Privately generated wind energy picking up

On days like Wednesday, with sustained winds and nearly 55 mph gusts, there is a constant subtle hum in the sky over Sherman Swank’s one-acre residence four miles west of Newton. Anchored into the ground by concrete footings and supported by steel cables on a 70-foot tower is the retired Newton public works employee’s private source of wind power.

“We’re green, and we eventually want to get off the grid,” Swank said about his and his wife Susan’s lifestyle. “Because electricity (prices) will never go down. It will always continue to rise.”

The Swanks erected the windmill three years ago, and it now powers an average of 25 to 30 percent of their electrical usage. The Jasper County couple are part of a small but growing group of Iowans who are using residential wind energy generation to become less reliant on the power company, and some people, like Swank, are working toward making their properties self sufficient and go “off the grid.”

According to Jasper County Zoning Administrator Larry Ryan, there are at least six private wind turbines powering homes and business throughout the county, including Van Wall Equipment in Colfax and a Grinnell College facility.

“They’re starting to spring up,” Ryan said. “And because the towers all have pre-engineered components, there is nothing for the county to inspect. It makes it easy for home owners and business to install the units.”

The county enforces minimal regulations for erecting turbine towers. Ryan said that they are allowed in all zoning districts, and an inspection determines if there is suitable fall zone to maintain safety of utility lines and surrounding properties if the tower were to come down unexpectedly. The zoning commission requires the site plan and turbine specifications to approve the residential permit.

Swank takes pride in his wind generator. Standing underneath the support tower, he points out several small decorative windmills. The three-finned replicas emulating classic designs from Holland sit in the shadow of the their futuristic cousin.

“Yeah, I’m Dutch,” he said. “I really enjoy the wind, and I really enjoy the wind generators very much. I’m kind of a green person, and they help the environment too, as far as I’m concerned. It’s a good fit for society nowadays.”

Cost for the residential generators vary. Swank paid $12,000 for his Skystream 2.0 generator in 2009 and used federal tax incentives to justify the costs. Swank said that he was able to deduct nearly 100 percent of the turbine’s cost from taxes, and he also received a renewable energy grant from Iowa State University.

Iowa currently ranks second nationally in commercial wind energy output with 3,670 megawatts installed with 2,534 turbines, according to the Iowa Office of Energy Independence. The government agency’s statistics show that utility companies such as Mid-American Energy and Alliant Energy currently are generating $50 million in revenue annually from commercial wind production. But some Iowa residents are not only using residential wind energy to be self-sustainable, companies are paying their customers to contribute to the grid.

Mark Jennings raises corn and soybeans on a 160-acre homestead east of Prairie City. He installed a larger scale wind turbine in 2009 that powers nearly 85 percent of his farming operation. Jennings said that during times of peak wind production, specifically during spring months, his generator creates a surplus which Mid-American energy inputs as a credit to his utility bill.

“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve hated energy bills,” he said. “I’ve cut wood to heat my home ever since I was old enough to use a chain saw. I thought I’d find a good way to produce the electricity I use.”

Jennings said that he does not get a check for the energy he puts back into Mid-American’s grid, but his bills are minimal. Before the installation of his turbine, Jennings was paying over $300 for utilities during peak summer months. He now pays the base customer fee of $8.50 per month.

But for the low utility prices, Jennings had higher initial start-up costs than some of the smaller home generators. His windmill which produces 25 kilowatts per hour and stands on a 100-foot tower with 15-foot tall wind blades had an initial price tag of $70,000. The United States Department of Agriculture offers a 20 percent grant for farmers who purchase the renewable energy source, and with an additional 30 percent federal tax credit, Jennings put up his turbine for nearly half the initial price.

Eventually combining his wind generation with other sources of renewable energy, Swank hopes to be completely independent from corporate utilities within five years. He plans to install solar panels on his house and a small motorized array in his yard.

“It depends on how many solar panels we put up,” he said. “We have an all electric home now. That will sustain us I hope. It will be very close.”

Susan Swank said that for her and her husband, wind generation and living green is a lifestyle.

“There’s some of us who survived the 60s who understand composting and recycling,” she said. “If you can’t give back what can you do?”

Mike Mendenhall can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 422 or via e-mail at mmendenhall@newtondailynews.com.