Farms and wind energy have a rich history together, according to Small Wind Certification Council Technical Director Brent Summerville. He says farmers are comfortable investing in equipment that will pay for itself and they understand how to keep the technology running for many years. Since farms and ranches generally use a lot of energy, Summerville says farmers and ranchers should care about small-scale distributed wind energy because it offers a way to generate on-site power to offset some of that electricity usage.

"Energy prices are volatile and a small wind turbine on the farm is a hedge against rising energy costs. Since the fuel that drives the wind turbine is free, investing in a wind turbine locks in the energy cost for the life of the turbine. Wind energy will be right for a farmer or rancher if they have a suitable wind resource and the space to install a wind turbine. The project will be successful if they choose a dealer-installer that can provide reliable support and if they choose a quality wind turbine. There are many successful case studies of farmers who have installed 10-, 20-, 50-, and 100-kilowatt wind turbines to save money on energy and help ensure the sustainability of the farm."

The Small Wind Certification Council has received startup funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, several state agencies, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The Council's mission is to help prevent unethical marketing and false claims, according to Summerville, ensuring consumer protection and wind industry credibility.

"SWCC helps the farmer choose a quality wind turbine by providing a list of turbines that we have certified to meet national standards. We also publish easy-to-understand consumer labels with ratings for power, energy, and sound, which enables comparison shopping."

Wind certification is required for state incentives, which Summerville says is the driving force in the United States. In fact, he says state agencies were some of the biggest supporters of the certification program in place now. In the past, each state had its own method of determining eligibility for its small wind incentive program, but Summerville says many state agencies have worked together to form a list of eligible wind turbines through the development of the Interstate Turbine Advisory Council.

"Certification provides them greater confidence that small wind turbines installed with public assistance have been tested for safety, function, performance, and durability, and meet the requirements of standards. Federally, certification is not currently a requirement for the tax credit. The Distributed Wind Energy Association is working directly with U.S. Treasury on the requirements for the tax credit. Now that the list of certified turbines is growing, we are close to having this requirement in the tax code."

Summerville says small wind turbines have a great potential to serve increasing demands and provide a cost effective solution for many rural homes, farms, schools, and other end-users.

Rural America pioneered the use of wind energy on the farm with windmills in the 1800s and wind turbines in the 1920s and 1930s. Recently on American farms and ranches there has been a revival of small-scale distributed wind energy.

Small Wind Certification Council Technical Director Brent Summerville says farmers are comfortable investing in equipment that will pay for itself and offset some electricity usage, especially at a time when energy prices are volatile.

"Wind energy would be right for a farmer or rancher if they have a suitable wind resource and the space to install a wind turbine. The project will be successful if they choose a dealer installer that can provide reliable support and if they choose a quality wind turbine. The dealer will help them assess their wind resource, match their energy needs with the wind turbine system, estimate the energy output, and help them with the economics of the project, including financing."

Summerville says Greensburg, Kansas is an inspiring example. The town was devastated by a tornado in 2007 but has rebuilt as a green city with the help of wind energy. He says there are many other successful stories of farmers who have installed wind turbines to save money on energy and help ensure the sustainability of their farms.

Summerville says good news travels fast with wind projects and their successes, but he says bad news travels even faster. As an example, Summerville says California's rebate program was shut down for eight months in 2011 due to an exaggerated power rating of a small wind turbine. That is why the Small Wind Certification Council certifies wind turbines have been designed and tested according to national standards. Summerville says small wind turbines are certified to the American Wind Energy Association's small wind performance and safety standard.

"Certification produces consumer labels and summary reports with easy to understand ratings for power, energy, and sound. Third party certification also verifies that the turbine has been tested for durability, safety, and function. SWCC certification helps prevent unethical marketing and false claims, ensuring consumer protection and industry credibility."

The SWCC works directly with wind turbine manufacturers through the entire process. Summerville says the turbine is installed at one of the Council's test sites for field testing—which can take nine to 12 months—and puts the turbine through a full range of wind speeds and conditions.

"The testing is performed according to the standard and reports are submitted for our review. The manufacturer also submits a report on the design calculations for the wind turbine, and we verify that this design work and engineering has been performed according to the standard. So in a nutshell, the standards are written by a group of wind energy experts to prescribe how to evaluate small wind technology, and we provide third-party verification that the turbine was designed and tested to these standards."

Small wind is a global business and Summerville says other countries have their own certification standards based on international standards. So if a turbine is certified in Japan, he says the SWCC will grant it conditional certification for one-year while the manufacturer submits the necessary reports to obtain certification to American standards.

"This process also goes in the other direction, so U.S. manufacturers can use SWCC certification for gaining access to global markets. The goal is for the turbine manufacturer to test once and certify everywhere."

So far, Summerville says the SWCC has certified nine small wind turbines—four fully certified, four conditionally certified, and one has obtained power of performance certification. Currently he says 10 turbines are moving through the process and others continue to sign up.

To find a certified wind turbine and view the reports, visit SmallWindCertification.org.

The Wind for Schools Program was launched in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Energy, Wind Powering America, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Six states were chosen as priorities for the program, and one of those states was Nebraska.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln houses the Wind Applications Center, which is the resource for K-12 partner schools in the program in Nebraska. Wind Applications Center Director Jerry Hudgins says wind is a fantastic resource in Nebraska, lending itself to renewable energy generation, especially in rural parts of the state. He says the jobs associated with wind production are just part of the reason rural Nebraskans should care about wind energy and wind turbines at schools.

"We have an interest in general education for students to learn about science and related fields associated with energy production, even conventional energy production, but also what value renewable energy brings to the mix. One of those, of course, is wind energy. One way to do this is to have a visible representation of one of those generating sources. A perfect example is a small wind turbine."

Hudgins says the purpose of this program isn't just to generate electrical energy, but to provide a source of discussion and learning about renewable energy and how it impacts everyone's lives and the job opportunities available.

"Not only do we install the wind turbines, but we try to work with the local teachers to help them develop some curriculum that would be appropriate for them. We certainly don't expect a huge amount of time devoted strictly to wind energy, but we work with them to insert, where appropriate, pieces of that. And that can come in various forms, from earth science areas to physics to economics, public policy issues, and so forth. So there are all kinds of ways you can discuss wind energy and renewable energy."

Wind Applications Center Associate Director Joel Jacobs says through this program 28 wind turbines have been installed across the entire state. With 25 partner schools in the program, Nebraska leads the nation and reaches 24,000 to 25,000 students.

"Here at the university, we have engaged students through a variety of means. We have helped develop a university-wide energy science minor. This minor discusses energy policy, energy use, different energy technologies, and this is open for any student throughout the whole university that would like to take this minor. Other programs that we have been participating in is a meteorological tower equipment loan program. So these would be the towers where you stick weather sensors on site to collect weather data for a year or two. And we have used student volunteers to help install these, to analyze the data, to help take them down, and just take care of this equipment."

At this time Hudgins says the Wind Applications Center provides logistical and technical support to the partner schools. He says the funding for the individual schools comes from a variety of sources in the state and from a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant. In the past couple of years, though, Hudgins says funds have decreased and been harder to obtain, making it more difficult for schools to participate.

"We're sort of in a mode now of trying to maintain the existing installations that are out there in the field, work with them, and then also coordinate with other states that were involved in the program. We will downsize from the standpoint of probably the actual hours devoted to the project, but we certainly plan to be here and continue to provide technical support and logistical support. And we're always available. We certainly want to continue our educational opportunities with the local teachers at these schools and we will continue that activity as well as sort of an outreach, develop that, provide materials and opportunities for projects, and so forth. And then of course all of the activities that are currently underway at the university will continue as well."

For more information on the Wind for Schools Program, go to engineering.unl.edu and search "wind for schools."

The U.S. Department of Energy, Wind Powering America, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory launched the Wind for Schools Program in 2006. These groups identified six priority states for the program—and Nebraska was one of those states.

Nebraska Wind for Schools Program Consultant Dan McGuire says the program has three primary goals. First, to engage rural school teachers and students in wind energy education. Second, to equip college students with wind energy education and in wind energy applications to provide interested, equipped engineers for the growing U.S. wind industry. And third, to introduce wind energy to rural communities by initiating a discussion of wind energy benefits and challenges.

The projects were paid for in a number of ways from a number of sources. McGuire says schools were required to invest at least $1,500 dollars from their budget into the project to pay for the wind turbines. During the first few years of the program, McGuire says the Nebraska Public Power Board provided grants, funds, and equipment to help install the turbines at the schools.

"Likewise, a number of the local public power districts provided assistance to the schools by using some of their trenching and digging equipment—bucket trucks—so we have a great team in this public power state and we all try to work together. This was a perfect example of good government and private sector working together. Additional sources of funds: Schools applied for grants from a number of different sources, and that includes USDA Rural Development program funds, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that were administered through the Nebraska Energy office, the SEP Grant program—that's Supplemental Environmental Program grant funds—were provided to about a dozen of our Nebraska schools from the Nebraska Attorney General's office. They administer that. Other grant funds came from local community foundations and anonymous donors."

McGuire says local electric construction and contracting companies—along with other community-based businesses—provided in-kind donations of labor and equipment. He says the projects really have been community efforts.

Regarding the DOE funding, McGuire says it was always understood that funding would last for maybe five years and then other resources would have to be found to replace that funding.

"We prefer to see that funding continue. Well, it may not. So given that, we're looking for other possible sources of funding, especially to keep the University of Nebraska Wind Application Center going, because that Wind Application Center is the go-to place for technical expertise and to be the resource for all those K-12 partner schools that we now have, what I call our network of partner schools here in Nebraska. So that's a big deal, and we're looking for new sources of funding."

Nebraska leads the nation with 25 K-12 partner schools in this project, which McGuire says means with enrollment alone, 24,000 to 25,000 students are being reached, which represents nearly 8% of the total Nebraska K-12 students. Plus, he says there are more than 100 students involved through the University of Nebraska.

With this project, McGuire was pleased President Obama spoke in favor of more renewable energy and how job creation is an important part of renewable energy during his State of the Union address.

"One of the things that we need to remember: 20% wind energy by 2030. Now, that's a target that was set a few years ago by DOE and the American Wind Energy Association. And that report suggests that the wind industry could support roughly 500,000 jobs in the U.S. with an average of more than 150,000 workers directly employed in the industry. And there would be more than 100,000 jobs in associated industries, such as accountants, lawyers, steel workers, and electrical manufacturing, 200,000 jobs through economic expansion based on local spending, 1.5 billion by 2030 in annual increase in property tax revenues, 600 million in lease payments to rural landowners. And the Wind for Schools Program fits right into what the president was talking about in that State of the Union by helping to get the workforce ready to fill those jobs."

That's what McGuire says is one of the great things about the Wind for Schools Program. He says the future of the program is a bit uncertain, but there are many visionary wind energy advocates in the Nebraska Legislature and they view the program as a key component of the state's wind energy development potential and expansion opportunities for the future.

McGuire says the wind turbines installed in the 25 partner schools across Nebraska represent a big vision for what is possible for renewable energy's future.

"Those wind turbines stand for a lot. They stand for education. They stand for new careers. They stand for economic development, rural prosperity, energy independence for our state and for the nation. So, the Wind for Schools program stands for, and opens the doors to, all of those very positive and very real economic opportunities that Nebraska can capture for our young people, for the future, for generations to come."

That's why McGuire says rural Nebraskans—and all Americans—should care about wind turbines at schools and the potential they hold for the nation's future.

Reporting for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, I'm Seanica Otterby.

The wind power Production Tax Credit championed in the 1990s by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley is an incentive to help spur wind power development in rural America. Environmental Law and Policy Center Executive Director Howard Learner says oil, gas, coal, and nuclear power all get a wide array of federal subsidies and the wind power PTC that was extended by Congress on January 1 supports rural economic development.

The PTC has been a start-stop program and Learner says that sort of instability doesn't help move development forward.

"Developers need more predictability and more certainty. Wind power development in rural America is good for farmers' income. It provides a new source of income when land payments are made for installing wind turbines. It's good for rural economic development and jobs, and it increases property tax bases and other employment. And it's good for the environment. This is a win, win, win. Extending the Production Tax Credit is going to spur more wind power development, and that's going to provide a domestic, clean energy supply source, make us less reliant on other energy coming in. It's going to be good for farmers' income, good for rural economic development, and good for the environment. Altogether it's win, win, win."

Some people says wind energy should be able to stand on its own without government subsidies, but Learner says everything has to be on a level playing field especially since gas, coal, nuclear power, and oil all get federal subsidies.

"You can really adopt two approaches. You can adopt an approach and be sort of Peter Pan and wave your magic wand and say we're going to get rid of subsidies for everything. And that's an intellectually consistent policy, and it's one that as we know, Congress has had a very difficult time doing. But to single out wind power and say we're going to continue taxpayer subsidies for coal and nuclear and oil and gas, but wind, you don't get any support. That's not fair, and it doesn't work well. It puts wind power in a competitive disadvantage. So we need to have a level playing field."

Learner says wind power makes sense and is supported by Republicans and Democrats and people living in urban and rural areas. In a time when farm policies are so hotly contested before Congress, he says it's important to form policies for rural America that can gain support from people living in cities and suburbs too. Ultimately, Learner says wind energy is good for creating jobs and economic development—among other things—and the PTC extension is essential to making those happen.

The United States has been looking for more ways to become energy independent for many years. American Corn Growers Foundation Consultant Dan McGuire says wind energy is a great source for many reasons. One reason in particular is its benefit for rural economic development. Over the past couple of years, corn prices have been strong and farm income has been good, but McGuire says that could change in an instant. He says wind farms provide an alternative source of income for farmers and ranchers.

"In addition to that, you're talking about those projects providing property tax revenues that really help support rural schools, and beyond that, it provides sales tax revenues to the state tax coffers in all these states where they're located. It can be the difference between a rancher or a farmer maybe holding onto that land for the next generation and continuing that great way of life."

Recently Nebraska held its 5th Annual Wind Conference and McGuire says a number of people from across rural Nebraska attended—many saying wind energy brought their children back home.

Water is a hot topic in many Western states, too, and McGuire says wind energy can play a role in conserving water resources. Most electric power plants require water to operate, and he says water use in drought-stricken areas—like the western regions of the U.S.—is a big issue. Wind energy production, however, does not require water. The U.S. Department of Energy has outline a 20% wind energy by 2030 scenario.

"There is a study that was done by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, as well as American Wind Energy Association, and Black & Veatch, a consulting firm in Kansas City. That study showed that if we look out to the future, and if we were to have 20% wind energy by the year 2030, that scenario would reduce cumulative water use in the electric sector by 8%, or about 4-trillion gallons of water. So that's a big deal."

Looking at utility choices the DOE has, McGuire says those utilities can have different impacts on water resources. For example, a wet, cool coal plant uses three-times as much water as a combined-cycle gas plant, according to McGuire, compared to a wind turbine which is energy efficient and doesn't use water. He says a big question regarding wind energy, though, is if there is public support for wind energy.

"National polls recently and over the years have shown that 89% of all American voters support more wind energy. And I know in Nebraska we've had a number of polls done over the years. Ninety-one percent want more of our electricity to come from wind energy. And if you look at states around us, like Iowa, Iowa has about 20% of its electricity coming from wind energy. And, there's a real good reason why Iowa, Nebraska, and other states are looking at wind energy and wanting more of it. It creates a heck of a lot of jobs."

McGuire says wind power's economic impact under the 20% by 2030 scenario would create roughly 500,000 jobs in the U.S. with an average of more than 150,000 workers directly employed each year and an economic expansion based on local spending. He says there are just so many reasons for people and organizations to advocate for wind energy.

The Wind Applications Center at Kansas State University oversees school wind projects across Kansas. The school district in Greensburg, Kansas is one of those with a wind turbine. Superintendent Darin Headrick says the district looked at every aspect of the project to see how it might benefit the district.

"For us, it would be a good situation even if all it produced is exactly what its cost was. We still aren't out anything. We still have produced as much power by dollars as what it cost us to put it up. In case of our 50-kilowatt tower we have, we think we're going to do a little bit better than twice our investment. So our $300,000 investment for wind, we should see a revenue of about $700,000 of production of power. So it's really just a matter of having some cash on hand and knowing it's a good business decision, and then putting it in place. In fact, it's such a good decision for us, we're considering adding a second tower because it does provide some savings for us."

Wind Applications Center director Ruth Douglas Miller says there are nearly 25 projects now and those projects are typically funded by various entities, but the school usually covers the cost of the actual turbine and the tower. In recent years, USDA even has provided some grants for school wind projects. Miller says having a school wind turbine is very valuable in many ways. For one thing, she says it helps the entire community understand more about wind energy.

"We really were hoping to inspire students, to say 'This is really cool. We've got this turbine. I know a little bit about it. I would like to pursue a career in the wind industry.' I can't say we've had gobs of students end up going in that direction, but we've had a few, and it's really exciting to talk to a student who when he was in 8th grade helped write the proposal to me to put the turbine up. And then I see him again in the summer and he says 'I really want to go into wind. I want to be an engineer.' He just needed that motivation to push him through some of those tougher classes."

Headrick says wind turbines have become a staple in the community.

"It's something that's always on our landscape. It's something that we see. It's something that I think we sometimes take for granted. But I do know that we understand that it's a way for us to produce power, to produce power efficiently, and more importantly, to produce power that's green and renewable and responsible to our environment. But when you ask about students and the parents and how they see it, I think it's something they appreciate. I also think it's something that we've become accustomed to living here."

Headrick says he believes the school district has become an advocate of recognizing the obligation to be responsible with taxpayer dollars. The initial, additional cost upfront, Headrick says, saves a lot of money in the end and the school is seeing that firsthand. He says the school's investment in sustainable, green, renewable energy is not just responsible because it uses taxpayer dollars more efficiently but also because it's an additional educational aspect for the students.

In 2007, a tornado destroyed the small community of Greensburg, Kansas and its hospital. Kiowa County Memorial Hospital administrator Mary Sweet says the tornado also caused a major shift in how the community makes decisions.

As plans to rebuild began, Sweet says the hospital administrators met and discussed what they wanted from the new building. She says they learned not to look just at the initial cost but at the environmental impact, long-term savings, and sustainable and renewable resources. One goal was to reach the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification.

"As we started moving forward, we set our goal high. We set it for LEED Platinum, knowing that no other critical access hospitals in the United States had ever achieved that. So we set that as our goal, knowing that we might not achieve that, but in the end we did. So for us, it was because it was a community movement to build green, but it also just became a personal goal of ours to match the other buildings in the community."

Sweet says every dollar makes a difference in the hospital. Located in one of the prime wind areas in the U.S., she says administrators decided to use the resource available as a benefit by installing a wind turbine.

"We looked at the return for the investment. The original investment's fairly high, but the turnaround, we're looking at eight to 12 years payback with a life of the utility at 25 years. So for us, it took a very progressive board to look at that and say, you know, we have the funding, we want to work with that. We put the first wind generator up. We were so happy with the output, we actually put a second wind generator in when some funds became available."

According to energy analysis modeling results from 2010, Sweet says the hospital is 32 percent more energy efficient than a typical hospital built to the ASHRAE standard.

"When they look at what the bill should have been for this size of a facility, we're saving about 32 percent of the typical building. I think a lot of times we want to do what's environmentally right; we want to set a good example. But, I have to be honest. The bottom dollar is money. If I can save money and do it in a clean, efficient manner, I'm going to do that. So that is why the wind turbines and some of our other energy efficiency features were put in place."

Sweet says the hospital administrators were fortunate that experts from every field came to help them build a new, green building. With the help of these experts and the wind turbines, the hospital's total annual energy costs are a little more than $186,000.

For more information on wind energy www.windpoweringamerica.gov.

Imagine getting a phone call from someone who says the hotel you own and operate has been destroyed by a tornado. Imagine that tornado basically destroying the town you live in.

In 2007, a tornado destroyed the town of Greensburg, Kansas and Ron Wright, owner of the Best Western Night Watchman Inn, received that phone call. He was faced with a decision of rebuilding the only hotel in the city—and he didn't make that decision until almost three-years later. Wright was concerned as to whether or not the community would rebuild, but wind turbines brought hope to the community and brought it back to life.

Wright's new hotel is energy efficient in many ways and one way is the wind turbine it uses to generate power. Wright says he hadn't considered using a wind power generator, but he became interested when the community hospital installed a wind turbine.

"So I actually went next door to the hospital, found the administrator and said 'does it work?' And, she took off, very positively on why, and she indicated that their utility bill for electricity in this hospital, she said, was $18,000 a month. She was sure that it had cut $6,000 off. I didn't really believe that was a possibility, however, that did intrigue me. I was quite interested in that."

After researching everything about wind turbines for nearly two-months, Wright installed a 100-foot tall wind turbine on his hotel property.

"We've actually had the operation up with a wind generator for almost one-and-a-half years now. And what it's doing in real dollars, it is actually generating roughly $2,000 of electricity a month. Probably closer to $25,000 a year. And that's exactly what it's been doing, is in that anywhere from $1,900 to $2,300 a month of electricity, it's actually generating 50% of the electricity."

A hotel runs 24 hours a day so Wright says demand is high, but the turbine has kept costs down. He says the turbine's life projection is 20 years and should pay for itself after seven to eight years.

"I can't imagine why you wouldn't want to do this. It's actually an income-producing piece. How in the world could you get something that will generate this kind of income for this period of time? It's really proved to be a no-brainer."

For more information on wind power, visit www.windpoweringamerica.gov.

On May 4, 2007, a tornado destroyed the small town of Greensburg, Kansas. When planning began to rebuild the town, the decision was made to pursue green energy. Mayor Bob Dixson says that decision was based upon wanting to be a stronger, more sustainable community and also going back to the legacy of the town's ancestors.

"Our ancestors were environmental stewards and took care of the resources that they had available when they settled the Midwest and the High Plains area. They knew all about wind and solar and geothermal and how to take advantage of that. It was a natural progression for us being Greensburg to look into those alternative energies of where they could fit into our sustainable master plan and at the same time leave legacy for future generations of being energy efficient and cost effective in our consumption."

Dixson says the town began working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in a matter of weeks after the tornado. He says it was the wind that blew the town away, and they wanted to know how they could utilize that wind to benefit the town for the future. Greensburg now has several wind energy projects including a 12.5-megawatt community wind farm and five, 50-kilowatt small wind turbines located in town—four of them on the main highway.

"Our 12.5 megawatt wind farm is a community wind farm that generates all of the electricity for the city of Greensburg, plus the extra that is generated goes on the grid. We belong to a Kansas power pool, an electric cooperative of 32 member cities, so they're able to say that part of their portfolio comes from alternative energies. We also have Renewable Energy Credits that certifies that our consumption is from alternative energy. That is a great selling point because if we're able to maintain our cost-per-kilowatt hour, we don't have to worry about fuel adjustment costs and those things. Greensburg is our own utility. We maintain our own internal system. Our electricity just comes off the grid."

Dixson says the local John Deere dealership now is the dealer of small and medium wind turbines for a 35 state area and six Canadian provinces. The local hospital, school, and motel along with the John Deere dealership, all are wind-generated to help alleviate their electric bills. Beyond better efficiency for the town, Dixson says the turbines along the landscape cause travelers passing through to stop and see what's going on in what he calls a living laboratory—his town.

The people of Greensburg have been very receptive to wind energy, according to Dixson, and they have been aware of wind energy in their region for the past 15 years.

"It was not a knee-jerk reaction. It was a natural progression. The citizens of Greensburg, their concern is as always, we want as most economical and sustainable electric rates as we can get. We also want long-term reliability of the combination of alternative energies and traditionally-generated electricity. But at the same time, it has to be cost effective, and that's where the commercial wind farms and the community wind farms are coming in and allowing us to do that."

In the town's sustainable master plan and long-term recovery plan, Dixson says the town identified all of its assets, values, and priorities. The environment was identified as a priority, and he says, the wind was identified as a tremendous resource. Dixson says the town understands it will have to keep a balance and combination of traditionally-generated electricity and alternative energy until it has the technology to store massive amounts of electricity. He says Greensburg ultimately wants to increase its percentage of alternative energy consumption and wean itself off of traditional energy consumption.

With Farm Bill discussions continuing, the Renewable Energy for America Program still faces uncertainty. American Wind Energy Association deputy director for distributed and community wind Larry Flowers says REAP made it into 2012—though at a much reduced level—due to work by the program's stakeholders.

Flowers says the program gives agricultural producers and rural businesses incentives to invest in renewable energy. REAP provides a 25-percent maximum grant and an equal amount of potential loan guarantees. Flowers says that makes if affordable for rural communities.

"As far as the wind industry goes, this allowed the small wind industry and the community wind industry to engage rural America, which has enormous wind potential, has a need for economic development and is interested in some self-reliance. And so it really did put together incentive packages that made a good match between small and community wind and rural America."

There are many applications for wind energy in rural America, Flowers says, including for irrigation, dairy processing, animal confinement operations, and energy around the farm. He says REAP provides farming operations incentives to reduce energy costs that have been growing over the years while also guarding against the fluctuation of energy.

"As some of the older coal plants get retired, the newer generation that comes on, whether it be coal or natural gas or renewable energy, is more expensive than these old, retired coal plants. Energy prices are going up and with fossil fuel, of course, they're variable, they're renewable energy, they're predictable because the fuel is free."

Flowers says it's important to engage the full spectrum of options for wind energy and renewable energy in the rural sector. The large wind farms provide great economic development to rural America and are important for rural America's future, Flowers says, but the smaller community wind projects also need to play a role with independence, security, economic development, and environmental benefits.

One of the important changes to REAP, Flowers says, is that it now applies to educational facilities. He says education is critical for a robust and sustainable renewable energy future. Wind for Schools is a program that goes along with this renewable energy education.

"We train teachers and we provide the kids with curriculums so they can see these options as they move into the workforce. It also, hopefully, interests them in the opportunity that renewable energy, and wind in particular, offers these folks as they go from high school either into the trade or right into the workforce in construction right out of high school or on to college. There's a whole broad array of wind occupations that are out there, and by putting small wind turbines at rural schools through the REAP program and introducing curriculum, we can excite the next generation about a robust wind future and their role in it."

Policy is another point of importance, Flowers says, because it determines what will happen. He says it all comes back to renewable energy stakeholders—including those in the wind industry and rural America—letting their lawmakers know REAP is an important piece of America's energy future. People can't just think someone else will speak up, Flowers says, but everyone has to do their part in securing a prosperous energy future.

The Renewable Energy for America Program has helped the U.S. make unprecedented gains in renewable energy and energy efficiency. Many clean energy projects across the nation have received funding through the program.

USDA Rural Development Energy Coordinator Scott Collins says REAP exploded across the country last year. Collins says competition was fierce in his state, New York. As a result, Collins says they were able to fund 73 REAP projects in New York last year—seven of which were wind projects.

"We're actually pleased that we were able to fund that many because we were besieged with solar applications this past year. Wind projects generally stand up fairly well to solar, but there were simply a massive number of projects that came to us. And as a result, we ended up with seven successful projects for wind. Generally on farms, in both cases, and ranging from one small 5-kilowatt project up to 20-kilowatt projects with several more larger projects, which we were unable to fund: 50-kilowatts and one 900-kilowatt."

Collins says the key to success for REAP project applications is a willingness to learn the program and learn how to turn in proper applications. He says it has worked to everyone's advantage. For example, Collins notes one wind turbine vendor's efforts in 2011.

"To tackle the REAP program, to do the work involved in preparing the applications, and to ask the questions to learn how to do a good application, a complete application. Do a good job on the technical report, which is critical for the competitive scoring. And because they did that, they learned the process well and were successful with five of the seven wind projects which we were able to award. And this has been the experience with most of our technologies in the REAP program."

Throughout his experience with REAP, Collins says he has learned it's best to start as early as possible with at least one vendor when pursuing a renewable energy or energy efficiency project. Also, he says it's important to have a good idea of the market—how projects are pricing out—to get the best price available. Collins suggests trying to work with a vendor who is familiar with the REAP process because of its complexity.

REAP's future is uncertain right now, Collins says, as this is the final year the program is authorized in the Farm Bill.

"We certainly think that given the dramatic upsurge in interest in the program through the past several years, we think there's a market out there. But that decision's not ours. We'll just sit back and wait and see what the congressional deliberations bring."

The final deadline for REAP applications is June 29th.

The next deadline for grants under the Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) is quickly approaching. REAP has been successful in spurring several wind projects across the nation. Wind Utility Consulting owner and professional engineer Tom Wind has seen REAP success in his state, Iowa. Wind says the program has inspired people to move forward on projects and motivated them to take the first steps in pursuing projects.

"In my state, I think there's probably been about 10 projects that have had REAP grants. And, in every one of those cases that the REAP funding has been instrumental in the project achieving their financial goals. In other words, being able to make a profit, make a reasonable level of profit, and to reduce the risk a little bit."

As an engineer, Wind is involved with REAP applications from the technical perspective. The applications contain guidelines, which he says are important to do even if not applying for a grant.

"We found that the guidelines are really helpful for many people in figuring out all of the aspects of the project that are important. And it could be from where are you going to get your money, where are you going to put the wind turbine, how is the wind turbine going to be connected up to the grid, where is the power going to go, who's going to pay for it. All of those basic questions, it makes you analyze it very carefully. All of this is necessary to determine if a project is feasible and how much you're going to make on the project."

Wind encourages people wanting to apply for a REAP grant to start early. Grant applications take a lot of time, Wind says, and coordination with several people.

"If you're looking at a grant deadline that's looming, you need to consider that not everybody's going to be able to maybe do their part of it when you need them to do that. Some people get busy and can't always respond right away to information that you need. So it's always best to start way early and to contact the various people ahead of time, say hey I need you to help me do this, so that they can put it in their schedule and get it to you in good order. I don't know how many times I've worked right down to the wire on these grants, had to pull all-nighters just to get the grants done. It's really difficult, hard to do that."

The deadline for renewable energy system feasibility study applications is March 30th. If anyone is interested in completing a REAP application, Wind says it's important to start now. Also, he says it's uncertain if there will be any funding for REAP in the next Farm Bill. Wind says it's important for people who are interested in this program to contact their congressmen and let them know why REAP is important and to include REAP funding in the next Farm Bill; otherwise, he says the program may go away.

The Renewable Energy for America Program [REAP] provides grants and loan guarantees for a broad range of clean energy technologies including biomass, wind and solar, which helps farmers and rural small businesses cut their energy bills with new modern technology. Environmental Law and Policy Center senior policy advocate Andy Olsen says farm energy development has made great progress since 2003. Olsen says that progress has allowed every ag sector to benefit according to their own circumstances and energy needs.

"For example, the dairy industry is using REAP to really move forward with manure digesters in a great way, as well as for energy efficiency for their operations. And then we've seen a lot of community energy development with community wind and community digesters have taken place with the energy title programs, and there's just so much more potential that we have. It would be a real shame if Congress was to halt this progress now by retreating in the 2012 Farm Bill."

Community Energy Partners president Sue Jones conducts REAP outreach in Maine and has written grants that have brought more than $1.2 million in funding and around $500,000 in guaranteed loans for renewable energy projects. Jones says as a result farmers and small businesses not only save money but also help the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Jones says there have been two prominent changes to REAP recently.

"In general, the program has remained intact as it has for the past few years. But the two prominent changes are drastically reduced funding levels since last year to about $24 million available this next round. And the second one, which is very important, is that the timeline has changed. In the past, most of the time the deadlines were in late spring, April, May or June, and this year they're in February and March. So it's very important for folks to know when the deadlines are so they can get their applications in in time."

About a year ago, Jones learned that four schools in Ohio received funding from REAP by incorporating renewable technologies. Even though schools technically aren't eligible applicants, they qualified under REAP as a small business by incorporating those new technologies. Jones says her outreach now extends to schools and municipalities. There are various stages at which schools and municipalities can apply, according to Jones, but most importantly, they can apply for a feasibility grant. That grant can offset some of the costs and risks of doing an upfront community wind feasibility assessment.

"If they're awarded that, or if they go forward with that, and they find that they do have a feasible site, they can actually come in for a second round of funding the following year and apply for a REAP equipment grant that can help them offset the costs of a wind turbine or other pieces of wind equipment. So it's a nice program in that it can help you in consecutive years to help get your project in place."

ELPC's Olsen says the REAP grant application process is competitive because of the limited funds. Olsen suggests people work with their state rural development energy coordinator on the applications from the beginning so the coordinator knows they are working on the project and they get good advice.

"There are different applications for small projects as compared to the bigger projects. The important thing is to plan ahead so you have your energy audit done for your facility early and then to put together a good application with an eye toward the number of points that you're scoring. The competitive process uses points, and therefore the more points you have, the more likely you are to win. So, people should definitely pay close attention to that."

Over the past two years, Olsen says there have been drastic and disproportionate cuts to REAP and the other farm bill clean energy programs. Olsen says Congress cut REAP funding for 2012 by 66% from the year before. With Congress currently working on reauthorization of the Farm Bill, Olsen says it's uncertain as to whether REAP and other energy title programs will be included in the next Farm Bill.

"Clean energy and conservation are two of the most popular parts of the Farm Bill with the general public, but they're also two that are facing the deepest cuts right now. So, the question to what the future holds really depends on how much people speak up to their members of Congress and let them know that this is a priority for America, to keep moving forward on the progress that we've seen in REAP over the years of the program."

To apply for a REAP grant, visit www.farmenergy.org and search for your state rural energy coordinator under application tools. Also, work with your hardware vendor to make sure you have the proper information necessary for the equipment you want to install.

The deadline for energy audits and renewable energy development assistance applications is February 21st.

Perhaps you've thought about the environmental, financial, and energy benefits of producing wind energy in the U.S., but Rich VanderVeen says there are big agricultural benefits as well.

VanderVeen, the president of Mackinaw Power, LLC in Michigan, has seen how wind energy development can save farmland for future generations.

"Example, our 35,000 acres under one set of easements with 250 families and 133 wind turbines in Gratiot County, guarantees that that 35,000 acres will not be subject to sprawling America, not subject to forms of degradation of the countryside, but rather kept intact for the next 30 to 50 years. That farmland will still be farmland, for the children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren of the people who are signing the easements in 2011."

VanderVeen says the Gratiot (grash-it) County wind project did not face much opposition. He says that's because of the way they approached the project. He says his golden rules of development could be utilized by any community across the country to garner support for local wind energy production.

"Earn the trust and confidence of the local community. That takes a lot of engagement of the public, and informing the public, and education, education, education. Involving people, allowing them to make sure that their questions are asked and answered. That's number one. Number two. Of course you have to spend a lot of time and energy and money investing in wind studies. Number three, you must of course have the transmission available to bring the project forward. You must then utilize the trust and confidence of the local community, the state and federal government to secure local, state, and federal permits and approvals. And finally, of course, you have to sell the power."

From there, VanderVeen says it's time to negotiate a wind turbine supply agreement and construction contract. Then he says it's important to assure the project is built safely, on time and on budge, and that it is run efficiently. Finally, he says all promises made to the landowners and community must be kept.