Fred Kirschenmann

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

Last year, Fred Kirschenmann, our keynote speaker for the Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair, was unable to attend because of health problems. We are pleased he will join us this year to share his views about how to redesign the human adventure toward a more sustainable lifestyle.

Dr. Kirschenmann will present “Redesigning the Human Adventure: Challenges and Opportunities.” He sees the human enterprise on the planet as having reached a critical juncture. We have lived as though natural resources were inexhaustible and natural sinks limitless. The consumptive lifestyles of the last century have us reaching a point where many of the resources that made those lifestyles possible in the short term make it absurd in the long term. We now confront some major challenges that present us with unprecedented opportunities to rethink and redesign our future.

Dr. Kirschenmann’s broad background includes active involvement in efforts to make our food systems more sustainable. He is a distinguished Fellow for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. The center was created by the Iowa Legislature to develop sustainable agricultural practices that are both profitable and conserve natural resources.

He is president of Kirschenmann Family Farms, a 2,600-acre certified organic farm in Windsor, N.D. About 1,000 acres are native prairie used for grazing livestock, which restorationists may consider emulating on their holdings. The remaining acreage is a diversified operation. Up to nine crops are raised each year in three different rotations. They have more than 100 brood cows and raise calves until they are yearlings.

The farm has been featured in National Geographic, Smithsonian, Audubon, Business Week, the Los Angeles Times and Gourmet magazine. Several research studies have been done on the farm.

When serving as director of the Leopold Center from 2000 until 2005, Kirschenmann saw his position as an opportunity to think about the direction in which agriculture should go in the future. He sought to implement the principles of sustainability in a way that works for farms and farm families. He continues to work at the center, and in 2008 accepted a part-time position with Stone Barns in New York to explore ways rural and urban communities can work together to develop sustainable agriculture and food systems.

Kirschenmann earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Chicago, and has both university teaching and administrative experiences. He credits his philosophical studies with training him to ask the questions behind the questions, which has served him well in farming and leadership roles he has held in national organic agricultural organizations.

Cultivating an Ecological Conscience, published in 2010 by the University of Kentucky, is based on his essays about farming, philosophy and sustainability.

He acknowledges the role of Aldo Leopold’s thinking in shaping his perspective on needing to solve our problems ecologically. Society continues to fail to utilize knowledge of biology and how systems work as we apply one solution to a very specific problem, which then creates problems elsewhere in the system. He sees local community economics as healthiest when they are as self-reliant as possible, particularly where food and agriculture are concerned. A similar focus on local energy sources would also contribute to rebuilding local communities.

Kirschenmann’s presentation will challenge people to redesign our activities toward sustainable goals.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the May 23-29, 2012, issue

In a recent presentation at Rock Valley College (RVC), Linden Griesbach demonstrated how residents of Winnebago, Boone and parts of Ogle County could meet today’s energy needs using local renewable resources. He also indicated energy released at Byron Nuclear Generating Station, if targeted exclusively for the same area, would nearly meet the region’s energy needs.

The relative importance of nuclear and renewable energy in the world’s energy future remains a topic of debate. As of May 7, Japan’s last nuclear reactor was shut down for maintenance. Reopening their 52 reactors has proven problematic, as local opposition is very strong. Since nuclear power provided more than 30 percent of their energy, replacing it with imported fuels has proven costly and cannot maintain the same level of energy services.

Germany, following the disaster in Japan, declared they would shut down their nuclear power plants and accelerate a transition to renewable energy. According to a Bloomberg report, Germany expects to replace their 17 nuclear reactors that supply about 20 percent of their electricity with a $263 billion investment in solar and wind. If successfully implemented, global support for renewable energy will grow.

In Finland, construction continues on building a safe permanent storage site for nuclear wastes. Construction is behind schedule, and commercial operations planned for 2009 are expected to be in place by 2014. If successful, it will solve a major problem of how to handle nuclear wastes. Success will be hard to define and verify, as safe storage must be maintained over the 100,000 years it takes for the radioactivity to cease.

The long-term storage issue brings us to what Alvin Weinberg, former head of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, declared in the 1970s — that using nuclear power amounts to a Faustian bargain. When properly handled, nuclear power plants are almost nonpolluting and offer lower-cost electricity than fossil fuel plants, but their use demands a level of vigilance and longevity that is beyond society’s experience.

Charles Barton, an advocate of the thorium reactor, indicates Weinberg saw the unending striving for more power and success as dependent on knowledge, energy and other resources inherent in human existence. Along with other scientists, he wanted to continue to explore the secrets of nature and felt society would benefit from the discoveries.

In 1971, Barton describes Weinberg as striving for the following three things:

1. Nuclear safety — if not fulfilled, a threat to humanity’s future.

2. Control carbon dioxide emissions — a threat to humanity.

3. The development of a thorium breeding molten salt reactor technology seen as saving humanity from the adverse consequences of its quest for energy.

Weinberg’s desire to move on to thorium technology led to his dismissal, as supporters of conventional nuclear power plants prevailed in Congress.

This year in the United States, approval to build two new nuclear plants, not thorium-based, in Georgia was granted. Supporters believe the new plants will avoid the economic and safety concerns that cut short the nuclear revolution of the 1970s.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the May 16-22, 2012, issue

Linden Griesbach, an award-winning associate professor of engineering and technology at Rock Valley College (RVC), presented the RVC First Tuesday lecture this past week. His presentation was well organized and given in a relaxed, interesting and effective manner. An interested and knowledgeable friend who attended appreciated how well it was presented. Our friend expects to do more public speaking in the near future and was interested in how college professors organize a presentation.

Griesbach’s presentation addressed sustainable energy on a personal basis. To develop the concept, he used his own energy consumption within his home and other spaces he occupies during the course of his day, along with the fuel consumed in his daily travels and other trips. Using existing energy bills, he assigned himself one-third of the household consumption since three adults live in their home.

He converted his consumption of various energy sources into the common unit of kilowatts to facilitate comparisons.

He created two categories, existing consumption using conventional sources of energy and a second using renewable energy sources to meet his energy demands.

From his calculations, he determined that nearly all of his energy needs could be met by renewable sources within the service area of RVC — Winnebago, Boone and parts of Ogle County .

He claims the majority of his energy needs could be met by electricity from wind farms and biofuels from corn and soybeans, with minor contributions from solar and efficiency. Had he chosen a more aggressive energy efficiency model, the energy savings portion would have been more significant.

His estimates only addressed energy needs and ignored economic, environmental and social costs. But Ted Trainer, a lecturer at the University of South Wales and contributing author at the Simplicity Institute, expressed concern that technological optimists such as Amory Lovins contribute to a misunderstanding in minds of the public that efficiency and renewable energy sources will allow us to continue to live as we do now into the future.

While Griesbach’s perspective was local and instant, Trainer’s perspective is global and future-oriented. Trainer’s analysis starts with the IPCC assumption that global energy demand will double by 2050. Trainer discusses a full range of energy options, as did Griesbach, but includes economic and environmental considerations in his report.

Griesbach shows how it would be possible to meet our existing energy needs with efficiency and renewable energy sources, while not advocating them. Trainer supports a transition to full reliance on renewable energy. His vision also relies on local renewable energy sources. As a believer in the limits to growth, Trainer argues that sustaining high energy societies will not be possible if current trends continue.

Griesbach accepts our existing lifestyles and illustrates how the energy consumption patterns characteristic of this area could be met with renewable energy sources.

Griesbach’s presentation illustrates what is theoretically possible to do now. Trainer’s concern is that such scenarios may create public expectations of sustaining high energy societies. While the public is not likely to accept a transition to living a simpler life now, the need for it will become more evident if greenhouse and energy problems intensify.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Since our article about home energy audits (“Energy audits save home owners money,” May 2-8 issue), we were made ware of another program run by ComEd and Nicor. Here is the information (taken directly from ComEd):

Program: Smart Ideas for Your Home

Highlights for the Nicor Gas/ComEd program:

Program description:

• Provides single-family homes that are jointly served by ComEd and Nicor Gas with an assessment of the home’s energy use that will result in recommended changes that can improve a home’s energy efficiency.

• Assessment also includes installation of energy-saving products such as energy-efficient shower heads, faucet aerators, pipe insulation and CFLs.

• There is a $99 co-pay to receive the Home Energy Savings assessment. Similar assessments can cost up to $500. Currently, the assessment is $49 when customers call before May 31, 2012, to schedule their assessment.

• The total time for the assessment is approximately 2-1/2 hours per home.

• The assessment is performed by Building Performance Institute (BPI) certified professionals from Conservation Services Group (CSG), the program implementation contractor.

• At the completion of the assessment, the customer will receive a customized report detailing ways to save up to 20 percent on their home’s energy usage.

• Report includes a fixed-price proposal for completion of weatherization improvements that qualify for instant rebates (50 percent of costs up to $1,250) from ComEd and Nicor Gas.

• For more information about the Home Energy Savings program, visit NicorGasRebates.com/HomeEnergySavings.

• To schedule an assessment, call 1-888-821-9988.

From the May 9-15, 2012, issue

Thermal image showing temperature variation in a hot air balloon. (Image courtesy of http://en.wikipedia.org/)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

As energy prices rise and fall over the short term, their variations can distract us from seeing the long-term benefits of investing in energy efficiency.

Rockford is investing in energy efficiency. In 2009, the city was awarded a grant from the Department of Energy to implement an energy code program. Several of the designated projects have been completed; several more are under way.

Sodium lights in two parking structures have been replaced by high-induction lighting. A hydropower feasibility study for use of the Fordham Dam has been completed; however, implementing the project itself is cost prohibitive.

Retrofits of the Coronado Theatre and the BMO Harris Bank Center (MetroCentre) will be completed by June. A study focused on installing large wind generators on the northwest side of the city has been turned over to Freedom Field for intensive study. A baseline studies action plan is under way. Energy savings and jobs either saved or created have been estimated for all of the projects.

Since 41.6 percent of the country’s energy is consumed by residences and commercial buildings, it is reasonable that making homes more energy efficient would produce immediate, long-range energy savings for the society. Not only will more efficient buildings produce savings in energy, they would also save home owners money.

Graphic courtesy of energysavers.gov

Home energy audits can quickly point out problems in buildings that can be corrected to save energy and cash. Audits can identify ways in which a home could use less energy and that which it does use more efficiently.

According to the NEED project, “the four most important things a consumer can do to reduce heating and cooling” include maintenance, programmable thermostats, insulation, and caulking and weatherstripping. Forty-three percent of a home’s energy is used for heating and cooling.

Thermographic imaging and blower doors are the most commonly used techniques of testing.

Thermographic imaging uses cameras that form images of heat, rather than light. They are used to record heat losses from a building that then can be corrected by more insulation or other techniques. Thermographic cameras record differences in temperature best when there is a large difference (at least 20 degrees Fahrenheit) between indoor and outdoor temperatures.

Blower doors consist of a powerful fan mounted in the frame of an exterior door, which pulls air through the house. A calibrated blower door will reveal the amount of air infiltration into a house. A blower door and thermal imaging camera can be used together for an accurate picture of the house’s tightness

We were recently made aware of new programs offered to homeowners who have energy audits of their homes and follow up with weatherization. In this area, customers who have their gas delivered by Nicor and their electricity by ComEd are eligible. Of the $500,000 set aside to help families in need, only $2,000 has been used.

Typical weatherization costs between $2,500 and $5,000. Of this, approximately $2,000 can be recouped. When recommended action follows an audit, savings can be up to 30 percent of the cost. In addition, a cold house will become comfortably warm.

For more about the program, visit energyimpactillinois.com.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the May 2-8, 2012, issue

A solar home was featured at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. Its architect, John Kech, continued to build solar homes in the Chicago area for many years.

Following World War II, President Harry S. Truman had a team of advisers develop a national solar energy plan to increase its presence in our economy, but it was never implemented.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, listening to a different set of advisers, chose to promote nuclear energy as the power source of the future.

With the advent of the Space Age in the 1950s, solar energy gained a niche, which renewed interest in it once again.

The peaking of conventional oil in the U.S. and the formation of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produced a dramatic increase in the price of oil, which weakened our economy. The administration of President Jimmy Carter pushed energy efficiency, solar energy and nuclear energy to reduce our dependence on imported oil. Progress was made, but faltered when Carter failed to gain a second term.

President Ronald Reagan cut support for efficiency and solar energy and persuaded Saudi Arabia to flood the market with oil, which dramatically reduced its price, increasing our reliance on it.

To keep the solar movement alive, Richard Perez of Home Power magazine suggested a series of energy fairs be created to bring people together to teach them about energy efficiency and renewable energy.

A group of people near Stevens Point, Wis., picked up the idea and started an energy fair. The event drew its initial support from young adults who had moved to the rural setting to create lifestyles that were less environmentally damaging. The effort gained support from the State of Wisconsin, as it has no indigenous energy sources other than wood and was spending billions of dollars per year on imported energy.

We, and others in Illinois who attended the Wisconsin event, decided to create an energy fair in Illinois. This year, the Illinois Renewable Energy Association will host our 11th Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair Aug. 11-12 in Ogle County.

The push for renewable energy and efficiency expanded when federal and state incentives became available for upgrading energy efficiency standards in buildings and cars, alternative fuels, electric vehicles and hybrid cars, wind, solar energy and geothermal energy.

The rapid rate of growth in the renewable energy industry has slowed recently, as low natural gas prices, pressures on government budgets and weak economic conditions have taken their toll. Yet, public support, as indicated by opinion polls, remains favorable toward the industry.

In Illinois, local solar installers report business has slowed along with the rest of the economy. While understandable, it is also ironic as prices on solar electric systems are at an all-time low. State rebates, while limited and episodic, are still being offered. Federal tax credits remain in place.

Overall, sales of solar systems nationally are up, but the rate of growth has slowed. Commercial interests, such as Walmart, continue to upgrade efficiency in their operations and install renewable energy systems.

In the Rockford area, installations at the Burpee Museum, the Nicholas Conservatory, the water pumping station at Bell School Road, The energy-efficient Swedish house, the new science building at Rock Valley College and the installations at Freedom Field are visible symbols of progress in renewable energy.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Freedom Field Renewable Energy, 3333 Kishwaukee St., Rockford, will host the Solar Energy Association’s bi-monthly Solar Social Networking event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, April 28.

The event is open to all who are interested in solar energy.

The Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA), in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, will have important details to announce concerning a major expansion of its community outreach.

Staff representatives and ISEA board members will be in attendance to answer questions about the state of solar energy in Illinois.

Illinois, though behind the nation in solar installations, is anticipated to be a high-growth state in the near future. Rockford has the only solar panel assembly plant in the state.

Tours will be given of the Freedom Field facility during the event, and light lunch and beverages will be available at no charge. Registration is through the ISEA website, www.illinoissolar.org, or via e-mail to info@freedomfieldenergy.com with a note that you will be attending.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

A solar home was featured at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933. Its architect, John Kech, continued to build solar homes in the Chicago area for many years.

Following World War II, President Harry S. Truman had a team of advisers develop a national solar energy plan to increase its presence in our economy, but it was never implemented.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, listening to a different set of advisers, chose to promote nuclear energy as the power source of the future.

With the advent of the Space Age in the 1950s, solar energy gained a niche, which renewed interest in it once again.

The peaking of conventional oil in the U.S. and the formation of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) produced a dramatic increase in the price of oil, which weakened our economy. The administration of President Jimmy Carter pushed energy efficiency, solar energy and nuclear energy to reduce our dependence on imported oil. Progress was made, but faltered when Carter failed to gain a second term.

President Ronald Reagan cut support for efficiency and solar energy and persuaded Saudi Arabia to flood the market with oil, which dramatically reduced its price, increasing our reliance on it.

To keep the solar movement alive, Richard Perez of Home Power magazine suggested a series of energy fairs be created to bring people together to teach them about energy efficiency and renewable energy.

A group of people near Stevens Point, Wis., picked up the idea and started an energy fair. The event drew its initial support from young adults who had moved to the rural setting to create lifestyles that were less environmentally damaging. The effort gained support from the State of Wisconsin, as it has no indigenous energy sources other than wood and was spending billions of dollars per year on imported energy.

We, and others in Illinois who attended the Wisconsin event, decided to create an energy fair in Illinois. This year, the Illinois Renewable Energy Association will host our 11th Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair Aug. 11-12 in Ogle County.

The push for renewable energy and efficiency expanded when federal and state incentives became available for upgrading energy efficiency standards in buildings and cars, alternative fuels, electric vehicles and hybrid cars, wind, solar energy and geothermal energy.

The rapid rate of growth in the renewable energy industry has slowed recently, as low natural gas prices, pressures on government budgets and weak economic conditions have taken their toll. Yet, public support, as indicated by opinion polls, remains favorable toward the industry.

In Illinois, local solar installers report business has slowed along with the rest of the economy. While understandable, it is also ironic as prices on solar electric systems are at an all-time low. State rebates, while limited and episodic, are still being offered. Federal tax credits remain in place.

Overall, sales of solar systems nationally are up, but the rate of growth has slowed. Commercial interests, such as Walmart, continue to upgrade efficiency in their operations and install renewable energy systems.

In the Rockford area, installations at the Burpee Museum, the Nicholas Conservatory, the water pumping station at Bell School Road, The energy-efficient Swedish house, the new science building at Rock Valley College and the installations at Freedom Field are visible symbols of progress in renewable energy.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the April 25-May 1, 2012, issue

Forty-six students from Rockford East High School, under the guidance of technology instructors Matt Walling and Robert Garnhart, are building a home in the SwedishAmerican Hospital neighborhood that incorporates Swedish design elements and energy efficiency standards. (Photo by Dr. Sonia Vogl)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

The cities of Rockford and Lidköping, Sweden, have cooperated on several ventures, one of which is building houses in Rockford’s SwedishAmerican Hospital neighborhood.

The house currently under construction at the intersection of East Adams and North Benton is the third of four planned. The homes are built and offered for sale to employees of SwedishAmerican Hospital. Each house incorporates more Swedish design elements and energy efficiency standards than the previous.

Forty-six students from Rockford East High School, under the guidance of technology instructors Matt Walling and Robert Garnhart, are building the home. They have selected construction as the major focus of their high school studies. For their first two years, they learn how to use all of the tools they will use in a project. For their second two years, they spend two hours a day putting that practical knowledge to work. The program offers viable career options for their lives, as well as a sense of immediate accomplishment. Students also attend two hours of conventional classes.

High levels of insulation are incorporated into the home. Exterior walls are 8 inches thick with two layers of rockwool insulation. The walls are roughly equivalent to R-30. The house has no basement, as the Swedes no longer feel they serve a useful purpose. Instead, the foundation footings are 24 inches deep with 6 inches of foam insulation extending beyond the building for higher energy efficiency. The foundation insulation is roughly equivalent to R-24 and is designed to serve as a form for the concrete. It is sliced and glued together to function as one continuous unit.

Instructor Matt Walling worked directly with staff from Sweden in designing the house. It is heated with a high-efficiency gas boiler. In-floor radiant heating flows through freeze-proof pex tubing. Large expanses of triple-pane windows, filled with argon, allow daylighting throughout.

No thermal breaks exist in the walls, as the wiring is not run through the 6-inch studs. Instead, 2-by-2s are directly attached over the visqueen on the house interior, and wiring is run between the wood strips and allow for the placement of the outlets to maximize performance of the insulation and minimize air leaks through the walls.

Rockford’s new energy code, which calls for wall insulation equivalent to R-19 in new homes, is a substantial improvement over the past, when only attic insulation was mandated. The new code will raise the initial price of a new home, but those costs should be recaptured by a 30 percent reduction in energy costs. It is a major improvement, but only half the level of insulation achieved in a Swedish home.

Highly-insulated homes had gained some market acceptance back in the late 1970s, but the collapse of energy prices in the 1980s dramatically slowed the energy efficiency movement in the United States. While we slowed down, both Germany and Sweden continued to upgrade home efficiency standards and are widely recognized for their success.

It was rewarding to see the students busily engaged in implementing the skills essential for an energy-efficient future. SwedishAmerican Hospital, East High School and instructors deserve credit for creating this future-oriented program.

Homes will be sold to SwedishAmerican Hospital employees to develop a sense of neighborhood pride and ownership in the community.

From the April 18-24, 2012, issue

Spring came early this year — not only to our gardens and woods, but also to the green roof at Freedom Field. It was green by the end of March. It’s also pink, lavender, purple and blue, with dozens of bird’s foot violets and prairie smoke casting their hues across the garden.

This was an experimental roof garden. Most are planted with sedums; some bolder gardeners have trees and shrubs. But this is the only one we know of on a public building that is composed entirely of native prairie plants. Yet, it is not a prairie. Native plants adapted to the droughty grasslands of central North America were planted as an experiment: how would they survive on a rooftop with truly droughty conditions?

Now in its second growing year, the plants are displaying robust health. A wash of color covers the early rooftop landscape. Some weeds, including garlic mustard, wild cherry and dandelion, show evidence of the success of their wind-blown and bird-carried seeds.

David Smith of Simply Prairies, who planted the roof for Freedom Field, reports similar conditions on his own. Violet and prairie smoke are in bloom; golden alexander and prairie phlox threaten to open any day. He has been replacing those plants that suffered winter mortality. He estimates that between 33 and 44 plants of 1,100 die each year, an average of only 3 percent to 4 percent. He suggests that if a plant seems dead, pull on the stalk. If it resists, the plant is alive.

Just as prairies help to stabilize the atmosphere around them, roof gardens are an attempt to lessen the urban heat island effect and to contribute to slowing global warming. Their green plants absorb the sun’s heat and incorporate carbon dioxide into their roots, stems and leaves.

We hope our efforts and those of others will help to mitigate global warming. Floyd Swink and Gerould Wilhelm alert us to expect the first bird’s foot violets around April 22; the first prairie smoke April 30. They are both a month ahead of their time. The only explanation many scientists suggest is that the early spring we have experienced is likely to be a symptom of global warming, caused by anthropogenic activity of burning fossil fuels and releasing carbon dioxide locked for millions of years into the atmosphere in a geological blink of an eye.

The question is no longer a political, liberal vs. conservative issue. Moderate Republican, fiscally conservative businessman and meteorologist Paul Douglas believes that “climate change is spiking our weather.” We have been experiencing “off-the-scale, freakishly warm weather.” His meteorological explanations are entirely understandable. He is concerned that some TV meteorologists are “still in denial” having “been burned by weather models.” Unfortunately, some meteorologists who do recognize the reality of global warming told us they were advised not to talk about it publicly.

Douglas is concerned over “spin” that has been placed on weather patterns. “Many Americans don’t know what to believe,” turning to “denial blogs for their climate information.”

Where do we get the truth? From peer-reviewed scientists, the greatest percentage of whom support the warming theory, and if that’s not enough, from our garden blooming a month too early, which suggests there is cause for concern.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the April 11-17, 2012, issue

Photon magazine’s monthly summary of photovoltaic installations indicated projects and incentives are being revised, stalled or moved forward, introducing uncertainty into their projects.

In Illinois, 18 MW of solar capacity was added in 2011 with another 30 MW for 2012. Indiana added 2.6 MW in 2011 and anticipates an additional 25 MW in 2012. Iowa added 1MW in 2011 and will add the same in 2012. Michigan’s added capacity will drop to 4 MW in 2012 after experiencing a 6 MW addition in 2011. Added capacity in Wisconsin in 2012 is expected to drop to 3 MW after having added 4.5 MW to capacity in 2011. Ohio has revised downward by 10 MW the anticipated 50 MW of solar power because of regulatory uncertainty.

On the federal level, solar policies are either negative or in a holding pattern. A recent ruling by the United States only assigned preliminary penalties ranging from 2.90 percent to 4.73 percent instead of the expected 20 percent to 30 percent. The Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing complained that massive Chinese subsidies were driving them out of business.

In 2010, solar cells and panels imported from China were worth around $1.2 billion; they rose to $2.8 billion in 2011, more than doubling their value.

The Coalition for Affordable Solar opposes any penalties on imports of panels from China that will raise their cost and adversely affect the sales of pv systems.

The small penalties are only a preliminary finding and could be changed in a later final ruling.

Solar advocates fear proposed changes to the German Renewable Energy Law, which provided the basis for the country’s feed-in tariffs program, could destroy the world’s largest solar market. In 2011, Germany, with a population of around 80 million, installed 7.5 GW compared to 2 GW installed in the U.S. with a population greater than 300 million.

The proposed changes are drastic and rapid. Cuts of 20 percent to 30 percent would apply to feed-in tarrif rates. Payments for production from new PV facilities will decline on a per-kilowatt basis each month. If the new laws are enacted, control over PV incentives will shift from parliament to the minister of the environment and the minister of economy.

The German Solar industry, which employs thousands and feels threatened with extinction, reacted to the proposed changes. The changes will need legislative approval to become law.

The biggest opposition comes from the German states of Bavaria and Saxony-Anhalt, which are home to many solar manufacturers. Somewhat ironic is that Germany has determined to phase out of nuclear power following the nuclear disaster in Japan, and many assumed the phase-out augured well for solar energy.

The proposed cuts to solar subsidies in Germany have also caused concern for international solar companies. There has been little good news to report about sales in 2011, and many firms expect 2012 will be another difficult year.

As solar system prices continue to fall and the market expands, resistance to such systems on the part of utilities and fossil fuel interests will intensify, and contributions to politicians protecting the resistors are expected to increase.

Sources: Photon The Photovoltaic Magazine, Issue 4, 2012; and Reuters.com, March 27, 2012

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the April 4-10, 2012, issue

OREGON, Ill. — Are you concerned about energy bills? Thinking of building or remodeling? Thinking of installing a PV or wind system for home use? These classes, offered by the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA), could be for you.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 14, a Wind Workshop will be offered. Participants will learn how a wind turbine works and how to install one. Weather-permitting, a functioning home wind turbine will be taken down, disassembled and reassembled.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, May 5, a Hands-on PV class will be held. Participants will have actual hands-on experiences with solar panels designed for a home installation and assemble the entire installation to be ready for use at the end of the day.

Suggested contributions for the classes are $40 for non-IREA members (which includes membership) and $20 for members.

Both classes will be at 1230 E. Honey Creek Road, Oregon, Ill.

Pre-registration is essential. To register or for more information, e-mail sonia@essex1.com or phone (815) 732-7332.

From the April 4-10, 2012, issue

The World Energy Outlook of 2010 concluded that global production of conventional oil reached its peak in 2006 and is unlikely to reach the 70 million barrels per day level again. Flat production of conventional oil was not seen as producing an immediate shortage of fuel for vehicles, as unconventional oil supplies were considered to fill the gap and to steadily rise, enabling overall global production to reach 99 million barrels per day by 2025.

Unconventional oil sources include deep-ocean drilling, tar sands production and oil shale. These new sources are roundly hailed as providing a promising energy future for the United States. What is ignored in the rosy scenarios is that conventional sources of energy continue to decline, thus increasing our reliance on unconventional sources.

Unconventional sources are more costly to produce, pose greater environmental risks and increase competitive pressures for access to them.

Contributing to the rising cost of energy is the average energy returned on energy invested in securing it. About 80 years ago, for every barrel of oil used in processing oil, 100 barrels would be produced. Today, the return is only 20 barrels of oil for each barrel used in securing conventional oil.

The return for the unconventional sources now growing in importance is closer to five barrels for each barrel of oil used in securing it. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to drill 5 miles under the ocean floor and pump the crude oil to a refinery for processing. It is also a very costly process involving billions of dollars per well.

While securing shale oil is less costly than deep-ocean drilling, Tom Whipple estimates the average cost of a shale well is three times that of a conventional oil well.

A shale oil well is drilled down to 11,000 feet and then drilled another 10,000 feet horizontally before “fracking” takes place. Fracking involves running up to 15 massive pumps to inject water and chemicals into the well. The multiple steps involved consume energy, dramatically reducing the energy returned on the process.

Whipple reminds us that fracked wells don’t produce oil very long. While a new well may start producing 1,000 barrels per day, production usually falls 65 percent the first year, 35 percent the second year and 15 percent the third year. In January of this year, the Bakken oil wells in North Dakota produced 546,000 barrels of oil from 6,617 wells, for an average production of only 82 barrels of oil per well.

While other oil shale deposits in the United States are estimated to contain 24 billion barrels of oil, the output is equivalent to nine months of current global consumption. EIA forecasts estimate that the United States will produce around 6.5 million barrels per day, which is about one-third of our current demand.

According to calculations by Paul Kando, energy equivalent to one barrel of oil invested in the tar sands of Canada produces only two barrels of net useful energy.

The trends are clear: increased reliance on unconventional sources of oil is a costly, environmentally risky strategy. Buses, light rail, train, bike and walking paths would be a wise community investment.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the March 28-April 3, 2012, issue

The Canadian energy situation is complex. Canada produces about 3 million barrels of oil per day, consumes about 2 million and ships 2 million to the United States. They import 1 million barrels per day to meet their demand, since they found it cheaper to import foreign oil to the East Coast than to extend a pipeline from Alberta to ship higher-priced Canadian oil.

Canada claims to have 180 billion barrels of oil reserves, 95 percent of which is locked up in the tar sands of Alberta. Most of the bitumen oil is shipped to the United States south of Lake Superior, processed into gasoline, and sold at relatively low prices in the Midwest.

Increasing oil exports are expected to increase Midwest oil prices by 30 cents per gallon. The exported oil is not taxed, and the increased profits pass directly to the investors in the project.

Some of the Alberta oil reaches Sarnia, Ontario, through two pipelines. One runs through northern Michigan to Sarnia. The second runs south of Chicago to Patoka, Ill. From there, some is sent on to Sarnia for processing, and some is shipped south to Cushing, Okla., for processing.

The pipeline from Patoka, Ill., to Sarnia leaked tar sands oil into the Kalamazoo River in 2010, causing more than $700 million in damages. The spill from a relatively new pipeline serves as an example of the risk of shipping tar sands oil to the Gulf Coast for processing via the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.

The question has been raised as to why Alberta does not refine the oil in their province rather than shipping it away. Refineries, costly to build and dirty to operate, exist elsewhere and have established outlets for the oil. Some will be processed in Washington and California to utilize spare capacity since supplies from Alaska are dwindling.

The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would carry Alberta bitumen oil to the Gulf Coast for refining. It has been suggested that depleting Gulf oil supplies leaves refineries there with excess capacity.

The oil industry is a global operation, driven by economic and political considerations. Oil is sold to whatever markets bring the highest profits. The industry’s loyalty is to profits, not to the countries from which they collect the oil or to which they sell it. Their public relations campaigns speak in terms of national benefits to allow them to secure the oil, but their profit motives dictate where the oil is processed and sold.

Our consumer, community and national interests are best served by cutting oil and overall energy consumption.

At a hearing regarding shipping Alberta oil through British Columbia to China, the son of a Canadian international oil developer presented an interesting perspective on what continued dependence on oil means to our future.

In the summer of 2009, Lee Brain’s father arranged for him to spend one month on an oil refinery processing 800,000 barrels of oil per day on the Arabian sea.

One day, several managers decided to take him to see how the super tankers were unloaded at sea and the oil pumped to shore. One of them pointed to the ship and informed him: “We are destroying future generations for now, and forever.” The others all nodded in agreement.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the March 21-27, 2012, issue

We have followed Amory Lovins’ career since he expressed his highly influential views, which became known as the soft path. As energy interests pushed for rapid expansion of all forms of energy, he counseled redesigning our society to be energy efficient and focused on developing resilient regional energy systems.

When Meg Bushnell was chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission, she encouraged ComEd to develop an energy efficiency program for its customers. At our suggestion, she sought the advice of Lovins and Charles Komanoff.

One outcome was that ComEd offered each customer an opportunity to purchase one compact flourescent light bulb for half the market price.

When Hunter Lovins spoke at our Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifesyle Fair, she said Amory had become carried away with his focus on building the hyper car to the neglect of his broader interests.

As an international energy guru, Lovins remains faithful to his notion that energy efficiency and new technologies will let us continue to maintain our consumptive lifestyles without sacrificing comfort or convenience.

When Komanoff was at the Energy Fair, he commented that Lovins seldom, if ever, addresses the social justice aspects of energy consumption.

In their latest publication, Reinventing Fire, Lovins and his colleagues at the Rocky Mountain Institute present a blueprint for a transition to a renewable energy economy by 2050. Always interesting and optimistic, they expect to see cars powered by hydrogen fuel cells, electricity and biofuels. More than 80 percent of trucks and planes will run on biofuels. The transition will save $5 trillion in energy costs and result in an economy that is nearly 160 percent larger than today’s.

The transition will occur rather effortlessly as marketplace solutions will make an end run around the federal government’s energy inertia. Some critics point out that Lovins’ views are in opposition to those of James Howard Kuntsler, Heimberg and others. Their work suggests it is not possible to continue to expand population and economic growth on a finite planet.

Critics see danger in his popular “Why worry everything will turn out fine?” approach in that it could weaken the effort to rebuild local communities along more sustainable lines.

Early in his career, Lovins determined he would approach energy issues from an optimistic perspective. Marc L. Bernstein and others feel he is far too optimistic when they consider widespread ecological damage caused by the global economy. Climate change, aquifer depletion and pollution, loss of biodiversity, the collapse of global fisheries and many other environmental issues continue to accelerate in a world of 7 billion people competing for fewer resources.

The rosy picture painted by Lovins does inspire and bring hope to his followers and the corporations and governments relying on his insights. While we have not interacted with him recently, we always found his ideas interesting and stimulating. Rest assured that Lovins’ latest work will also provide some stimulating ideas.

The late Richard Williams built a home near Cherry Valley modeled on the principles developed by the Rocky Mountain Institute. The home performed up to his expectations, and he indicated the biggest challenge was that of finding a builder willing to build following the principles. Finding an appropriate builder remains a problem, although more are willing to follow energy-efficient practices.

Correction to Feb. 29-March 6 article “Boone County solar farm”: A 100 MW installation would cost $30 million.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the March 14-20, 2012, issue

We have known since the 1970s society would be hard-pressed to find alternative energy sources of sufficient size to replace oil as supplies peak.

Policies were implemented to improve energy efficiency in buildings, produce vehicles that got more miles per gallon, limit highway travel to 55 miles per hour and develop renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Amory Lovins declared that energy plans such as coal gasification, oil shale and gas and nuclear were not necessary if an aggressive program of energy efficiency were implemented.

The effort was relatively short-lived, as the United States persuaded Saudi Arabia to flood the market with oil, collapsing energy prices. It delayed the threat renewables posed to the oil industry.

We also declared our willingness to use military force to keep oil flowing from the Middle East. We continued to invest heavily in the military option rather than in energy efficiency and renewable energy.

Public resistance to utility-scale wind and solar farms has grown, particularly in populated areas or areas of high scenic or ecological value. A recent PBS program documented the obstacles to utility-scale projects in California, including the lack of electrical storage, concern over bird kills, the wind blowing at night when demand is low, and the need to expand the grid.

In a recent Scientific American article, David Castelvecchi presented an overview of various approaches to storing electricity from renewable energy sources. The necessity arises from the fact that Danish customers pay some of the highest electrical rates in the world because of the wind farms selling their nighttime production at very low prices while paying high prices to buy power during the day.

In an article titled The Blowback Against Big Wind, Robert Brice of the Manhattan Institute describes what he sees as an urban-rural divide regarding wind energy. He claims city-based environmental groups and lobby organizations promote utility-scale renewable projects while rural populations endure their adverse consequences.

Not all consequences are negative, as revenues accrue to individuals and governmental units in impacted rural areas.

Since the Manhattan Institute receives funds from oil, gas and chemical interests and questions the need to limit carbon emissions, some see Brice’s writings as part of an ongoing effort to undermine the growth of the renewable industry.

In Ogle County, an effort to tighten the restrictions on setbacks, strobe effects, noise and shadow flicker failed to garner sufficient votes to pass. Opponents saw it as an effort to block wind farm development rather than a reasonable compromise.

Utility-scale solar farms built at airports and abandoned industrial sites have not met public resistance, while those close to residential areas have. In California, rooftop installations of 1 MW or less are gaining acceptance as they have little visual impact and do not necessitate grid expansion.

Renewables have a role to play in meeting our energy needs, which would be substantially less and the conflicts less frequent if we implemented an aggressive energy efficiency program targeted at a 50 percent reduction.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the March 7-13, 2012, issue

At their Feb. 15 meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission for the Village of Cherry Valley considered the request to rezone a 180-acre parcel of land from agriculture to industrial use to accommodate a proposed solar farm. Land owner Florian Guski and Jennifer L. Anderson of Anderson environmental and engineering described the project.

Using her experience, Anderson pointed out that there were no significant adverse environmental impacts from the solar farm project near the Chicago Rockford International Airport. She was confident the Boone County site would involve few environmental impacts as well.

The solar farm would be fenced and the west side planted with trees to reduce the visual impact of the panels. Guski pointed out the panels would be low to the ground, unlike wind turbines.

The proposed solar farm would be constructed in three phases, with projected costs of up to $30 million per phase. Each phase would consist of 30 MW for a total installation of 90 MW. It was estimated that each 10 MW would provide enough electricity to supply 4,000 homes with power.

An advantage of building the solar farm at that location is the nearby ComEd power line, which would provide a low-cost point of connection.

The solar farm would be adjacent to the 92-home East Valley subdivision. Three citizens raised questions regarding the project, as it would abut their property. They were concerned about possible adverse impacts on their property values. One expressed concern that the presence of the solar farm would disrupt the view he enjoys now from his back yard. Another asked if a berm could be built as a means to obscure seeing the solar farm. A third expressed the concern that if the land were rezoned from agriculture to industry and the solar farm were not built, other industrial interests even less to his liking might seek approval to build on the land.

A fourth person who teaches solar energy classes at Rock Valley College spoke in favor of the project.

Several other attendees did not speak in the formal session but expressed their views that the solar farm belonged somewhere else. The 10 MW solar farm on the abandoned factory site around the former West Pullman site south of Chicago was cited as an appropriate location for one. They felt similar sites could be found in this area.

A common concern was whether the presence of the solar farm would adversely affect property values of adjacent homes. Since no one had any information about the impact of solar farms on residential property values, it was recommend such information be sought by citizens through Internet searches and reported to the committee.

The commission voted to table the proposed zoning change until the next scheduled meeting so they could gather more information regarding the project details and its potential impact on property values of the adjacent subdivision.

No opposition to PV was raised, just opposition to the proposed location. As more large solar farms are proposed, opposition to sites seems inevitable.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Feb. 29-March 6, 2012, issue

Wells for the production of tight gas in the United States. According to a European Parliament report: “In case of tight gas production, the wells are surface well pads with up to six wells per pad. The spacing is tighter than in the case of the Barnett shale because most of the tight gas wells are drilled vertically.” (Photo by EcoFlight courtesy of SkyTruth (www.skytruth.org))

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

Converting vehicle fleets to compressed natural gas is a way to save fuel costs while escaping wide swings in the price of gasoline and diesel fuel. It reduces reliance on oil imports and, as a cleaner fuel, will cut local air pollution.

The price of compressed natural gas has been relatively stable and has been at least 30 percent below that of diesel fuel. Assuming the prices remain low, the savings remain favorable.

Compressed natural gas vehicles are costly. A Chevrolet Express costs $14,000 more than a conventionally-powered model, so low fuel prices are essential to recovering the higher initial costs.

Wide price swings have occurred with natural gas. In 2008, prices fell from a peak of $10.82 per mcf to an average of $5.87 per mcf by December.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects prices to stay below $5 per mcf until 2022. But energy consultant Arthur Berman believes the long-term cheap natural gas notion may be an illusion. Some firms have stopped drilling for natural gas as profit margins are too low.

A recent Department of Energy report indicates that Marcellus shale, the largest shale formation in the country,will provide only six years of our energy demand instead of the 17 years projected earlier.

Without more accurate estimates of supplies, some question the wisdom of the Department of Energy’s granting eight pending permits to export shale gas this past October. A recent EIA report states that exporting shale gas could increase domestic gas prices 54 percent by 2018.

Given the exclusion of shale gas mining from EPA regulations, current price signals underestimate its true costs.

A European Parliament study addressed the impacts of shale gas and shale oil extraction on the environment and on human health. The study raises the question of whether the benefits of shale extraction using existing technology offset the environmental risks involved. It relied on data from North America because of our extensive experience with fracking.

Marcellus shale is widespread, and its development in New York has raised the possibility that it could degrade the water supply for the city of New York. Large areas of the landscape are consumed to accommodate rig pads, compressors, chemicals, water and containers for waste water and road access.

Air and noise pollution come from combustion engines and truck operations. Water contamination occurs from the chemicals used in the fracking, along with radioactive releases from underground. Earthquakes are linked to the fracking process and the injection of waste water into the ground.

The escape of natural gas during fracking releases global warming gases at levels close to using coal. The European Union report suggests installing a solar power plant on a 3-acre site used for a fracking well would produce electricity for twice as long as the gas. After 20 years, a new solar plant could be installed on the same site.

If shale gas is a bubble, as suggested by Bloomberg and a New York Times article, the promised savings could be short-lived. While green locally, it is not green at the point of extraction.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Feb. 22-28, 2012, issue

Traveling between the Art Institute in Chicago and the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, Wis., to do research for his new book about the history of solar energy, John Perlin, a keynote speaker at the 2003 Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair, saw our column in The Rock River Times and decided to call us.

We discussed solar installations in our area, including Freedom Field and the Kickapoo Center, our home system and Pura Vida energy-efficient solar home, and toured the facilities in Ogle County.

Since his presentation at the 2003 fair, Perlin has secured an appointment with the Department of Physics at the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara. After viewing the film The Power of the Sun, the student advisory body at the university launched a successful campaign to assess a student fee to fund the installation of solar electric panels on the roofs of campus buildings. Perlin serves as an adviser on the design and installation of the pv systems. The student recreation center has 68 percent of its electrical demand met by solar electricity.

The campus rooftop installations have a payback of 7.8 years, providing free electricity for the remaining life of the system.

In his research, Perlin gathered information about early solar innovators, including John Keck, a solar architect in the Chicago area, and solar energy in Chicago.

Keck initiated construction of solar homes in the Chicago area from 1938 through 1941. He was successful in setting up a test house in Flossmor that included monitoring building performance. Overheating was a problem in the building; he established the source of the overheating was a white gravel walk on its south side. Homes were built in Glencoe and Flossmor for three clients who, in turn, built solar subdivisions based on Keck’s initiative. The homes were south-facing and narrow in their east and west dimensions. North windows were limited, and utility rooms were placed on the north side of the home.

The basic design included thermal windows with movable insulation. A concrete slab served as a thermal mass to absorb solar energy and release it slowly into the evening. The buildings’ frames included high levels of insulation and had overhanging eaves to minimize summer sun and maximize the penetration of winter sunlight.

Clients claimed energy savings from 20 to 40 percent over similar sized conventionally-constructed buildings.

The solar movement gained recognition in magazines. The Museum of Modern Art featured a solar home on the cover of its magazine. Reader’s Digest and Mademoiselle magazines had articles covering the solar movement.

Simon & Schuster contacted Keck and his followers to compile a book titled Your Solar Home. The book covered solar criteria for construction of homes in each state of the union.

Kech pressed Libby Owens Ford for funds for research studies that would advance the practice of solar construction but failed to convince them to back his research efforts. He preferred independent funding sources to advance solar energy rather than to seek clients willing to fund design changes.

Despite their early promise, solar homes made little impact on the rapid buildup of cheap, energy-guzzling suburban housing developments.

From the Feb. 15-21, 2012, issue

Last week’s column presented concerns about President Barack Obama’s plans to increase our reliance on national sources of oil and natural gas. He also presented a strong argument for the continued development of the American clean energy economy by speaking out for renewable energy and efficiency.

Obama declared: “Our three-year partnership with the private sector has already positioned America to be the world’s leading manufacturer of high-tech batteries. … Because of federal investments, renewable energy use has doubled. And thousands of Americans have jobs because of it.”

He also indicated, “I will not cede the wind or solar or battery industry to China or Germany because we refuse to make the same commitment here,” and called for “passing clean energy tax credits and create these jobs.” He seeks congressional support for a clean-energy standard that would create a market for innovation. Such a standard has been introduced numerous times and never gained congressional approval.

He plans to allow the development of clean energy on public land to power 3 million homes. Efforts to develop renewable energy projects on public lands have been stymied by objections of communities where the facilities would be located. To achieve his objective, the president has directed the Department of Interior to issue permits for renewable energy generating facilities.

Using the Department of Defense to stimulate innovation is a common means of demonstrating the practical applications of technology and creating an awareness of the technology’s benefits to society. The Navy is purchasing clean energy capacity to power a quarter million homes a year.

With 25 million acres and a variety of bases under Pentagon control, the sites are already disturbed. They offer numerous opportunities for renewable energy installations while lowering operating costs and reducing their vulnerability to energy interruptions. They also expand the market for renewables.

Tax breaks for firms that buy natural gas-powered trucks is seen as a means to help curtail oil use. It is a plan T. Boone Pickens has been promoting for years and includes having a representative of his firm discussing such prospects with landfill operators in the Rockford area.

Other heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and delivery vehicles could also be gas powered. Powering vehicles with natural gas gained market acceptance during the oil crisis of the 1970s. Some local school district buses ran on natural gas, as did trucks, vans and individual cars. The high cost of developing refueling stations limited their market acceptance to centralized facilities.

We saw numerous variations of gas-powered vehicles and electric vehicles when we participated in the International Vehicle Emissions Conferences. One truck was powered with a mixture of natural gas and 15 percent hydrogen, referred to as hythane. Its claim to fame was to dramatically reduce emissions.

Others have pointed out that it would be more efficient to burn the natural gas in modern combined cycle gas turbines and produce electricity that could then power electric vehicles.

Obama made a strong case for renewable energy based on reinforcing and expanding the existing electrical grid. Yet, some fear the low cost of natural gas will undermine the push for renewable energy.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Feb. 8-14, 2012, issue

President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the U.S. Capitol. (White House photo by Pete Souza)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

In his latest State of the Union address, President Barack Obama laid out his energy agenda, which included the strange and perhaps ominous statement, “This country needs an all-out, all-of-the above strategy that develops every available source of American energy — a strategy that’s cleaner, cheaper and full of new jobs.”

Given questions regarding reliable sources of energy, the poor economy and the desperate job situation, the call to develop every available source of American energy has a ring of boosterism that could produce a level of energy development that would increase our commitment to fossil fuels, invest heavily in the existing infrastructure and leave in its wake a wide swath of adverse environmental impacts.

Obama’s call to open more than 75 percent of our potential offshore oil and gas resources for exploration was linked to the importance of breaking the country’s dependence on foreign oil. Even if the combination of offshore oil and oil shale production reaches an expected level of 7 million barrels per day by 2020, it would still fall far short of the 19 million barrels we consume today.

His claim of having supplies of natural gas for nearly 100 years seems overly optimistic, given the Department of Energy’s estimates that Marcellus shale will yield only six years, supply, not the previously projected 17 years. While the federal government provided funding to develop technologies to harvest fossil fuels from shale, no mention was made that it excluded the industry from Environmental Protection Agency oversight of its impact on air and water quality.

While requiring all companies drilling for gas on public lands to disclose the chemicals they use was offered as a reassurance that the resource will be developed without putting the health and safety of our citizens at risk, the impact of existing projects on private lands has already raised alarms. Groundwater contamination throughout the United States, disposal of toxic fracking waste water and reports of earthquakes apparently coming from waste water wells suggest citizen health and safety is not adequately protected.

While boosting the economy, harvesting sand for the fracking industry is raising citizen ire. Hydraulic fracking involves drilling deep wells sunk into gas-bearing shale rock and pumping a pressurized mixture of water, sand and chemicals into the well to fracture the rock and free the gas.

In Wisconsin, at least 20 new sand mines are being proposed, including some approaching 1,000 acres in size. Citizens living near the operations are dismayed over the loss of scenic vistas, blowing silica sand dust, around-the-clock operations of noise, lights and heavy truck traffic and water pollution.

Similar sand deposits are located near Starved Rock State Park and in Ogle County in Illinois; plans exist to expand operations in these areas. Citizens’ concerns are similar to those in Wisconsin.

To be fair, the Obama energy plan does include support for renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. But we will have to wait to see what elements of the plans are put into action and whether the renewable portion is substantial enough to be a major contributor to a clean, sustainable energy future.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Feb. 1-7, 2012, issue

The legal landscape in Illinois includes new provisions that are seen by some as favorable for renewable energy. The state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard called for 25 percent of its energy coming from renewables by 2025. The law stimulated the substantial rise in wind farms, but was far less effective stimulating other forms of renewable energy.

A 1 percent carve-out provision for Distributed Generation (DG) was added to the state standard. The provision is expected to stimulate individuals and businesses to generate electricity on their sites, sell it back to the utility, and earn renewable energy credits that can be sold to buyers. The most likely choice for rooftops is solar energy.

Net metering provisions have been added that should expand the market for distributed generation as well. The net metering cap has been raised from 1 percent to 5 percent, which is expected to stimulate installations of DG systems. Customers enrolled in real-time pricing programs are now eligible to participate in the net metering program.

A 10-year project through which smart meters will be provided for ComEd customers and the majority of Ameren Services customers has also been added.

Legal provisions allowing for municipal aggregation has, for the moment, stimulated widespread interest in the state. Government officials are legally prevented from openly advocating for the passage of a referendum, but can supply information describing it. By passing a referendum, voters authorize officials to aggregate their collective consumption and shop for a third-party supplier. If officials do not find a lower-cost package for the community than current cost of service from ComEd or Ameren, the bid would be rejected.

More than 100 local governments in Illinois are considering municipal aggregation; some have already implemented such programs. The upcoming March ballot is when most constituents will be asked to decide whether they want their community to be involved in the program. If a referendum passes, officials will have to consider proposals from various third-party providers. The Citizens Utility Board has a page on their website describing the various choices.

The appeal of community aggregation is that customers in the aggregation will pay less for their electrical consumption. Savings ranging from 9 percent to 25 percent have been cited as possible. Some state officials and spokespeople for the Citizens Utility Board have cautioned that the savings are not guaranteed.

For us, the former system of net metering was very straightforward. Any size system could use net metering, sending excess electrical production back to a participating utility and be paid at the same rate as charged for electrical service. The new legislation raises the level of eligibility to a 2 MW system.

A news item in the January issue of Photon describes the new legislation as “As a step backward in the Land of Lincoln.” Madeleine Weil with the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) in Chicago points to language in the legislation that indicates that only customers assigned to a noncompetitive class can use net metering. What is feared is that most residential and non-residential customer classes are likely to eventually fall under the umbrella of a noncompetitive class. A customer class becomes competitive when a third of all rate payers sign up to receive their electricity from an alternative retail electrical supplier.

With the growing popularity of community aggregation across the state, customers could themselves be in the noncompetitive class and no longer eligible for net metering. The ELPC will try to change this situation.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Jan. 25-31, 2012, issue

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced another opportunity to go greener and cut energy costs with support from the agency’s Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The program has helped 290 agricultural producers and rural small businesses in Illinois since it was authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill).

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Jan. 20 that USDA is seeking applications for grants and loans for a variety of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

“Renewable energy development presents an enormous economic opportunity for rural America,” said Vilsack. “This funding will assist rural farmers, ranchers and business owners to build renewable energy projects, providing opportunities for new technologies, create green jobs and help America become more energy self-sufficient.”

REAP is designed to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses reduce energy costs and consumption and help meet the nation’s critical energy needs. This year, USDA will be able to award at least $12.5 million in grant and approximately $48.5 million in loan guarantees. USDA is accepting the following applications:

• renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement grant applications and combination grant and guaranteed loan applications until March 30;

• renewable energy system and energy efficiency improvement guaranteed loan only applications on a continuous basis up to June 29;

• renewable energy system feasibility study applications through March 30; and

• energy audits and renewable energy development assistance applications through Feb. 21.

More about how to apply for funding is available in the Jan. 20, 2012, Federal Register, pages 2,948 through 2,954. Questions in Illinois can be directed to Mary Warren at Mary.Warren@il.usda.gov or by calling her at (217) 403-6218.

From the Jan. 25-31, 2012, issue

Iran’s threat to close the Straits of Hormuz would have a major adverse impact on the United States’ economy, which has been built on cheap, abundant supplies of energy. During the 1950s, development of the interstate highway system and federal support for airport development led to a dramatic increase in our oil consumption. It undermined the public transportation system, which had served our society for several generations, and contributed to the dramatic growth of suburbia. In turn, the growth of suburbia increased our oil consumption.

Energy analyst Daniel Yergin is cautiously optimistic about our energy future. He accepts the reality of peak oil in the sense that future supplies will be increasingly costly and involve more political and environmental risks. He remains a technological optimist in that he sees our energy future as based on our ingenuity and creativity. With more costly energy supplies, demand for oil will fall while demand for energy alternatives and efficiency will increase.

Some energy analysts are far less sanguine than Yergin about an optimistic energy future. They fear a false sense of energy abundance is being created in the public by claims that shale gas fracking will provide us with a 100-year supply and that oil supplies are plentiful if environmental restrictions do not block their development.

They believe the current enthusiasm for fracking and shale oil could turn out to be another financial bubble that will burst, leaving us with far less energy than projected, less capital to fund efficiency and alternatives, and higher levels of pollution.

Many projects, such as the development of tar sands, provide very little net energy. It takes the energy equivalent of one barrel of oil to produce three barrels of oil, far below the former ratio of one barrel for 100 barrels. Other projects are not expected to scale up in volume sufficient to meet the 18 million barrels/day characteristic of U.S. consumption.

The fiery loss of the drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico points out the high environmental and economic risks involved in deep-ocean drilling. Oil spills from drilling in the cold Arctic waters could prove more damaging.

If energy supplies prove as abundant as some claim, we will burn more fossil fuels, accelerating climate change while ignoring the need to cut demand.

The Long Emergency author James Howard Kuntsler continues to express disappointment that simple solutions — such as more walkable cities, bike and public transit, more compact communities and increased rail passenger service — fail to draw support from major environmental leaders, whose efforts are focused on finding alternative fuels to continue our car-dependent culture.

Some actions are being taken to move us toward a more sustainable energy economy. Higher standards for more fuel-efficient cars should prove helpful. While not a direct substitute for oil consumption, continuing decline in the cost of solar electric panels should increase their presence in society.

Efforts at the local level to grow food, reduce energy consumption and increase the use of renewable energy are positive steps. Put some real power into your life by occupying your roof with solar energy.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Jan. 18-24, 2012, issue

It is estimated the average American family uses about 1,000 kWh of electricity each month. Home lighting consumption is estimated at between 9 percent and 16 percent, and commercial and office lighting can be as high as 24 percent. While estimates vary, they do provide some idea of the importance of lighting in our lives and the opportunities to cut consumption for economic and environmental benefits.

While turning off lights was a common request from parents in American households, its popularity waned in prosperous times but could return with the economic decline. This time, with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), the request should include the modification of “if you plan to leave the room and not return within 15 minutes, please turn off the lights.” A CFL uses a surge of energy when first turned on, which will shorten its life if frequently cycled. With incandescent bulbs disappearing from the marketplace, the 15-minute admonition may prevail. However, LEDs could become the prevailing lighting mode. They can be turned on and off frequently with no impact on bulb life or light quality.

We have all become accustomed to LEDs since they appeared in flashlights. Their use continues to spread as Christmas tree lights, vehicle taillights and headlights, decorative outdoor lighting and traffic control lights.

An engineer friend, Victor Zaderej, informed us that in many areas of China, large steel buildings without windows serve as greenhouses and use LED lighting to stimulate plant growth. Others have informed us of factories, assembly plants and warehouses illuminated by LEDs.

Our demonstration greenhouse is PV powered and lit with LEDs. For the moment, we have the world’s only known installation of an LED grow light system fitted to a metallic power strip that allows bulbs to be shifted to any site desired on it. The new system will hit the market next spring. While of no great significance, it is fun to be able to say we are the only place in the world where light is being provided with this new system.

What is the claim to fame for LEDs? A high-quality LED can last up to 50,000 hours, eliminating the need for frequent bulb replacements, saving both time and money for the user. The disappearing incandescent bulbs only last up to 3,000 hours, while CFLs can last up to 9,000 hours.

In terms of efficient energy use, incandescents only use 5 percent of the supplied electricity to produce light while the remaining energy is dissipated as heat. CFLs have an efficiency of 25 percent while LEDs convert 50 percent of the electricity to light, yet release enough heat to necessitate the use of a heat sink to protect the bulb.

LEDs use direct current, so an electronic device is included in a unit to convert AC power from the grid to DC. Considering the proliferation of DC-powered electronics in homes, at some point it may make sense for buildings to be DC powered to reduce the need for conversion units.

A small percentage of people appear sensitive to a flickering effect from LEDs not visible to the naked eye. According to an article by Brent Polich in Environmental Building News, it results from the 60-hertz cycle characteristic of our AC power. Complaints include eyestrain, headaches and slower reading speed and comprehension.

Since LEDs are electronic devices that include potentially harmful chemicals, they need to be disposed of in the same way as an electronic device.

As costs continue to drop, light quality improves, and applications expand, LEDs will play increased roles in daily lives.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Jan. 11-17, 2012, issue

Capturing the sun’s energy for home or business use is simple — south-facing windows will provide some heat. Adding solar thermal collectors will provide hot water or additional interior building heat. Somewhat more sophisticated is generating electricity with building-integrated PV panels. Adding an appropriate amount of insulation, insulating glass, LED lighting, energy-efficient appliances and an energy storage system will make a home or building energy independent.

We know how to do it, but the national commitment to subsidizing fossil fuels, along with low natural gas prices, limits the widespread acceptance of this approach. If concerns over peak oil, climate change and environmental damage from fossil fuel consumption were accurately reflected in the price of energy, the new energy paradigm would be more widely implemented.

Dramatic price reductions in the cost of PV modules occurred this year as the marketplace has been flooded with low-cost panels from China just as other manufacturers were increasing production, forcing a number of solar PV manufacturers to close or cease production. It appeared that some firms were selling panels below the cost of manufacturing them.

According to Solarbuzz, roughly 25 percent of the solar module prices are below $2 per watt. The lowest price cited was for multicrystalline panels at $1.14 per watt. With module costs of 35 to 40 percent of the system costs, PV system costs are at an all-time low.

The World Trade Organization is considering imposing an anti-dumping duty against Chinese modules, which would raise the price of solar modules. According to Chris Brown of Asian Cleantech Gateway, China recently announced a national goal of 15 GW of installed PV by 2015, which represents a 50 percent increase from an earlier plan. China has a production capacity around 40 GW per year while its existing domestic market is about 2 GW. Stimulating domestic demand will reduce exports and may increase the cost of solar panels.

Installed system costs will also rise if federal or state incentives supporting renewable energy were either reduced or eliminated.

Kevin Bullis believes future PV manufacturing competition will focus on upgrading panel efficiency and reducing the cost involved in installing solar panels. Installers in the U.S. point out that eliminating differences in local permitting standards would also reduce costs.

With economic prospects and job opportunities looking bleak, it would seem we could put the excess solar module manufacturing inventory to good use.

Many people can afford solar installations today if they choose them rather than buying larger TVs and fancier electronic gadgets, which increase electrical demand. If people have extra cash and find themselves unsure where to invest it, making a solar investment will provide a measure of energy security for years to come.

Another energy investment is to start replacing incandescent and compact flourescent bulbs with the ever-improving LED lighting systems. Their costs are dropping, and the quality of lighting is improving dramatically. A friend recently calculated that if all lighting in this country were replaced with LEDs, 150 of the 1,000 large utility-scaled generators would no longer be needed.

From the Jan. 4-10, 2012, issue

If you have ever spent time fretting about the state of the world and wondering why the policies and actions taken by our leaders seldom address the everyday concerns of most citizens, maybe it’s time to decide to do something positive for your community.

About three years ago, two women, Pam Warhurst and Mary Clear, came up with a simple plan to do something positive for their town of Todmorden in the United Kingdom. They initiated a project to rebuild the local economy and asked people to join them in an effort to improve the lives of the people in the former industrial town.

They focused on increasing the available supply of local foods. Using a small amount of their own money to get started, they assumed with success additional funds would become available to support their efforts.

While many communities have initiated local foods projects, what sets their efforts apart is their method of capturing public interest. Their first 18 months focused on planting vegetables and fruits in the town center and placing signs at the sites telling citizens to feel free to take some.

A bed of rhubarb was one of their first plantings, assuming that people were familiar with it and would recognize when it was ripe for picking. Fruits and vegetables were planted on the lawn of a health clinic with the expectation that people would make the connection between healthy eating and healthy living. A pinch of fennel along a route they walked to school provided students with a taste of licorice.

Vegetable beds were planted near the entry to the police station — perhaps to help convince citizens that the signs indicating the vegetables were free for the taking were legitimate.

Eventually, more than 70 large local food beds were scattered around the former mill town, and the movement gained wider acceptance.

The project is in its third year, and goes by the name of the Incredible Edibles. Their goal of being the first town in the U.K. to be self-sufficient in food by 2018 adds another unique element to their efforts. Roughly 6,000 of the town’s 17,000 citizens have signed on to the project.

Planting and tending the gardens has produced 50 new jobs. Two orchards consisting of more than 500 trees have been planted. At 41 homes, chickens are being raised for eggs with the intent of having the community produce 30,000 eggs per week. Students at each of the schools are served locally-produced meat, vegetables and fruit at lunch.

The movement extends beyond beds of vegetables and fruits and includes courses such as gardening and food preservation. A fish farm is being built to provide food and teach high school students the skills necessary to operate it. A 50-meter-long hoop house will produce a larger volume of vegetables for the community.

Local farmers, farmers’ markets and citizens have all benefited from the Incredible Edibles project. For more information, Google Incredible Edibles and Todmorden to check out the range of newspaper articles about it.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Dec. 28, 2011-Jan. 3, 2012, issue

Over the last decade, we have been involved in bringing renewable energy and efficiency to the Rockford area. Of particular interest are developments at the area’s first major renewable energy effort at Freedom Field.

It started at Chicago-Rockford International Airport with an effort to install a few rebuilt windmills and some solar panels on a building. When the cost of refurbishing the building became too expensive, the Rockford Sanitary District made space available.

The initial focus was to create a demonstration site of renewable energy installations, collect data on the performance of each technology, and share it with the public. The vision included a variety of technologies linked together through a computer to maximize the performance of the overall system and obtain live data on each component.

Inherent in creating a model to demonstrate a concept is that developments in the field soon make the model obsolete. We experienced this in Toronto several years ago when a cooperative community effort modified an existing building that became known as the Ecology House. A two-story brick home with a south-facing wall was covered with glazing to absorb the heat of the sun. The home’s insulation was upgraded by adding a thick layer of insulation inside the exterior walls. Efficient lighting and appliances were installed. Rainwater was collected and stored in a cistern in the house to water the organic gardens on an adjacent vacant lot. Faucets to restrict water flow and a composting toilet were installed as well.

Tours of the facility were available for a few years, until visitor interest dwindled.

Freedom Field is nearly fully developed, as only a few odds and ends are left to improve the overall performance of the renewable system. An energy storage unit is being installed that allows the system to function as a micro grid.

Freedom Field has already accomplished its first goal of demonstrating renewable energy technologies. New knowledge and skills gained by those installing and servicing the system are being applied throughout the area.

A newsletter is being developed to provide updates on developments. An expanded education program involving Rock Valley College students will include capstone projects in which students synthesize their learnings. The internship program is being expanded. Upper-level high school students may be involved in renewable energy learnings. A signage system will let the public know the location of Freedom Field.

Additional opportunities to develop energy linkages between Freedom Field and the sewage district may evolve over time. A new water filtering research facility being developed on site reminds us of the strong links between water quality and energy.

The long-anticipated installation of a rebuilt Danish windmill will mark the beginning of efforts to stimulate business and jobs in the area. Other projects focused on business opportunities and jobs are under way.

Much of the credit for what has been and is being accomplished rests with the leadership shown by Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen (R) and the support of the Winnebago County Board.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Dec. 21-27, 2011, issue

Our economy is based on oil, and our leaders view oil as the key to retaining our global military supremacy. After oil production peaked in the U.S. in the 1970s, attention focused on securing energy supplies from the Mideast and Africa through negotiations, political machinations and wars.

While not abandoning our existing global oil ventures, our interests are expanding to include the vast potential of the Asian-Pacific region, as recently announced by President Barack Obama. Through forming alliances with Asian countries and increasing our naval presence in the South China Sea, the major shipping route of oil to China, tensions between China and the United States are likely to increase.

Within North America, increased oil and gas supplies from Arctic waters off Alaska, deep-water wells in the Gulf and shale deposits have improved the short-term outlook for energy supplies. Securing these supplies in high-risk areas or through the use of risky technologies is likely to produce extensive environmental damage. If successful, efforts to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gases will add to the adverse environmental impacts of these efforts to add to our energy supplies.

Energy conservation, efficiency and renewable energy sources are frequently promoted as reducing our oil dependence, increasing our energy security and reducing the environmental damage from the use of fossil fuels. Often overlooked in their promotion is that they, too, have adverse environmental impacts. However, during their operation, they do dramatically reduce carbon emissions and other pollutants as compared to those released from the combustion of coal, oil and natural gas.

Mining and processing materials for what are considered renewable or sustainable energy sources, manufacturing the equipment and transporting and installing them at scattered locations all involve the consumption of nonrenewable resources and fossil fuels.

As with other technologies, renewable technologies have a limited life span and will require periodic replacement. At the end of their useful life, they will have to be disposed of or recycled in environmentally acceptable ways.

Solar-powered steam turbines in desert locations rely on groundwater sources to wash reflective surfaces, cool equipment and replace water lost to evaporation. The water is likely to be drawn from depletable underground sources.

Industrial-sized wind generators require a substantial base of concrete and steel rebar to anchor them in the ground. Their production involves energy-intensive processes.

Unfortunately, many of the sites targeted for the installation of renewable energy sources are great distances from the markets for energy supplies. New grid installations and upgrades are required to bring the renewable energy output to the marketplace.

While renewable energy sources are essential to our energy future, we need to consider the possibility they will not provide enough energy to power our existing economy. Given that possibility, redesigning our households and communities to dramatically reduce energy consumption would stimulate employment, strengthen local economies and begin the implementation of a sustainable energy system.

The recent ruling by the U.S. International Trade Commission that Chinese solar panel and cell imports are harming the American solar manufacturing industry could bring a temporary end to the dramatic drop in the prices of solar systems. If so, it would be a good time to install a system.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Dec. 14-20, 2011, issue

Plants in Birgit’s greenhouse. (Photo by Dr. Sonia Vogl)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

Each time we visit our brother and sister-in-law in northern Wisconsin, we find a topic for a column. Of course, since our visits are usually in November, we’re already thinking about energy. We’ve visited in the summer, but that was years ago.

They burn wood, use area heating, move the kitchen to the porch in summer, hang laundry and raise chickens and sheep. Their “guest property” came equipped with something we’ve wanted for a long time and have had for less than a year — a greenhouse. It’s a standard greenhouse, similar to our hoop house — a metal frame with a heavy plastic cover.

During this year’s first week of November visit, several varieties of vegetables were poking through the soil. Some were already 6 inches tall and had been covered with a blanket of light plastic for protection from nighttime freezing. They plan to harvest and eat their crops as long as they can into winter.

Last year, Birgit discovered that a swarm of grasshoppers had invaded the greenhouse, so they loaded up their chickens and let them loose until all of the pests were gone. After their feast, the chickens moved back to the coop, where their scratching did not disturb delicate garden plants.

Since we built our uninsulated hoop house in November, we did not plant anything in it last year until the end of February. Except for the corn and peas, our crop was a success. This year, we planted during the last week in September. Beets, radishes, mesclun, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, choi, peas, kale and spinach are thriving. We hope to harvest throughout the winter, as do our friends whose hoop house inspired us.

Variety of plants in greenhouse. (Photo by Dr. Sonia Vogl)

Last winter, our insulated solar greenhouse grew beet greens and arugula. This year, it is being subjected to extensive experimentation. Our daughter, Lin, moved delicate, hot-weather plants, including tomatoes, peppers and eggplants, inside. So far, they are growing beautifully. She also moved all of our potted herbs inside. They, too, are thriving. She seeded cucumbers, squash and sweet potatoes, all of which look healthy. We are eagerly awaiting their blooms and, we hope, fruits. The artichokes, which require 70 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate, are slow.

The energy efficiency of the greenhouse has been increased. Last year’s phase change materials, which require 70 degrees Fahrenheit to melt, were replaced by new ones, which melt and re-freeze between 45 degrees and 55 degrees Fahrenheit. We hope this change will collect more daytime heat and release it during the night to regulate temperatures.

Our friend, Vic, added red and blue LED grow lights to the white LEDs used last year. We plan to place half of our swiss chard under the grow lights and half under the white lights and record the results.

The green and hoop houses are exciting experiments in energy independence and sustainable lifestyles. We will continue to report on results so others may learn from our mistakes and successes and help themselves to become self-sufficient throughout the winter.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Dec. 7-13, 2011, issue

Fossil fuel interests and their allies are spending millions of dollars on advertising and publications to undermine support for action on climate change and to assure the public that abundant sources of coal, oil and natural gas are available that will allow society to continue its current level of consumption. This cornucopian thinking is usually linked with a plea to gut governmental regulations aimed at limiting the adverse environmental consequences of increased energy production and consumption.

Ignored in this effort to expand our dependence on fossil fuels and eliminate environmental protections is the key notion of energy return on energy invested. To use energy, energy must be consumed in securing the new energy source and prepare it for use in our society. We used the easy-to-find oil first, and only needed to expend one barrel of oil to provide 100 barrels of useful energy. Oil secured from deep-ocean drilling today only yields nine barrels of oil from one barrel of energy expended. At a 9:1 ratio, it is likely to prove extremely difficult providing the energy needed to operate our existing infrastructure. Oil produced from tar sands only yields five useful barrels, and oil from oil shale only yields three useful barrels. Wind has a 20:1 ratio and solar 10:1.

If we invest in tar sands and oil shale, what energy and money will be left for renewable energy?

Adding to public confusion are the conflicting claims of job losses and gains. Some industry estimates regarding potential jobs coming from the expanded development of the Canadian tar sands project have been as high as 2 million new jobs, while another independently-funded study indicates only 1,500 part-time jobs will be created.

Considering the highly automated manufacturing processes in making solar cells, a relatively small labor force is involved. The installation of solar systems is the labor-intensive side of the industry. Once installed, they are very reliable, and relatively few service jobs are needed. If the country embarks on a major build-out of the solar industry, there would be a substantial number of jobs designing and installing the systems.

Subsidies are seen as essential for its continued growth. While all energy sources are subsidized, the renewable energy industry fears it will suffer the most from the fervor to cut taxes and federal and state programs. The federal 1603 cash grant program that stimulated renewable energy investments will expire at the end of the year, and its chances of being renewed appear slim.

The net effect of these conflicting views and uncertainties is to confuse the public and leave them unsure of what actions to take.

It is time to cut through the confusion and invest in solar energy. Prices are low, and the systems are highly reliable. We can think of investing in solar energy as buying a form of insurance for protection from future blackouts and price increases. The community also benefits if local firms are hired to install systems, as the money spent is recirculated within the community.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2011, issue

A representative from Lou Bachrodt Chevrolet helps SwedishAmerican Foundation Executive Vice President John Mecklenburg “fill up” a Chevrolet Volt at SwedishAmerican Hospital’s new electric vehicle charging station. The SwedishAmerican Foundation installed four electric vehicle charging stations on the SwedishAmerican Hospital campus, 1401 E. State St., for employee and visitor use. The stations, which are on the south side of Camelot Tower, can be used at no charge. Hospital valets will coordinate use of the stations for hospital guests. Installation costs totaled $28,000. (Photo by Brian Thomas)

From the Nov. 23-29, 2011, issue

Last week, we discussed sustainability efforts in Ashland, Wis., with Mary Rehwald, a graduate of Rockford West High School. She has served as the coordinator for the local Alliance for Sustainability.

Her sustainability interests were stimulated by hearing Torbjorn Lahti speak at a conference. She then organized a trip to Sweden for 14 people from the area in 2004. They visited numerous communities that were implementing their versions of sustainable development.

The trip inspired them to stimulate sustainability efforts in Ashland. They organized a study circle in which each week a chapter from The Natural Step served as the focus of the discussions.

Starting with a few thousand dollars and a small group of interested citizens, the organization’s leadership council grew to 24 members and their budget reached $100,000. From 2004 through 2009, they created 200 jobs in the area. Thirty-three municipalities were involved. Their efforts weakened when supportive political leaders lost their positions, grant opportunities dried up and debts accumulated.

Recently, Mary and seven others initiated actions to rejuvenate area sustainability efforts. They held a fall meeting in which they addressed the issues of what worked in their earlier efforts and what should be next. Following the meeting, they sent out a questionnaire asking people what they thought was important to be talking about and what actions should be undertaken. They received 150 responses.

During our stay near Ashland, we were invited to participate in the second meeting of the group. After an overview of survey responses, three key issues were identified for discussion. One was jobs and the economy; another was renewable energy and energy conservation; and the third was agriculture and local foods. Bob participated in the renewable energy and conservation session, and Sonia attended the agriculture and local foods discussion.

Each group was assigned the task of deciding what they wanted to see happen in the area in the next eight years. They were then asked to focus on what they would like to see in the next three years.

Some unique items were provided by the renewable energy and energy conservation group. One participant indicated he has lived off grid for 28 years and recently purchased additional solar panels because the prices were so low he felt it was worthwhile, even though he did not have a project in mind. A second commented that the local cooperative electric power company uses wood chips to meet 50 percent of fuel needs, with the other half from coal. The cooperative looked into the option of using only wood chips, but determined it was not cost effective at the present time.

Another participant from Chicago, a student at Northland College, was interested in locating wind farms in Lake Superior and suggested the group use TED as a means to present their ideas to the Internet community.

Some notable ideas were presented in the food and agricultural session. They considered it important to begin with education — of students, the public and farmers. School gardens were recommended to provide healthy foods and encourage students to eat them. Experienced farmers mentoring young, new farmers and establishing a community machine shed were also recommended.

Next, study groups will develop goals and determine what they need to learn or know to reach their goals. They are also developing a speaking series for the next year.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Nov. 23-29, 2011, issue

As part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, the SwedishAmerican Foundation has installed four electric vehicle charging stations on the SwedishAmerican Hospital campus for employee and visitor use.

The stations, which are on the south side of Camelot Tower, can be used at no charge. SwedishAmerican Hospital valets will coordinate use of the stations for hospital guests.

Installation costs, which totaled $28,000, were provided by the SwedishAmerican Foundation; the health system did not utilize operational funds for the project. The foundation also will provide funding for the stations’ ongoing operation. Based on demand, an additional two stations may be added in the future at a cost of approximately $3,000.

“This was the right thing to do,” said SwedishAmerican Foundation CEO John Mecklenburg. “The government has done their part by offering consumers tax incentives to purchase electric vehicles. As one of northern Illinois’ largest organizations, we are making the ownership and operation of electric vehicles more convenient by offering the charging stations to our guests and employees.”

According to a September 2011 report from Boulder, Colo.-based Pike Research, sales of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) are expected to accelerate rapidly over the next several years, posting a compound annual growth rate of 43 percent between 2011 and 2017, with annual sales reaching almost 360,000 vehicles by 2017.

From the Nov. 16-22, 2011, issue

Once again, Food for Thought, sponsored by the Northwest Audubon Society, stressed the value of fresh, wholesome food, growing one’s own and retaining the ability to plant favorite foods each year.

A keynote presentation about saving seeds from favorite food plants encouraged participants to consider the value of preserving genetic diversity, not only for the pleasure of eating a variety of foods, but also for food security.

Maintaining numerous varieties of a plant protects against a species- or variety-specific disease wiping out an entire year’s crop. As John Torgrimson, executive director of Seed Savers Exchange, said, “What if the one variety we lose is the one that we need in the future?”

He reminded his audience that each seed has its own history and that saving favorite seeds not only preserves them, it conserves agricultural history. Several stories of heritage seeds delighted his listeners.

Theresa Westaby and her daughter, whose farm is in the Organic Valley Cooperative, related their journey from natural to organic. For their health, the family had used natural practices for several years and found the transition involved only permanently forgoing the “safety net” chemicals they had not used for years. They use crop rotation and homeopathy to control infestations and illnesses. Informative details in their presentation included that organic plants’ higher sugar content discourages insects.

Their contention that organic foods are as profitable as conventional is supported by a three-year study by Rodale Institute, which concluded that after a transition period, organic crop yields equaled conventional and that organic plants were more resilient. The net return for organic farmers also was more than double that of conventional systems. Organic systems also use less energy, have higher production efficiency, increase groundwater recharge and create more rural jobs than conventional.

A United Nations report concluded that agroecological methods, including organic farming, could double world food production in 10 years.

This year’s program also focused on eating locally-grown food. With the average apple traveling more than 1,700 miles from tree to consumer, eating locally not only provides fresher, more wholesome food, it also saves travel time and energy. Lunch and a continental breakfast were prepared from locally and sustainably-grown foods.

Area farmer Tom Arnold discussed his meat-raising and meat-selling business. His operation sells organic and grass-fed products directly to consumers — including individuals, stores and restaurants — across northern Illinois. After the meeting, he sold chickens and eggs directly from his truck. Although they are enjoyed by customers, he calculated that farmers’ markets are a net loss to producers.

Ken Rossman, owner of Famous Fossil winery, partially supports 21 local businesses in his operation. Grapes grown on site and in the region are used in Famous Fossil wines. Local fruits are also used for the locally-sold products.

A highlight for those who pre-enrolled was the cooking session presented by Michelle Princer, owner of Toni’s Restaurant in Winnebago. Delicious dishes using locally-produced seasonal foods were quickly prepared and shared with the delighted audience.

Locally-grown food provides more than just food. A recent release by the National Park Service referred to the advantages of community gardens, which include fresh, healthy food and mental health and social benefits.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Nov. 16-22, 2011, issue

Staff Report

The steps Fridh Corporation took in 2009 to reduce the energy use at its 1111 S. Alpine Road building have reaped big rewards in the form of money saved for the company and its tenants. But it was the positive environmental impact that led them to be the focus of a recent blog post by Nick Magrisso on the Natural Resources Defense Council blog.

Magrisso’s blog explained how Fridh brought their yearly energy usage down from around 1,690,000 kilowatt-hours to 1,178,000. The technology used to accomplish the 30 percent savings consists of monitoring equipment installed throughout the building, which sends data back to a control unit. That unit then sends a signal to operate the actual temperature control device. Having precise data on the temperature of each area in the building prevents wasted energy on overheating or cooling.

“By investing in this technology, we are saving a lot of money in the long run,” said Jeff Holt, commercial property manager for Fridh. “We are able to pass that savings along to our tenants, keeping us all competitive in a rough business climate. When you add in the positive environmental aspects, you can’t help but wonder why every business or building owner doesn’t do this.”

Local companies were brought in to evaluate and implement the project. Alpha Controls and Services of Rockford installed the system, utilizing components manufactured by Schneider Electric of Loves Park. With the help of the ComEd Smart Ideas program, Fridh has already recouped its investment and is able to pass on the savings to tenants. Nick Magrisso’s blog can be found at http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/nmagrisso/one_great_efficiency_program_f.html.

From the Nov. 16-22, 2011, issue

With the recent spate of bad news regarding the bankruptcy of several U.S. solar manufacturing firms, Chris Warren reminds us that American companies participate in other aspects of the solar value chain and have fared better than cell manufacturers.

Hemlock Semiconductor of Michigan, a global leader in the manufacture of polysilicon used in making solar cells, is profitable and sells much of its product to China.

As the price of solar panels continues to drop, the market for panels expands, and jobs in system design, sales and installation also increase, involving many U.S. workers.

Warren believes that rather than subsidizing panel manufacturing, we should subsidize the installation of systems using a feed-in tariff, which contributed to Germany’s becoming the global leader of installed photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu indicates while we invented solar cells, lithium-ion batteries and other components of the solar revolution, we let our early technological lead disappear. Our nation needs to decide whether we will become observers of the clean energy revolution, or increase our efforts to compete in this growing global industry.

U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., chairman of the House Renewable Energy and Efficiency Caucus, has declared, “We can’t compete with China to make solar and wind panels.” He recommended we focus on energy industries at which we can win, which suggests coal, oil and natural gas.

Members of U.S. solar industry are less sanguine about conceding another manufacturing industry to China and have filed a complaint with the Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission alleging China’s subsidy of the PV manufacturing industry makes it impossible for U.S. manufacturers to compete with them.

The U.S. government program of a 30 percent tax credit for residential and commercial installations is set to continue through 2016. The U.S. Treasury Department program, which provided businesses cash grants in lieu of the tax credits, is set to expire at the end of December, which would slow down the rate of large systems installations.

In a recent report, John Farrell declared that if the U.S. had installed solar panels at the same rate as Germany, most of the 10 western Mountain states would now be entirely solar powered. He indicates that 80 percent of the German solar installations are small scale and installed on rooftops. In addition to rooftop installations, PV systems along the roadside of 10 percent of the existing 4 million miles of U.S. roadways would meet our current electrical demand.

Germany is now reaping the benefits of its PV installations as the price of peak power is moving closer to that of base load generators. They report a growing number of days when solar electric sources produce peak electric power at prices below that of base load power.

With nearly 20 percent of their power needs met by renewable energy sources now, and their continued investment in research and development, the German expectation of meeting 80 percent of their energy needs with renewables may be more feasible than critics claim. If scientific projections regarding climate change and peak oil are met, the German and Swedish models of sustainable energy futures will serve them well.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Nov. 9-15, 2011, issue

The cost of the recent solar installation in Rockford does not reflect current market conditions, as the price of the panels was part of the agreement reached in bringing the Wanxiang solar assembly plant to Rockford.

Solar electrical production is global in scope. In 2005, annual installation of panels reached 1 gigawatt. In 2011, annual installations are expected to exceed 28 gigawatts, with a cumulative global capacity exceeding 40 gigawatts. In a mild climate such as California’s, that 40 gigawatts could power more than 8 million homes.

Photovoltaic (PV) production has been doubling every 1.3 years. Every doubling of production has led to a cost reduction of 23 percent. If the trend continues, three more doublings could lower electric prices to 6 cents per kilowatt in sunny Arizona. Even if the growth rate were cut in half, Tam Hunt estimates by 2030 the world could be producing 16 terrawatts per year, which would roughly equal the estimated global electric demand by then.

Hunt indicates that in California, solar has reached grid parity where electric rates are high and sunlight is abundant. He expects that between 2015 and 2020, grid parity will also be reached in most Western states, Hawaii and New England, even without government subsidies.

His estimates are for utility-scale solar projects only, as installation costs for smaller systems for residential applications do not benefit from economies of scale. For large utility scale systems, installed costs are from $3 to $4 per watt, while residential systems run from $5 to $8 per watt.

Yet, residential customers may continue to invest in solar systems for a variety of reasons. As equipment costs fall, their appeal to home owners increases. Where consumers can sell their excess power back to the utility, rising costs of electricity will help offset the upfront costs of investing in a system. Some customers will seek to become zero-net-energy users, where the power they consume over a year will be offset by the power produced by their home system. A few will seek to become independent from the grid, and either use a battery system for storage or install a small-scale generator for backup power. A new 4.1 kW system with battery backup is being installed near us. It will approach energy independence.

Hunt suggests that projects of 20 megawatts or less targeted for local consumption, rather than sent to distant markets served by the transmission grid, will appeal to local officials. Solar installations can be placed on many roofs and abandoned industrial sites in urban areas, limiting the need to expand the grid. Communities that install such systems will gain a measure of energy independence and security.

Some challenges remain for the solar industry. The economy is not good, debt is high, and capital is scarce. Many economists believe it will take years to recover the slowing demand for electricity. Fossil fuel interests are not keen on losing market share, and will continue to challenge the renewable industry.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Nov. 2-8, 2011, issue

Lidkoping, Sweden’s bioenergy central heating plant. (Photo by Dr. Sonia Vogl)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

While many Americans still deny global warming, or at least listen acceptingly to those who do, Europeans believe it exists and are taking action to counter it.

According to Jurgen Lefevere, European Commissioner negotiator at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, “Climate change is now seen as an opportunity to deal with the economic downturn in Europe.”

The consensus in Germany is that renewable energy sources must be drastically increased. Germans expect 50 percent of their electricity will come from renewables in 50 years.

Sweden is an even better example, already producing more than 44 percent of their energy from renewable sources. While the use of biofuels increased, their economy grew 2.8 percent annually. Their success started in 1991, when a carbon tax was introduced. The tax is credited with moving the society into efficient climate-friendly energy solutions. Unfortunately, the U.S. press ignores Sweden’s success story.

Control room at Lidkoping, Sweden’s bioenergy central heating plant. (Photo by Dr. Sonia Vogl)

In his presentation at the recent Bioenergy Conference, Par Holmgren, Ph.D., TV meteorologist and author, discussed global warming, its causes and impacts, and possible ways to deal with it.

NOAA data reveals the top 10 warm years during the period between 1880 and the present were all since 2000. Both modeled and observed climate change most closely aligned with greenhouse gases. He showed a photograph of himself standing on a ship in the Arctic at 82 degrees north, the farthest ever reached by any ship or captain. In 2011 and 2007, the Arctic, which he considers the most vulnerable, had the least summer sea ice ever.

For millions of years, the Earth had between 180 and 280 ppm of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere; it now has 390. The planetary boundary is considered to be 350. Earth’s biosphere can accept less than 10 billion tons annually; currently, 33 billion tons are emitted each year.

Engaging the audience, Holmgren asked what percent of global warming was attributable to carbon dioxide. Responses ranged from 80 percent to 100 percent. He countered that the number is 160 percent to 200 percent: warming would be 60 percent to 100 percent higher than it is now if dark particles, such as those emitted by dirty coal, oil and natural gas, were not countering carbon dioxide’s effect. Global dimming may also partially mask it. Greenhouse gases are long lived; dark particles have short lives.

Holmgren believes people in northern lands have a much better chance to adapt to warming than those in China, South America and Africa, where the warmer climate with plenty of food led to large populations. In those regions, it can be disastrous.

Most future scenarios regarding global warming show people doing nothing. As soon as we do something, the risks are decreased. Holmgren posed three important questions regarding consequences, adaptation and mitigation. His three important answers are saving energy (we can save 60 percent of the energy we use with no change in lifestyle); using new technologies (the Earth receives as much solar energy in one day as the entire human population uses in a year); and changing behavior (such as using less energy in food production and vacations). He feels that within 60 years, solar energy will be the major energy source. Bioenergy is transitional only.

His summary statement to the audience was: “Knowledge is important! You are doing something very important right now!”

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Oct. 26-Nov. 1, 2011, issue

The most significant aspect of sustainable development in Sweden is their long-term commitment to the endeavor. It took 20 years to build up the Lidkoping district heating system to meet 90 percent of the heating needs for their businesses and homes. Using garbage as a fuel saves on the cost of energy and reduces the need for landfills.

Another component essential to their success was their acceptance of the need to raise tax rates on gasoline, so they pay more than twice as much as Americans for transportation fuel. Increased revenue from fuel taxes was targeted at programs to improve energy efficiency of their homes and cars, expand the use of public transportation and develop bike paths linked to schools, trains and bus depots to provide alternative means of transportation.

We rode several trains from the airport to reach Lidkoping. They were electric-powered, smooth, clean and fast. Well-mannered passengers and train personnel made travel pleasant. While faced with the normal uncertainties of making transit connections in a new setting, we never felt threatened or intimidated in depots and trains.

At the time of the first oil crisis in the mid-1970s, industrialized countries, including the United States, Sweden and Germany, initiated programs to improve energy efficiencies, curb excessive auto use, employ more mass transit, develop cleaner sources of energy and support research programs to develop technologies and strategies to lessen the industrialized world’s dependence on imported oil.

With the return of cheap energy prices in the mid-1980s, energy programs were dramatically curtailed in the United States, while Sweden and Germany continued their efforts and became leaders in sustainable practices.

Their success in promoting renewable energy, green infrastructure and efficient transportation benefited from supportive government policies. Higher energy prices strengthened their economies, as they provided incentives to reduce energy use and design more efficient energy technologies that reduced and stabilized household energy bills in times of widely fluctuating energy prices.

A few months after oil prices hit $147 in summer 2008, the economic collapse set in. While corrupt banking practices were a major contributor, peak oil advocates warn if an economic recovery does occur, increased demand for oil will send prices skyrocketing again, producing another economic setback.

We know how to reduce our oil and fossil fuel dependence through efficiency and renewable energy. We should design community energy policies that implement what we already know how to do. Wise government policies targeted at achieving long-term sustainability goals would be a sound investment, as Sweden and Germany have demonstrated.

Upgrading lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation efficiency in public buildings is essential. Improving bike paths and lanes, calming streets to make them safe for bikes, having bike racks and changing facilities for bikers in central locations and bike carriers on buses could reduce car use. Policies targeting rooftops for solar installations could help reduce energy costs.

Communities should direct more public investment into energy efficiency practices that benefit the public and keep more of their energy dollars in the community.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Oct. 19-25, 2011, issue

During the first day of the Bioenergy Conference in Lidkoping, Sweden, a speaker reminded us that Sept. 27, the day of the conference, was Earth Overshoot Day. The use of the term by a public official caught our attention.

The purpose of the date is to point out that we are now using Earth’s resources at a rate faster than that at which Earth can regenerate them. Unfortunately, designating a specific day could create the faulty impression that for most of the year we live within the bounds of Earth’s productivity, then suddenly become wasteful. But Earth Overshoot Day points to the date at which we have used the resources that we should have used during the entire year.

For most of human history, people lived within Earth’s bounds, using no more than it could produce or regenerate. Then, during the 20th century, we began using more than Earth could produce. In 1987, the first Earth Overshoot Day was designated.

William Caton, ecological sociologist, first coined the term Overshoot. He felt that ecological collapse caused by overuse was similar to economic collapse. During what he labeled “the age of exuberance” (since 1492), people believed in the limitlessness of Earth’s resources. We now know Earth’s resources are not limitless, but we still behave as though they are.

Human activity now uses the equivalent of one-and-a-half Earths. If current trends continue, we will use the equivalent of two Earths by mid-century and, eventually, the Earth’s biocapacity will collapse.

What the concept of Overshoot calls attention to is the need to lessen both our consumption of natural resources and the rate at which we dump wastes into the environment. Examples include depleting forests, overfishing the seas and adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere than it can process.

Sweden made the choice to become sustainable through bioenergy without a drop in lifestyle. Their aim is to create a society that meets its needs without compromising the ability of future societies to meet theirs. They chose to improve technology through supportive renewable energy policies. They place high importance on healthy children; they discourage tobacco and alcohol.

Individual car use is discouraged by having a high tax on gasoline, which roughly doubles the cost of what we pay for gas in the U.S. Their electric rail and biogas-powered buses provide excellent service. They encourage the use of bicycles for local transportation — we counted hundreds of bikes at the city’s rail station and their equivalent of our junior college. They feel they gain significantly from their policies by keeping more money in their communities and providing more jobs by developing local biofuels.

Some people have attempted to reverse the overuse of resources. The late Dr. Wangari Maathai chose to plant trees to counter deforestation; others choose to be sustainable in an individualistic manner through taking personal responsibility to make less impact and by off-grid living.

We can start by taking personal responsibility for our own impact, and from there, move to the neighborhood and community. We can each calculate our own ecological footprint (ecologicalfootprint.org).

We can react to the loss of biodiversity by helping maintain what we have in this area. We can enjoy the simple pleasures of nature without destroying them. Hike, canoe or simply sit and learn to appreciate the parks, forest preserves and natural areas protected by those who strive to maintain the quality of life in the Rock River region.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Oct. 12-18, 2011, issue

Linnea Bengtsson (from left), Chet Kolodziej, Mark Podemski, Sue Mroz, Bob Vogl and Sonia Vogl attend the Fourth International Bioenergy Conference in Lidkoping, Sweden. (Photo provided)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

We, along with Winnebago County Director of Economic Development Sue Mroz, Freedom Field Manager Chet Kolodziej and Rockford Area Economic Development Council (RAEDC) Vice President for Development Brad Podemski, were fortunate to be part of the Rockford delegation to the Fourth International Bioenergy Conference in Lidkoping, Sweden.

While the role of both the county and RAEDC is to bring businesses to the area, we hope to confirm Winnebago County Board Chairman Scott Christiansen’s (R) faith in us by bringing back ideas that can help Freedom Field and the Rockford area.

The conference included a variety of ideas and experiences in a surprisingly short time. Presentations by experts in their fields were enhanced by field trips to observe firsthand Swedish innovations in fossil-free energy production.

Swedes take sustainability seriously. More than 31 percent of their energy is from biofuels; 46.3 percent is from renewable energy. One-third of Swedish cars are “environmentally friendly.”

In 2008, a tax credit for green cars was introduced. In Sweden, polluters pay: “The bad guys pay the good guys.” They feel that grants only overbridge the “valley of death”; they are not expected to last forever.

Few direct subsidies exist. In 1990, a carbon tax was placed on fossil fuels. Sweden was accused of being the only country in the world killing jobs because of pollution. But making fossil fuels more expensive opened the way for renewables.

To the questions: Will we sacrifice? Go back to the 18th century with a mule? Experience starvation and misery? Swedes respond that they have doubled the use of energy since 1990. One TW of biomass in Sweden creates 300 new jobs, primarily in rural areas and small municipalities.

The gross domestic product has increased 40 percent. The increase in the cost of some energy means that less of it will be used. Local energy sources means more of the money spent on it remains in the local economy. The result is that half of the money spent on energy is kept by the local area and its citizens.

Lidkoping itself, “the sustainable city,” has green, sustainable guidelines. It uses district heating for its buildings, including homes. Rather than being wasted, trash is burned to produce heat and electricity. Lidkoping does not produce enough trash to supply all of its heating needs, so more is purchased from Norway. Since Norway has its own source of non-fossil fuel energy — hydropower — the trade is mutually beneficial. We observed the massive project that includes separating large noncombustible items from combustible, chopping the remaining fuels and burning them.

Pellets are used in a smaller boiler to produce heat for an elementary school and retirement home.

Fossil energy is replaced by compressed biomethane to fuel cars, also a municipal project. Biomethane production also takes place on farms.

New buildings follow passivhaus standards. Old buildings are renovated to become energy efficient.

Swedes feel all of the side effects of their new energy program are positive. The GDP and jobs are up; money remains local; emission levels are lower; and the economy is more stable in an economic crisis. In summary, one speaker told us that if the U.S. were like Sweden, we would have 25 million new jobs.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Oct. 5-11, 2011, issue

The Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) will be offering a variety of classes this fall. Most will focus on renewable energy; one will focus on food independence. They will be offered at the IREA headquarters and both Rock Valley and Illinois Valley community colleges.

To register for any of the classes at IREA headquarters, e-mail sonia@essex1.com. Advanced registration is essential.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8, for those interested in food independence, a class will concentrate on preserving food for use throughout the non-gardening part of the year: freezing, drying, canning and storing. Actual preservation techniques will be taught and tried. The class will be presented at IREA headquarters in Oregon, Ill.

“Small Wind Generators for Homeowners,” offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 15, will include lecture, discussion and hands-on experiences. Class members will take down, disassemble and reassemble a wind generator that has produced power since spring 2005.

“Build a Hoop House,” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 22, will offer class participants the opportunity to actually build a hoop house — an inexpensive greenhouse that can be used to start plants for early spring planting and also keep greens for salads and cooked vegetables thriving through the entire winter. Information about purchasing the components to build one at home will be provided.

Saturday, Oct. 29, a beginning solar electric class will be held. It will provide a complete overview of solar electricity: what it is, how it works, advantages, components of a system, financial assistance available and how to get started. Participants will also tour a grid-connected system and a stand-alone system. The owners will be available to discuss living with them.

“Make a Solar Collector” will involve participants in actually making and installing a hot air collector that can be used for a home, workshop, shed, etc. This class will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Nov. 19.

These classes will be at 1230 E. Honey Creek Road, Oregon, Ill.

Donations to IREA (a nonprofit organization) for all classes, except Make a Solar Collector, are $20 per class for IREA members and $40 for non-members, which includes membership. Donations for the Build a Solar Collector class are $40 for members and $60 for non-members. Advanced registration is essential.

Rockford and Oglesby: Classes will also be offered by Rock Valley College, Rockford, and Illinois Valley College, Oglesby. Register online or phone (815) 921-3900 for Rock Valley or (815) 224-0490 for Illinois Valley.

Rock Valley classes include “Small Wind Generators for Homeowners” (Tuesday, Nov. 15, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.) and “Basics of Solar Electricity” (Tuesday, Nov. 22, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.).

Illinois Valley classes include “Basics of Solar Electricity” (Saturday, Oct. 8, from 9:30 a.m. to noon); and “Solar Hot Water Systems (Saturday, Oct. 22, from 9:30 a.m. to noon).

Visit www.illinoisrenew.org for details.

From the Oct. 5-11, 2011, issue

In 2001, the Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) released its report, “Repowering the Midwest,” calling for energy reforms, including the promotion of “sustainable energy strategies by developing clean energy efficiency and renewable energy resources while reducing pollution from coal and nuclear plants that harms our environment and public health … and advocate sound environmental management practices that preserve natural resources and improve the quality of life in our communities.”

At this year’s Illinois Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair, which was Aug. 13-14, Sarah Wochos of the ELPC updated us on “Energy Policy and Politics in Illinois.” She reminded us of the significant change that occurred when Illinois was deregulated in 1997. The old practice of public utilities both producing and distributing power ended. Now, separately-owned companies produce power and compete to sell it for distribution in Illinois.

However, the current economic downturn has reduced the need for new sources of electrical supply, and only a limited amount of renewable energy is being developed.

In the 1990s, advocates for renewables pushed for state rebates and net metering, which supported local energy production. As small systems on schools, homes and businesses were installed, they were portrayed as insufficient to meet the desired levels of clean energy sources.

The focus shifted to advocating the development of Renewable Energy Portfolio Standards, which created a market for large-scale projects of wind and solar farms. The initial Renewable Energy Portfolio called for 2 percent of electrical energy production in Illinois to come from renewables in 2008 and 25 percent by 2025.

According to Wochos, Illinois now has 2,000 MW of wind power, which has produced 6,000 jobs and $3 billion in economic development. Chicago is home to 13 national and international wind energy companies. Hundreds of firms have benefited from being part of the supply chain for the wind industry.

Renewable energy efforts have also run into some problems. Since power prices have been declining recently, policy makers, legislators and government officials do not want to be locked into long-term contracts that might hurt the state’s economic competitiveness. Following similar reasoning, the Illinois Power Authority authorizes annual purchases of electricity from low-cost producers including those outside of Illinois so competition from sources in Iowa, Indiana and Wisconsin is keen.

Banks are unwilling to fund projects — whether wind, biomass, geothermal or solar — if a developer is without a long-term contract. They expect a guaranteed income stream over the project’s 20-year life.

In addition to financing problems, wind farm advocates have run into increasing public resistance to their presence from areas targeted for them.

A solar carve-out in the Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard assures that 700 to 750 MW of electricity in Illinois will be provided by solar power. Its presence offers an opportunity to serve distributive needs, as opposed to feeding directly into the grid, as do wind and solar farms.

Such installations primarily serve local demand, involve less line loss, provide power at times of peak demand, benefit homeowners and small businesses, and avoid the controversies associated with wind farms.

Public support will be essential for successful implementation of a distributive energy program. The ELPC once again expects to play a key role in the process.

According to Wayne Hartel of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity: “The Solar and Wind Rebate Program is no longer accepting applications. Due to the overwhelming response of applications that the department has received since the program opened on Sept. 9, the program has reached capacity. The department will no longer accept applications at this time for this fiscal year’s program. The program will not reopen until after July 1, 2012. The department is greatly encouraged by the interest in solar and wind generation systems within the state.”

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

Kickapoo Nature Center, 1919 N. Limekiln Road, Oregon, Ill.: Super-insulated “1-watt” building built on German Passivhaus principles; earth tube; heating from roof monitored by Oak Ridge Lab. (Photo provided)

Staff Report

What’s it like to produce your own electricity from the sun and the wind? To live with an independent energy system? Do you need to change your lifestyle? Will the system change the appearance of your home, or can it be blended into the design of your building? What does it cost? How much upkeep is needed?

These — and other — questions will be answered by home and building owners with solar PV and other renewable energy installations during the Tour of Solar Places in north central Illinois.

The free event, sponsored by the Illinois Renewable Energy Association, will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1.

Solar tour participants, from south to north, are as follows:

• Victor and Polly Zaderej, 3588 S. Daysville Road, Oregon, Ill.: Super-insulated “1-watt” house built on German Passivhaus principles; solar PV; earth tube.

• Bob and Sonia Vogl, 1230 E. Honey Creek Road, Oregon, Ill., (815-732-7332): Hybrid grid-connected photovoltaic and wind power system with battery backup; stand-alone (cabin-type) photovoltaic installation; solar greenhouse; hoop house.

• Kickapoo Nature Center, 1919 N. Limekiln Road, Oregon, Ill.: Super-insulated “1-watt” building built on German Passivhaus principles; earth tube; heating from roof monitored by Oak Ridge Lab.

• David Merrill, 139 Perene, Byron, Ill. (815-234-2530): Hybrid photovoltaic and wind power system with battery backup.

• Tom Snodgrass, 6618 W. Apple Road, Mt. Morris, Ill. (815-734-4307) has an earth tube, an ingenious culvert that cools his large work shed in the summer and warms it in the winter so he can work year-round without the need for a furnace or air conditioning. (About 7 miles out of Mt. Morris). Also, movable solar heater for calf barn.

• Keith and Mary Blackmore, 9024 W. Grove Road, Forreston, Ill. (815-938-3204): Ground-mounted photovoltaic system, super-insulated house, greenhouse.

• Freedom Field, run by Winnebago County, 3333 S. Kishwaukee St., Rockford: Nonprofit organization formed to facilitate the development and operation of renewable energy center. Integrated systems including solar heating and cooling, solar PV, vertical and horizontal wind generators, green prairie roof and training/experiment stations.

• Lantow Lofts, 502 Seventh St., Rockford (815-964-8280): Complete renovation of century-old building, solar thermal panels used to heat water for domestic use; the largest geothermal heating/cooling system in Winnebago County; many recycled materials used in construction.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

CHICAGO — Be solar inspired! View renewable energy systems in action! The Illinois Solar Tour is a free, self-guided, statewide event that demonstrates how Illinois homes and businesses are using solar, wind, geothermal, passive solar design, and energy efficiency to become energy independent.

Renewable energy system owners and installers will be providing tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 1. Tour guides will answer questions about how you can harness the power of the sun and wind to fuel your home and business. Learn how you, too, can reduce your monthly utility bills, increase property values, and be part of the energy solution.

In the Chicagoland area, tour participants will have the opportunity to meet with homeowners who not only power their homes with renewable energy but also have installed electric vehicle charging stations to power their cars!

Area business owners will be interested to see how businesses have reduced their bottom line with renewable energy systems. View a car dealership that is powered by five wind turbines and a solar installation, a Laundromat that pays nothing for its hot water, and a farm that harvests the sun and wind along with its crops.

To register for this free event and download a guidebook, visit www.illinoissolartour.org. Solar Tour guidebooks are also available in the September edition of Mindful Metropolis magazine, available at 600 locations in Illinois, including Whole Foods.

About the Illinois Solar Energy Association

Established in 1975, the Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) is a nonprofit organization that promotes the widespread application of renewable energy through education and advocacy. As the Illinois chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, ISEA is the local resource for educational classes, events, renewable energy-related policy developments, local news and access to local renewable energy vendors. For more about the Illinois Solar Tour, visit www.illinoissolartour.org.

About the American Solar Energy Society

For more than 50 years, the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) has been leading the renewable energy revolution to advance the use of solar and renewable energy. ASES leads national efforts to promote solar energy education, public outreach, and advocacy.Visit www.ases.org.

The ASES National Solar Tour is the world’s largest grassroots solar event. More than 160,000 participants will visit some 5,000 buildings in 3,200 communities across the U.S. The event takes place annually during the first Saturday in October, in conjunction with National Energy Awareness Month. The National Solar Tour is expected to run in all 50 states this year. A complete list of scheduled events may be found at www.NationalSolarTour.org.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

Greater RMAP Environmental Education Network (GREEN) is creating a Strategy Action Plan meeting, hosted by Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning (RMAP) and Rockford Health Council (RHC), from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Monday, Oct. 3.

The meeting will be at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, 1601 Parkview Ave. Enter at the east-side entrance and RSVP to RMAP’s Christina Washington at chris.washington@rockfordil.gov by Sept. 29.

As part of the GREEN Strategy Action Plan, this workshop is planned to bring together representatives from the health care, environmental and education communities in a participatory workshop.

Greenway plans traditionally are used primarily in local and regional planning efforts; there is the potential for greater benefit from the RMAP Greenways Plan and ongoing sustainability initiative to engage health care and educational institutions to help implement the plan and raise awareness about the resulting benefits to health, learning, the local economy and the overall quality of life.

RHC just completed a 2010 Healthy Community Study. They currently are prioritizing recommendations from this study for future consideration and action. This initial workshop will provide direction for both RMAP and RHC.

Objectives

• Create synergy between health care, environmental, education, and planning efforts in the region

• Raise awareness about how the health care and education communities can benefit from supporting regional greenway, environmental and sustainability planning

• Showcase how health care and educational institutions can support and promote active and healthy living by participating in the regional and local planning processes

Agenda

• 6:30-6:45 p.m. — WELCOME/CHECK-IN: As people arrive, they will be checked in, fill out a name tag, and see versions of the 2011 Greenway Plan with the map posted in the room.

• 6:45-7 p.m. — INTRODUCTION BY RMAP & RHC: Introduce workshop facilitators; participants introduce themselves, and review workshop objectives and agenda.

• 7-7:30 p.m. — BACKGROUND: Introduce and explain the role of RMAP; discuss the 2011 Regional Greenways Plan and the GREEN Strategy Action Plan for RMAP; present recommendations from the RHC 2011 Healthy Community Study that relate to RMAP Greenway Plan and Strategy Action Plan; explain the RMAP effort to develop a Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD); and summarize how these efforts are tied together.

• 7:30-8:25p.m. — SMALL GROUPS BRAINSTORMING/DISCUSSION: Develop a list of ways that health care and educational institutions and the people they serve can benefit from a regional greenway network as envisioned in the Greenways Plan; develop a list of ways that (1) health care and educational institutions can help support and implement the Greenways Plan and (2) RMAP can support RHC health care issues to improve the quality of life.

• 8:25-8:50p.m. — SMALL GROUP FEEDBACK REPORTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Categorize the list of health care/education, environmental and planning initiatives developed in the brainstorming session.

• 8:50-9p.m. — WRAP-UP: Concluding remarks and feedback.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

CHICAGO — The National Green Museum Exhibition is featuring the National Sustainability Monthly Holidays, which are as follow:

January — National Renewable Energy Planning Month; February — National Sustainable Cities Month; March — National Sustainable Agriculture and Forests Month and National Geothermal Energy Month; April — National Climate Change Awareness Month and National Water Conservation Month; May — National Wind Energy Month; June — National Solar Energy Month; July — National Green Transportation Month and National Energy Independence Month; August — National Water Quality Month and National Hydropower Month; September — National Green Business and Buildings Month and National Sustainable Buildings Month; October — National Green Homes and Schools Month and National Sustainable Education Month; November — National Environmental Stewardship Month; and December — National Green Giving Month.

The National Sustainable Monthly Holidays, endorsed by top environmentalists nationwide, are featured in the National Green Museum Exhibition.

The National Environmental Hall of Fame, an activity of the National Sustainability Association, is now starting National Green Museum Exhibitions in every community. The National Environmental Hall of Fame has given national awards to Harrison Ford, Pierce Brosnan, Art Linkletter, Ed Begley Jr. and William McDonough; and locally to Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl, president and vice president of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association; Frank Schier, editor and publisher of The Rock River Times; and Scott Christiansen, Winnebago County Board chairman.

Host a National Green Museum Exhibition

1. Learn how your business can host the National Green Museum Exhibition for free.

2. The National Green Museum Exhibition is the next step in environmental education — allowing for easier implementation of renewable energy and sustainable practices.

3. The National Green Museum Exhibition features Green Megatrends, top trends to help Planet Earth. The Green Megatrends are a holistic approach to renewable energy recommended by five top reports to help reduce climate change, reduce pollution, reduce dependency on foreign oil and increase energy independence.

4. Your membership will provide your business, community and school of your choice with a National Green Museum Exhibition and Green Bulletin Board. Exhibits on the Green Bulletin Board will have information about each monthly trend and rotate monthly.

For more about the National Sustainability Association Green Megatrends program and how to become a member, contact Allen Rubin at (641) 451-5199 or EnvironmentalFame@lisco.com, or visit nationalsustainabilityassociation.net/.

From the Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2011, issue

Last week, the State of Illinois announced two programs in support of renewable energy. One is the Renewable Energy Business Development Grant, designed to encourage the use of renewable energy and support economic development within Illinois. The second is the Solar and Wind Energy Rebate program.

Both programs are restricted to installations within Illinois and customers within the service area of an investor-owned electric or gas utility or a municipal gas or electric utility cooperative that imposes the Renewable Energy Resources or Coal Technology Development Assistance Charge.

This article highlights only some of the expectations of the programs to alert the readers of their existence. In filling out the forms, be aware of the terms and conditions set out in the application guidelines, as they must be met to be eligible for funding.

The submittal deadline for the Renewable Energy Business Development Grant Program is 4:30 p.m., Oct. 28, 2012. It is a competitive Request-for-Application process. Proposed projects are eligible for grants up to 50 percent of eligible project costs, with a minimum request of $100,000 and a maximum grant award of $500,000. Applicants must contribute a minimum of 25 percent of the total project costs.

For-profit businesses, governmental entities, colleges and universities and nonprofit organizations are eligible for funding.

Eligible expenditures include purchase and installation of machinery, equipment and new industrial systems, necessary site improvements, technical or engineering services for process improvements in key functions, and/or the conversion of existing processes.

The application form is available on the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity website: http://www.illinoisbiz.biz/dceo/Bureaus/Energy_Recycling/Energy/Clean+Energy/01-RERP.htm. The contact person is Wayne Hartel.

The second program is the popular Renewable Energy Resources Solar and Wind Energy Rebate program. It is designed to encourage the utilization of small-scale solar and wind energy systems in Illinois. Eligibility is limited to costs associated with the purchase and installation of a solar or wind energy system purchased and installed on or after Jan. 1, 2011.

The rebate is based on the actual documented project costs of equipment and installations, up to 30 percent of eligible project costs for a single solar or wind energy system for residential or private businesses, and up to 50 percent of the eligible costs for public-sector or non-profit entities.

All solar and wind energy systems, except those constructed by a homeowner, must be installed by a professional installer licensed to operate in Illinois who maintains the appropriate insurance.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a completed rebate application prior to making any financial investment. If the department deems the project eligible for rebate, the applicant will receive a letter indicating a Notice to Proceed.

Once a Notice to Proceed is received, the funds for the project will be held for 120 days after the date of the notice. Upon completion of the installation, the applicant must submit a letter to the department stating that the project was completed within the hold period.

Although the price of solar electric systems continues to fall, programs such as these have helped renewable energy become adopted in the state.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Sept. 21-27, 2011, issue

The prairie roof at Freedom Field. (Photo provided)

By Drs. Robert & Sonia Vogl
President and Vice President, Illinois Renewable Energy Association

Little remains of the original prairie vegetation that greeted the Europeans upon their arrival in Illinois. Given their existing knowledge, they saw little practical use in the native landscapes and proceeded to lay waste to them to live as they saw fit. They began building a new society of farms, cities and industries that provided them with many comforts and conveniences unknown to previous generations.

In the process, they destroyed almost all of the existing prairie vegetation that had been thriving with only limited human intervention for nearly 10,000 years following the retreat of the glaciers. Prairies grew on the glacial deposits of rock, sand, gravel and clay. When the plants died and their parts decomposed, they contributed to the development of some of the richest agricultural soils in the world.

The plants adapted to the extremes of weather — floods, droughts, heat waves and frigid temperatures — characteristic of Illinois. They thrived in a variety of settings, including wet, mesic and dry habitats, and benefited from periodic fires.

In the 1930s, Aldo Leopold, through experimentation, successfully restored prairies as functioning communities to preserve local plants and their diversity.

In the 1960s, Ray Schulenberg began growing prairie plants from seeds and rootstock in a greenhouse at the Morton Arboretum. Schulenberg felt it was important to learn how to grow the plants and encourage their use in prairies and prairie gardens to build up broadly-scattered sources of prairie plants and seeds to increase their survival opportunities and to stimulate public interest in prairies.

We continue our involvement in protecting natural areas and prairies, and have two sand remnant prairies and two restored prairies on our farm.

A few years ago, Dave Smith of Simply Prairies designed and installed a prairie roof on a small building on his property. His prairie of potted plants has thrived in a base of aged locally-obtained woodchips roughly 8 to 10 inches deep. While we knew prairies live in a range of soil types, depths and moisture regimes, we were pleasantly surprised by how well his prairie roof grew. We usually think of prairie plants as deep-rooted, but prairies can thrive nested on top of limestone formations in very shallow soils. In such settings, the plants send their roots out horizontally rather than vertically. The plants also flourish in dry, thin, sandy soils overlaying sandstone outcroppings.

Insects feeding on the plants pass on their wastes, enriching the woodchip base. As plants die back and decompose, they, too, enrich the woodchips. The plants attract insects and birds, increasing survival opportunities for these natives.

At our suggestion, the board of Freedom Field agreed to place a test rooftop prairie on their building.

About 1,300 plants of more than 40 species were placed on the roof. Plants with eye appeal were selected as we wanted something of beauty available for showing at last fall’s International Bioenergy Conference in Rockford. Over time, the plant composition may change as the species adapt to the microclimate of the roof.

A prairie roof needs very little maintenance, as the genetics of the plants are well adapted to the rigors of our Midwest climate. Some weeding is necessary; the first year’s plants were periodically watered during this past summer’s heat wave. Limited fertilization may be required. As expected, some plants died, but they were easily replaced. A flexible maintenance plan is being developed.

In addition to the benefits of water retention, reduced summer heat gain, and cleaner air, a prairie roof helps to preserve rapidly disappearing local genetic diversity and offer habitat for insects and birds.

Although beauty could be reason enough for its being, some perceive a prairie roof of limited practical value, which denies the possibility of new understandings that could prove useful to us. For example, the Pacific Yew was seen as useless until extracts from it proved useful in treating breast cancer. Additionally, Wes Jackson’s experimental work on perennial food crops from prairie plants, if successful, could revolutionize agriculture.

Drs. Robert and Sonia Vogl are founders and officers of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association (IREA) and coordinate the annual Renewable Energy and Sustainable Lifestyle Fair. E-mail sonia@essex1.com.

From the Sept. 14-20, 2011, issue