Modere Catalog Spring Summer 2015 Catalog | Page 74

With climate change on people’s minds and the
fossil fuel market in constant flux, renewable energy
resources have taken a front line role in developed
countries around the globe. In fact, according to the
American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), in
2014, renewable energy sources accounted for almost
40% of all new domestic power generation projects. A
third of these projects were wind power installations,
most of which were large commercial projects but
included some private home systems too.
Windmills may be an age-old power source for
pumping water and grinding grain, but wind power
continues to evolve as an excellent modern-day
source of energy. More companies and consumers
alike are lighting up their homes, fueling their
manufacturing plants, and making progress at minimal
cost to the environment.
Overall, 4.1% of US grid energy is generated from
wind, but these numbers are set to increase: the US
Department of Energy is looking to grow wind energy
to 20% of the total US electric grid by 2030.

Article

CALL ME THE
BREEZE: WHY
W I N D P OW E R I S
WINNING THE
A LT E R N AT I V E
E N E R GY R AC E
—

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This is all great news for both our communities and
our planet. Not only is wind energy renewable, wind
installations also involve no water or toxic byproducts
and the energy is both produced and used
domestically. In fact, 70% of the wind turbines in use
are made in the USA, providing welcome jobs at both
factory and technical levels. Wind farms require
comparatively little maintenance after construction,
and their actual footprint is small, meaning much of
the surrounding land can be reclaimed for other uses
such as grazing and farming.
Businesses have started to realize that to align with
consumers’ priorities, they need to do more than use
recyclable packaging and earth-friendly ingredients;
they need to reduce fossil fuel use. As a result, more
and more companies are purchasing power from local
wind farms to offset the carbon footprint created by
offices and manufacturing plants.
These long-term priorities are fueling choices like
Modere’s decision to power its new Springville, Utah
facility with electricity from the local Spanish Fork
Wind Farm. The Wind Farm is located on a gravel pit
used to help fund the local school district. It provides
electricity to the town, money to the schools, and
community engagement through a well-attended
Wind Festival celebrating the farm’s achievements.
While governments and companies like Modere
invest in larger-scale wind farms for offices and
factories, they’re helping pave the way for consumers
to try small at-home turbines. While home turbines
aren’t as common here as they are in Europe,
domestic numbers are growing. Any consumer who is
willing to invest in initial setup, has sympathetic
neighbors, and good “wind resources” (a reliable stiff
breeze) can install a turbine in his yard. A small
turbine can charge an RV battery or operate a sump
pump, while a taller turbine can power an entire home
and even sell extra power back to the utility company.
For those of us lacking any of the prerequisites,
though, it’s great to know that wind power is

increasingly available for purchase from local energy
companies. And when we support companies that
embrace sustainable practices, we know we’re all
coming out ahead.

A Blustery History
• More than 6 million windmills were installed by
settlers in the American West during the 1890s
• In 1990 more than half of the world’s wind power
was generated in California
• In 2000 the cost of wind-generated-electricity was
between 4-6 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh); by
2004 that cost had dropped to 3-4 cents per kWh
• By 2012 wind energy powered the equivalent of
more than 15 million homes and is the number one
source of renewable energy

Sources:
http://energy.gov/eere/wind/20-wind-energy-2030-increasing-windenergys-contribution-us-electricity-supply
http://www.thesolutionsjournal.com/node/930 (info about Spanish
Fork Wind Farm)
http://energy.gov/eere/renewables/wind
http://en.openei.org/wiki/Small_Wind_Guidebook/Introduction
http://energy.gov/eere/wind/history-wind-energy

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