Renewable Energy Solutions Community Meetings

This open community meeting was held to discuss and discover the effectiveness of using renewable energy to heat our homes and our hot water. Our featured speakers presented information from experience and expertise to educate listeners about the different aspects of Geothermal Energy and Solar Hot Water Heating.

The sessions were both informative and practical in helping the audience better understand how these green technologies can provide economic and environmental benefits in homes and businesses. Attendees had the opportunity to get answers to their questions about Geothermal Heating Systems and Solar Hot Water Heating Systems, and other related topics, during the Q&A Forum with our visiting renewable energy specialists.

Speakers:

• Greg Neilsen: Greg is a licensed residential contractor in Michigan, and founder of Shelby Solar and Wind DBA in Shelby, MI.  He has helped in the design of several wind and solar systems in both Michigan and Indiana, and has worked with several townships on developing renewable energy ordinances. Recently he received a USDA grant for a 90 foot Ventera 10kW wind turbine agricultural installation, and is awaiting an interconnection agreement with Hart Hydro to begin the installation process this spring.  Greg is also a certified tax accountant and has served as the secretary of the Shelby Chamber of Commerce since 1988. You can visit his website, www.ShelbySolarandWind.com, for more information.

• Bill Adams: Bill is the owner of Adams Heating and Cooling, LLC, located in Hart, MI. He has been serving West Michigan as an HVAC contractor since 1976. He is a certified WaterFurnace GeoPro contractor, and his company specializes in the installation of Geothermal Heating/Cooling Systems in both residential and commercial applications. Recently adding solar panel installation to the services they offer, Adams Heating and Cooling continues to expand their emphasis and promotion of green technologies in west Michigan. You can visit their website, www.AdamsHeatingCooling.com, for more information.

Meeting Summary

The meeting began with an update on the current Renewable Energy Ordinacne that was recently passed for the City of Whitehall.

Greg Neilsen presented information about Solar Hot Water Units that will produce domestic hot water for everyday use in homes and businesses. Several types of units are available on the market to produce hot water using solar energy, but the most applicable for local use would be one that has a closed "heating" coil filled with an anti-freeze solution, which collects heat from the solar unit, usually placed on a roof, and transfers it to the water in the hot water tank. Because of the cloudy conditions that prevail in winter in West Michigan, the best practice would be to use a solar hot water unit with an alternative backup heating system (usually either gas or electric). Installed prices range from $6600 to $9000, but current tax credits could reduce the overall cost to the homeowner. Financial payback would be expected in 8 to 14 years, depending on weather and other efficiency factors.

Bill Adams presented a PowerPoint presentation that illustrated details about Geothermal heating and hot water systems. Using a coil of tubing filled with an antifreeze solution, the Geothermal system transfers relative heat from the ground to a heat pump which is used to disperse heat throughout the house through heat ducts or radiant heating elements. The geothermal system is also able to lower the temperature in the house during the summer using the same process in reverse. Geothermal energy is also able to be used to heat domestic hot water. Current tax credits can help reduce the overall cost of installing a geothermal system, which may be able to pay for itself in energy savings over the course of 6 to 15 years, depending on several variables. Different types of geothermal installations include open loop (drawing water from an aquifier), pond loop, vertical closed loop (tubing is sunk into bore holes in the ground), and horizontal closed loop (tubing is laid out in trenches which are backfilled). Installation varies from property to property depending on acreage, access, and other factors.

For more information about our open community meeting or the topics discussed, you may contact us through our Contact Form, or call 231-580-1290. We encourage anyone who is interested in learning more about renewable energy solutions to attend. There is no cost for admission to these meetings.