Tuesday, April 7, 2009

SE CERTS March Meeting Notes

3/17/09 Steering Committee Meeting, Heintz Center

GUEST SPEAKER:
Christian Milaster, Project Licht ‘n Stein:
"Off the Grid, Off-the-Well, and Off-the-Furnace: Renewable Energy in 21st-Century Comfort!"
Contact: questions@lichtnstein.org
or for more information see: http://consulting.lichtnstein.org/
About 4 years ago, Milaster researched and built a low maintenance, super efficient home in the rural Lanesboro area that runs on a utility bill of $100/year. The footprint of house is 40x40. Christian wanted to help people figure out how to conserve in their existing homes and then what to do when they expand and remodel. He built his home to demonstrate that building an efficient home is both possible and affordable – and it can be done without feeling like you’re “doing without.”

A few highlights:

  • Philosophy is is SMART Conservation – Simple, Meaningful, Affordable, Realistic and using Technology, without a major reduction of comfort
  • With 10-year average annual increase of energy prices, house will save approximately $300,000 over the next 30 years in utility bills… and if projections are accurate, it may be far more.
  • Fiber cement siding, w/ 25-year warranty, recycled plastic deck… He looked at maintenance issues and lifetime costs
  • Use ~ 3 kWh/day during the week with 2 working adults – 5.5 kWh/day on weekends (or about 1/7th of their energy usage); American average is closer is 25-30 kWh/day;
  • Have reduced fossil fuel dependence by 98%; reduced 70-80-% of water usage (<40>
  • For every dollar he spent on conservation, he saved between $2.50 and $18.00 on renewable energy equipment he wold have needed
  • $0 electric bill… off-grid with wind power (Bergey)… and close on the PV system; Avoided $12,000 cost for connection with Tri-County Electric - Will be $18,000 project with wind and solar PV
  • Have inverter and battery (lead-acid) charging… can go about 3-4 days without added power; insulated battery cause perform optimally @ 77 degrees
  • Energy Efficiency appliances: Kenmore with 1 kWh/day; gas range that uses NO electricity (peerless); air-to-air exchanger; central vacuum, washing machine and dishwasher; energy efficient lighting, some LED rope lights; phantom loads elimination (timers, switches, remote-controlled outlets)
  • Wind provides ~ 80-90% of energy in winter
  • Off-the-well: no well, no city water, no sewer – get about 45,000 gallons of rainwater per year (1 inch gives 1,500 gal of nice, soft water) – 60-70 gallons/day/person is average use in US; low-flow dual-flush toilet; use standing seam steel roof for collection with leaf-protected gutters; three 2,500 gal cisterns designed to last 100 days; will add a carbon filter, reverse osmosis to make it drinkable.
  • $0 heating bill – radiant heat more comfortable and cost effective. Three systems to make heating system including passive solar design, masonry stove and solar radiant in-floor heat
  • Passive solar – 60% of glazing on south side; high solar heat gain coefficient; triple pane windows and insulated concrete forms
  • Heat Storage – 4-inch cement slab and slate floor
  • Distribution: radiation from thermal mass
  • Control – sunny days; on; cloudy days/window shades: off
  • Masonry stove - Build a fire once-a-day to keep temps up – burn fast and hot, which means pretty clean; requires short-term tending. $25,000
  • Radiant in-floor heat; with hot water and heat storage tank – 12 zones with 12 programmable thermostats;
  • Icynene in ceiling; cellulose in all stud walls
  • Awning windows and casement windows (to help with cooling)

Why did he do it? – "We are using more fossil fuels than we’re able to create; to demonstrate it can be done; to use what nature provides… it is possible and it works!"

Note: This presentation was videotaped and once edited, segments will be posted on the SE CERTS website.

Other Agenda items:

Melissa updated committee on funding stuff and some of our various federal $ ideas

CERTs has also pitched a few ideas in response to new state monies coming through the ARRA. They include:

  • A state-wide Appliance Harvest – that would work with utilities across the state, and across service territory to harvest old/unused refrigerators and freezers and ensure that utilities are able to garner the energy savings from recovering these appliances. Anne noted that we really need to work with counties to make sure that this is something they’re also on-board with and don’t see as a conflict with their solid waste recovery efforts. (Update: Joel has followed up with Anne on this and is now working to connect with Mark Gamm who is the Director of Solid Waste administrators for Dodge Co. and chair of their statewide body).
  • Clean energy census…. Coordinate with Senior High Schools, have those students do the actual work of asking the questions/get them trained. Peer pressure approach; could it double as a fundraiser for schools/students for them to do their own project. (Update: we testified on this idea last night, March 31st, and got a positive reception. People like the idea of having students involved).

Andy Potts talked about the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Apprenticeship Program as it relates to renewable energy:

  • IBEW hasn't trained much with solar PV (hasn’t been much interest). They volunteered labor for the Mayo High School Solar PV project –and include PV training in curriculum (book), but don’t have the hands-on piece; that’s why the Mayo project was great; next one will likely be Century High School
  • Then train on large wind… gear toward safety, high voltage cable termination, code of excellence course, grounding, rescue from towers, climbing. Lots of potential for big wind 3000 MW in southern MN and Northern Iowa
  • Members who are interested in small wind; starting to do manufacturing; seems that interest is growing, especially based on federal funding incentives
  • As you get more systems on-line – VISIBILITY - then it attracts more interest; people see it actually happening
  • There are also still barriers in paying for 20 years of power up-front; systems are still expensive; high up-front costs are tough
  • Likely suspects could be any “big-box” structure – sign a contract for power @ a certain rate… bank owns the system.
  • If folks don’t see another contractor making the money on that kind of work, then they don’t want to invest in the training
  • Renewable Energy Payments (feed-in tariff) could change the dynamic and make these sorts of investments more likely.
  • As the State steps up with rebates, it generates more interest.
  • To get rebate must be a certified electrical contractor; for solar rebate must get the NABSEP certification. Licensed electrician to do the connection to the grid.

Melissa wonders about outstate training programs through the MN Renwable Energy Society… should they wait until there is more demand? Or maybe this would drive demand (and market with federal incentives)?

Other Discussion:

Art Reckinger is on a crusade to get folks interested in PV and geothermal (combined systems).

Regional Science Fair – are done! SE CERTs recognized top projects on clean energy and energy efficiency. See listing of the SE CERTS Scholarship winners here. Thanks to Roger Wacek, Larry Landherr and Sig Anderson for serving as judges.

Ray Schmitz reported that the Rochester City Council @ Committee of the Whole voted to create a Sustainability Committee is organizing a meeting later this spring to get more community involvement.

Upcoming SE CERTS meetings:

We will have SE regional team meetings in Northfield on May 19th & Winona on July 21st (tentative date).

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