Success Stories
Helping farmers increase energy self-reliance and profitability

hog farm

Norman Dewar’s Hog Farm

Norman Dewar’s hog farm uses a wood chip system to heat his 100 sow farrow-to-finish operation. His 130 kW wood chip system heats the sow barn, nursery, farrowing barn, office and storage building. It also produces enough hot water to supply a four gal/min. pressure washer as well as hot water for personal use in the barn.

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Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative

Plymouth, New Hampshire: Small Farmers and Local Consumers Benefit from On-Line Order Site for Local Farm Products.

The Plymouth Area Renewable Energy Initiative (PAREI) is a local organization in Plymouth, New Hampshire, that encourages energy conservation, energy efficiency practices, and the use of renewable energy. The group collaborated with local agricultural interests, including D-Acre Organic Farm and Educational Homestead, to organize a program to streamline the process by which local farm goods reach local consumers and businesses.

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Cedar Meadow Farm

Lancaster, Pennsylvania: Tomato Farmer saves time, energy and money with no-till farming

In Lancaster, Pennsylvania, tomato farmer Steve Groff has been able to reduce soil erosion and increase his harvest, as well as cut down on the need for herbicides and insecticides on his tomato fields.

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Colorado Pork>

Lamar, Colorado: Hog Farm uses manure waste to produce electricity

Colorado Pork is considered a small- to medium-sized operation with approximately 6,300 sows, producing 15-18,000 gallons of manure a day. A typical farm of this size would normally use $10,000 to $11,000 of electricity a month to handle its operations.

Colorado Swine Partners, however, uses its hog waste to produce a significant amount of the electricity used by the farm. Through its electricity generation and designed-in energy efficiencies, the farm purchases only about $3,500 worth of electricity a month.

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State Line Farm & Clear Brook Farm

Shaftsbury, Vermont: Local Farmers Experiment with On-Farm Ethanol Production

With help from University of Vermont scientists, John Williamson and Steve Plummer are working to produce ethanol and biodiesel. In order to distill their own ethanol, they have been growing sweet sorghum and sugar beets. They have also learned how to make lye from wood ash.

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Burmeister Farm

An American Wind Energy (AWE) Success Story

Since 1984, Paul Burmeister has been enjoying the benefits of his 10 kW Bergey EXCEL-S wind turbine. It supplies 183,000 kWh of reliable, clean energy to his farm near Clafin, Kansas every year. With his net-metered system, Paul’s monthly electric bills fell from $50–60 to about $5. Plus, at the end of each year, his electric utility pays him a few hundred dollars for the excess power he sold back to the grid.

Read more »Caldwell Farm & Granary

A New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Success Story

With a sizable grant from New York’s Energy $mart program, Michael Siegel and Barbara Caldwell were able to install a solar energy system on their 14-acre farm to cut electricity costs and reduce their environmental impact. Their system is comprised of 30 PV cells each rated at 140 Watts, for a combined power rating of 3.5 kW. The system, installed on the roof of their barn, reduces their electric bills by 85%, while also reducing their contribution of greenhouse gases.Read more »