Howard Hall Farm is about to be free watt ready!

Here's the scoop on our new heating system:
Mind you, we are not engineers, but have a practical approach to these issues.
After much researching of what is available out there(and there are other cogeneration systems that we did not choose),we chose to go with a product from [**Climate Energy**], which
will eventually both produce our heat, as well as provide the bulk of our electricity, all in a highly efficient system that has been developed by Honda.

On Saturday we (the heat system installers and myself)went to Climate Energy's training session. We saw units running and working. The only down side is that we have to wait to get the electric side of the system until it gets through UL approval, unless we get a test unit, which we are
working on...

For now we have the boiler that will be ready for the final
install next year. If we were doing hot air, and not propane, we could be up on line with the whole system right now. But the wait will be worth it. Once we have it, even if the power goes out we will still have electricity, and not from the grid.

It will be **much more efficient** making wattage from our unit than from the fossil fuel plant that feeds the grid as they aren't very efficient at all. We feel that this is the greenest option out there at this time for all kinds of reasons, and one that makes a big difference in terms of pay back in less time than geothermal, which we can hardly afford right now anyway.

We will be discussing the system on the blog as we get it installed and going. We're looking forward to installing the whole deal with the hot air natural gas option (that does make electricity now) for a client soon,
so we will have practical experience on that end soon. (We couldn't do that in our own house, since we can't do duct work here without destroying the historic fabric of the
building).

Our installer will become the dealer for the Upstate New York area soon and we will posts links as soon as all that is arranged. Very exciting technology that is just out, and we are getting the first Climate Energy system in New York State. **I believe we're number 57 in the chain of
installs in this country.**

Keep posted for more info on this topic if you are an energy enthusiast!


The following photo's are our ancient old oil tank coming out (which was once a water tank). We are setting this room up so that it can be a viewing room for the system.

-Reggie






THIS IS SO MUCH BETTER:


THIS NEW SYSTEM IS A BREATH OF FRESH AIR.....

Prune the Leaves. Don't Cut Green Corners.

This video was borrowed from One Red Paperclip

Our friend Dan just sent us some discouraging news. We were all whipped into a frenzy of excitement and hope when we learned about William McDonough, the revolutionary Architect who planned (among other things) to build an ecologically balanced, energy-efficient village in China. Unfortunately, the project doesn't seem to be going too well (read:disaster)...

Green Articles

I just found a great resource. Filled with lots of articles about green living and sustainability. Click here to read some.

Wind Farm Visit

The Fenner Renewable Energy Center, Inc. is a grass-roots organization that was formed to educate the public on the benefits of renewable energy and other sustainable practices. They are located on-site at the Fenner Wind Farm in the heart of Central New York. Since late 2001, they have lived and worked amongst the 20 turbines that make up this 30 MW wind project. They organized the project to share their unique experience and to encourage others to embrace a clean energy future.

Reggie and resident Architect Bob Godwin recently paid a visit to the farm to discover more about their phenomenal efforts in wind technology.

Reggie's report from the field:

The wind farm was truly amazing. I, with everything going on, forgot to take a coat and hat. One thing you want to remember always on visits to a wind farm is to over-dress! I suffered a little bit due to this mistake. However, even freezing beyond belief, it is a shocking experience to take this place in... towers 330 feet tall and 100 foot blades!

What makes this wind farm unique is the sheer vision in putting it all together. The turbines are scattered among the entire mountain range, sort of willy nilly -- some tucked in to slight recesses in the hilltop. They have an average wind of 18 miles per hour. The turbines are programed to shut down when wind reaches 63 mph, as the blades are designed to turn and deflect the wind when stronger (this is called feathering), otherwise the entire structure is always turning to face the wind. Yesterday the wind was pretty much coming from the same direction so they where all facing the same direction, apparently this can change quite a bit depending on the nature of the wind.

It is a very distorting optical effect looking at these giants. Its hard to really get a sense of the size when looking at the landscape, only when you get up close does it impact your brain how enormous they are. This farm also unique in that they are never designed quite like this, but rather they typically fall in lines, and there are more of them. Here there 20 turbines. This design was an experiment, one that Joan assured us won't happen again. The design has to be more cost effective. Of course the government subsidizes power of all other sorts, but not wind power (!!!!), so its difficult to finance a truly well thought out and effective wind farm. This one is a bit of an anomaly.

It is encouraging that this group endeavored to try something new with the idea that innovation is a worthy cause for greater understanding of alternative energy. This project is also spotlighting the need for greater assistance for alternative energy projects within New York State and beyond. Very cool thing... kudos!

-- Reggie