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Clean energy initiatives for our area
Business owners, residents gather at forum to discuss energy alternatives
By Paul Crossman
KINDERHOOK — Concerned community members and representatives from various companies around the area met at the Kinderhook Senior Center Thursday to discuss the various methods — and problems — involved in switching over to new, cleaner forms of energy. Five representatives from local green businesses gave presentations to a crowd of nearly 30 concerned and interested citizens on topics ranging from solar energy installation to the creation of a power authority in Kinderhook.
The goal of the forum was to showcase some of the important clean energy initiatives that are already under way in Columbia County, as well as explore some of the roadblocks and potential solutions toward a green economy and related jobs in our region.
To this effect, Kinderhook Town Supervisor Doug McGivney was the first to speak, giving a short presentation on his ongoing mission to help provide the citizens of the town with cleaner, cheaper energy by looking into solar, wind, and water alternative power sources.
Though he plans to start small by powering only a few buildings, his long-term goal is to eventually use this energy to benefit everyone in the town. According to McGivney, this new power authority would be immensely important not only to help reduce the cost of energy, but in the event of another major storm like the one that hit the area this past winter.
“My worst fear from a security standpoint isn’t a nuclear attack,” McGivney told the crowd, “but a 10-day blizzard where we all lose power. That’s why we need a local power authority.”
He also went on to express his belief that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of this goal was not the technology involved, but current transmission laws which make it nearly impossible for such a project to be feasible. Regardless of this, McGivney is confident that the time is right for Kinderhook to go green, and that with enough lobbying, changes in these laws are inevitable.
“We need these simple law changes,” he said. “If we, the people, demand it, then it will happen.”
Betsy Ferris-Wyman, vice president of SunDog Solar in Chatham was next to speak, giving a little background on the company and explaining why switching to solar power is a good idea. The company itself is incredibly economically friendly, and completely carbon neutral, with the outside of the building covered in energy-saving foam insulation, and the entire structure itself heated with vegetable oil discarded by local restaurants.
They have a staff which includes two New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)-eligible installers and a fully licensed electrician, and install everything from complete photo voltaic solar electric systems to bio-spray foam installations for the outside of your home. They can also install solar power to run specific elements, such as hot water or partial heat for a home.
According to Ferris-Wyman, solar power is great because it helps insulate you from price increases, has no carbon emissions, and even increases the value of your home. There are also several great tax incentives and rebates out there right now which make going solar an even more economically friendly choice.
Though she extolled on the many virtues of solar power, Ferris-Wyman was quick to point out that in most cases even a full solar power system won’t eliminate your electric bill completely, and a solar thermal system will generally not give you 100 percent of the hot water you need.
“It’s not going to replace your furnace,” she said. “We haven’t quite overcome the problem of heating.”
Another major issue in switching to solar power is that since NYSERDA has to inspect and approve every aspect of the installation, it can take an incredibly long time. One gentleman in the audience said it took him more than eight months from start to finish, and that it was very frustrating.
Be this as it may, SunDog Solar said it is still definitely worth it in the long run, as it will still significantly reduce your heating and energy bills, as well as offset thousands of pounds of Co2.
Two representatives from Camphill Village in Copake — Lee Jamison and Christian Sweningsen — spoke next about how much can really be done with alternative energy sources if the effort is made. Camphill Village is a “unique residential community where adults with developmental disabilities and dedicated volunteer co-workers share a full life together,” and is really almost a small town in itself, with each of the 20 houses containing an “extended family” of four to six members of the community, two long-term staff members and one to two short-term staff members.
The facility itself owns more than 600 acres and has made a huge array of adjustments to help save energy, money and the environment. There are photovoltaic arrays in the fields which are used to provide power and heat for the buildings, and even a bio-dynamic farm. All the houses have high insulation levels, and each new house built is oriented to get the best possible use of solar energy, natural ventilation for temperature adjustment, and specifically arranged windows to provide the best possible day lighting and minimize electric usage.
Camphill also uses recycled building materials whenever possible, and even has seven Toyota Priuses for energy efficient transportation. Sweningsen says that the reason they were able to do this is because they could do it as a community, rather than as each individual home.
“People need to band together to do what they can’t do individually,” he said. “That’s why ideas like Doug’s [McGivney] are so important.”
Bill Batemen of Bateman Architects gave a short presentation on the necessity of proper insulation in the home, saying that in order to properly conserve energy in your home you should have at least 23 inches of insulation in your attack, while most people in the area have less than six.
“It always comes back to insulation,” he said. He also mentioned that the best way to conserve energy is to actually insulate the outside of your home rather than the inside, which isn’t done very often.
The biggest problems Batemen could see in working toward newer, cheaper energy were the financial aspects and the government regulations. “The biggest obstacle is the government,” he told the crowd. He said he believes, like McGivney, that until we get the government to change the regulations regarding installation and transmission of alternative power, we will be making energy advances far more slowly than is necessary.
Aerocity Inc., a company based out of Lake Katerine, was the last to present, and described the possibilities opened up by urban wind power. When you think of wind power, chances are you get a picture of those giant, white windmills taking up the horizon for as far as the eye can see. But according to Bill Jacoby, this is not necessarily the case anymore. New technology is available which can make effective helix-shaped windmills that are only about seven feet tall and can capture the wind from any direction. These windmills would then be placed on top of tall buildings, such as those in New York City, and eventually help to provide a portion of their power.
The company, which started out in Claverack, realizes that this sort of wind power is definitely geared more toward city settings than rural areas like Columbia County, but believes that aside from being an alternative energy source, the production of these windmills could create many local jobs.
“[The windmills} are simple to make,” said Jacoby. “There is no reason they couldn’t be manufactured here, then installed in New York City.”
Several of these new windmills are already in use in various places around New York, and Aerocity has just received a $1 million grant from NYSERDA to help fund research and application for the new product. The company is extremely excited to do everything it can to both help the environment and find new ways to provide cheap, clean energy.
“We’re really ready, really primed,” Jacoby said, “We’re constantly working on aerodynamics, blade material, etc. When we installed the first turbine, it felt like the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.”
The American Clean Energy and Security Act is expected to come to a vote in the House of Representatives this summer, and if passed the bill would create high-paying jobs, reduce electricity costs for local households, and help keep America competitive in the global economy. Columbia County as a whole has a unique set of needs and challenges to address if it is to take part in the cleantech and clean energy economy, and meetings like this are the first step in helping to adjust to this and bring some of the new jobs right to our doorstep.
By Paul Crossman
KINDERHOOK — Concerned community members and representatives from various companies around the area met at the Kinderhook Senior Center Thursday to discuss the various methods — and problems — involved in switching over to new, cleaner forms of energy. Five representatives from local green businesses gave presentations to a crowd of nearly 30 concerned and interested citizens on topics ranging from solar energy installation to the creation of a power authority in Kinderhook.
The goal of the forum was to showcase some of the important clean energy initiatives that are already under way in Columbia County, as well as explore some of the roadblocks and potential solutions toward a green economy and related jobs in our region.
To this effect, Kinderhook Town Supervisor Doug McGivney was the first to speak, giving a short presentation on his ongoing mission to help provide the citizens of the town with cleaner, cheaper energy by looking into solar, wind, and water alternative power sources.
Though he plans to start small by powering only a few buildings, his long-term goal is to eventually use this energy to benefit everyone in the town. According to McGivney, this new power authority would be immensely important not only to help reduce the cost of energy, but in the event of another major storm like the one that hit the area this past winter.
“My worst fear from a security standpoint isn’t a nuclear attack,” McGivney told the crowd, “but a 10-day blizzard where we all lose power. That’s why we need a local power authority.”
He also went on to express his belief that the biggest obstacle standing in the way of this goal was not the technology involved, but current transmission laws which make it nearly impossible for such a project to be feasible. Regardless of this, McGivney is confident that the time is right for Kinderhook to go green, and that with enough lobbying, changes in these laws are inevitable.
“We need these simple law changes,” he said. “If we, the people, demand it, then it will happen.”
Betsy Ferris-Wyman, vice president of SunDog Solar in Chatham was next to speak, giving a little background on the company and explaining why switching to solar power is a good idea. The company itself is incredibly economically friendly, and completely carbon neutral, with the outside of the building covered in energy-saving foam insulation, and the entire structure itself heated with vegetable oil discarded by local restaurants.
They have a staff which includes two New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)-eligible installers and a fully licensed electrician, and install everything from complete photo voltaic solar electric systems to bio-spray foam installations for the outside of your home. They can also install solar power to run specific elements, such as hot water or partial heat for a home.
According to Ferris-Wyman, solar power is great because it helps insulate you from price increases, has no carbon emissions, and even increases the value of your home. There are also several great tax incentives and rebates out there right now which make going solar an even more economically friendly choice.
Though she extolled on the many virtues of solar power, Ferris-Wyman was quick to point out that in most cases even a full solar power system won’t eliminate your electric bill completely, and a solar thermal system will generally not give you 100 percent of the hot water you need.
“It’s not going to replace your furnace,” she said. “We haven’t quite overcome the problem of heating.”
Another major issue in switching to solar power is that since NYSERDA has to inspect and approve every aspect of the installation, it can take an incredibly long time. One gentleman in the audience said it took him more than eight months from start to finish, and that it was very frustrating.
Be this as it may, SunDog Solar said it is still definitely worth it in the long run, as it will still significantly reduce your heating and energy bills, as well as offset thousands of pounds of Co2.
Two representatives from Camphill Village in Copake — Lee Jamison and Christian Sweningsen — spoke next about how much can really be done with alternative energy sources if the effort is made. Camphill Village is a “unique residential community where adults with developmental disabilities and dedicated volunteer co-workers share a full life together,” and is really almost a small town in itself, with each of the 20 houses containing an “extended family” of four to six members of the community, two long-term staff members and one to two short-term staff members.
The facility itself owns more than 600 acres and has made a huge array of adjustments to help save energy, money and the environment. There are photovoltaic arrays in the fields which are used to provide power and heat for the buildings, and even a bio-dynamic farm. All the houses have high insulation levels, and each new house built is oriented to get the best possible use of solar energy, natural ventilation for temperature adjustment, and specifically arranged windows to provide the best possible day lighting and minimize electric usage.
Camphill also uses recycled building materials whenever possible, and even has seven Toyota Priuses for energy efficient transportation. Sweningsen says that the reason they were able to do this is because they could do it as a community, rather than as each individual home.
“People need to band together to do what they can’t do individually,” he said. “That’s why ideas like Doug’s [McGivney] are so important.”
Bill Batemen of Bateman Architects gave a short presentation on the necessity of proper insulation in the home, saying that in order to properly conserve energy in your home you should have at least 23 inches of insulation in your attack, while most people in the area have less than six.
“It always comes back to insulation,” he said. He also mentioned that the best way to conserve energy is to actually insulate the outside of your home rather than the inside, which isn’t done very often.
The biggest problems Batemen could see in working toward newer, cheaper energy were the financial aspects and the government regulations. “The biggest obstacle is the government,” he told the crowd. He said he believes, like McGivney, that until we get the government to change the regulations regarding installation and transmission of alternative power, we will be making energy advances far more slowly than is necessary.
Aerocity Inc., a company based out of Lake Katerine, was the last to present, and described the possibilities opened up by urban wind power. When you think of wind power, chances are you get a picture of those giant, white windmills taking up the horizon for as far as the eye can see. But according to Bill Jacoby, this is not necessarily the case anymore. New technology is available which can make effective helix-shaped windmills that are only about seven feet tall and can capture the wind from any direction. These windmills would then be placed on top of tall buildings, such as those in New York City, and eventually help to provide a portion of their power.
The company, which started out in Claverack, realizes that this sort of wind power is definitely geared more toward city settings than rural areas like Columbia County, but believes that aside from being an alternative energy source, the production of these windmills could create many local jobs.
“[The windmills} are simple to make,” said Jacoby. “There is no reason they couldn’t be manufactured here, then installed in New York City.”
Several of these new windmills are already in use in various places around New York, and Aerocity has just received a $1 million grant from NYSERDA to help fund research and application for the new product. The company is extremely excited to do everything it can to both help the environment and find new ways to provide cheap, clean energy.
“We’re really ready, really primed,” Jacoby said, “We’re constantly working on aerodynamics, blade material, etc. When we installed the first turbine, it felt like the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.”
The American Clean Energy and Security Act is expected to come to a vote in the House of Representatives this summer, and if passed the bill would create high-paying jobs, reduce electricity costs for local households, and help keep America competitive in the global economy. Columbia County as a whole has a unique set of needs and challenges to address if it is to take part in the cleantech and clean energy economy, and meetings like this are the first step in helping to adjust to this and bring some of the new jobs right to our doorstep.
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