Drs. Steve Harsh and Lynn Hamilton, professor and visiting associate professor, respectively, in MSU’s Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, working with Marilyn Thelen, MSU Extension will host “Small Wind will it Work for You?”. The workshop is on Wednesday, September 8, 6 – 9 p.m. at Smith Hall, Clinton County Fairgrounds, 800 Sickles St., St. Johns.
Recent state and federal laws have made wind energy a much better investment than in the past, Hamilton said.
“One of our goals, through these workshops, is to go over those policy changes and to talk about steps to a successful wind project,” she said.
Hamilton and Harsh have developed a Michigan-specific checklist of factors to consider before investing in a wind turbine to help residents determine whether a wind turbine is right for them.
During the workshop, case studies will be presented using a small wind economic model and Michigan wind data collected from the MSU anemometer loan program to show what factors make a difference in making a turbine affordable.
Additionally, the presenters will focus on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP), which provides grants for farms and rural small businesses.
“More than 70 million in grants have been allocated for 2011 and 2012,” Hamilton said, “so we would like to help Michigan farmers and rural small business owners get some of those dollars.”
For more information regarding one of the workshop, contact the Clinton County MSU Extension office (989-224-5240) or Hamilton at 517-432-6656. No registration is necessary for these events.