WIND ENERGY

Renewable energy, including wind energy, can be used as an alternative to electricity, water heating or space heating with fossil fuels. Using renewable fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions and conserves fossil fuels. Wind energy depends heavily on location; if a location gets little or no wind, investing in this form of renewable energy may not be profitable.

Following are links to information and tools to use when deciding whether to include wind energy as part of your operation.

RENEW Wisconsin is a renewable energy advocacy group. Their Small Wind Toolbox provides information for anyone planning to install a wind turbine for their own use. There is also information on solar PV.

Windustry is a wind energy advocacy group located in Minnesota. They have worked with community wind and farmer owned wind.

Midwest Ag Energy Network has presentations from a Web seminar on Community wind.

American Wind Energy Association promotes wind energy as a clean source of electricity for consumers around the world.

Visit the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website for information on wind and hydro power.

Wind Works has articles and achieved information assembled by Paul Gipe, a wind advocate and author of several books on wind power.

Midwest Renewable Energy Association is a grassroots advocacy group for all renewable energy based in Amherst, WI. This organization sponsors a renewable energy fair each year in mid-June. This year it will be held June 19 -21, 2009. They also have a listing of Renewable Energy Demonstration sites.

Midwest Rural Energy Council is an organization of utilities, electric coops, government agencies, electrical equipment installers and suppliers and Land Grant Universities in the upper Midwest with a mission of supporting outreach, education and research on rural energy issues. They have a list of past meeting presentations and research work on energy topics.

Focus on Energy provides information on wind energy, Wisconsin Wind Maps and wind site evaluation tools.