolling down the hill and it’s building.”
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
Pollution, storm water management grant applications are available
Photo by Benjamin Wideman
Rusty relic This vine-covered windmill rises above the countryside in the town of Garden Valley in Jackson County.
Cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, tribal governments and special purpose lake, sewage, or sanitary districts have until April 15 to submit applications for funding to help reduce urban nonpoint source pollution and help manage storm water. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is accepting grant applications for the Urban Nonpoint Source and Storm Water Management Planning grant program. The local government must have either jurisdiction over the project area or be required to control storm water discharge with an inter-governmental agreement between the municipality and the DNR. For planning projects beginning in 2020, the application postmark deadline for Urban Nonpoint Source and Storm Water Grant materials is April 15. Urban Nonpoint Source Construction grant applications will not be solicited in 2019 but will be
solicited again in 2020. This grant program offers local governments competitive grants to control pollution that is carried by storm water runoff from diffuse urban sources. The grants reimburse costs of planning projects that control this type of pollution. Eligible planning projects include: Storm water management planning for urban areas; Preparation of local ordinances affecting storm water discharge (construction site or post construction erosion control, pet waste, or illicit discharge management); Evaluation of alternatives for local financing of urban runoff control programs; Administrative costs for initial establishment of local storm water management funding programs; Illicit discharge detection and elimination program planning; and Public information and education activities. Parties interested in applying can learn more about the application pro-
cess by searching the DNR website, dnr.wi.gov, for keyword “grants,” and then clicking on the button for “find grants” and scrolling down to the link for Urban Nonpoint Source and Storm Water Management Grant Program. The web page also has contact information for these programs. A webinar for this grant program is scheduled for noon to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 25. The webinar provides an overview of the Urban Nonpoint Source and Storm Water Management Planning Grant Program, with focus on the application process for funding projects to begin in 2020. The webinar offers an overview of what’s changed since the last grant cycle, reviews what makes a good planning project (eligibility criteria and project attributes) and gives tips on writing a strong application. Visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/ register/2732131759905680387 to register for the webinar.
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The Country Today/Wednesday, January 30, 2019
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Wednesday, January 30, 2019/The Country Today
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