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Renewable energy and farming are a
winning combination. Energy from the wind, plants, and sun can be
harvested forever, providing farmers with a long-term source of
energy and income. Some of the best renewable resources in the
country are on farmland, especially in the Midwest where the winds
are strong and crop yields are high. That's why UCS has been
promoting renewable energy in the farm belt since the release of our
landmark 1993 report Powering the Midwest.
This fall we decided to
bring this message to farmers by, among other things, developing a
series of fact sheets on renewable energy technologies and the
economic opportunities they could create for rural areas. We have
already distributed them to thousands of farmers, legislators, and
the media. In upcoming legislative campaigns, we plan to work
closely with farmers and farm-based groups to win greater
commitments for renewable energy in the Midwest.
Farming the
Wind
Today, wind developers are installing large
turbines on farms and ranches in a number of states. By 2020, wind
energy could provide farmers and rural landowners with $1.2 billion
in new income and 80,000 new jobs. A wind turbine uses only a
quarter acre of land and can earn royalties up to $2000 per
year.
Through our coalition
work, Iowa now requires that at least 2% of electricity sales be
from renewable sources. As a result, large wind projects near Clear
Lake and Storm Lake pay 115 landowners $640,000 each year. They also
add $2 million a year to the tax base in those counties and have
provided new local jobs.
Growing Energy on the
Farm
Biomass has the potential to supply a significant
portion of America's energy. Tripling biomass use could provide $20
billion in new income for farmers and rural communities and reduce
heat-trapping emissions causing global warming by the same amount as
taking 70 million cars off the road.
A co-op in Iowa is testing
this concept. In the Chariton Valley, farmers have planted 5,500
acres with switchgrass to be burned with coal in a large power
plant. If successful, the project will scale up to 50,000 acres,
producing 200,000 tons of switchgrass each year and supplying 5% of
the plant's fuel.
Taking a different
approach, Roger Decker, a dairy farmer, recently began generating
power from cow manure. A methane digester on his farm heats manure
to 100 degrees F. This produces methane, which powers the turbine.
The unit generates enough electricity for Decker's farm and 50
homes. Decker's project eliminates carbon and methane emissions,
both of which contribute to global warming.
Up with the
Sun
Farmers can also save money and reduce pollution
by capturing the sun's energy for light, heat, hot water, and
electricity. Whether drying crops, heating buildings, or powering a
water pump, using the sun can make the farm more economical and
efficient.
With such tremendous
potential on the farm, UCS plans to keep working with farmers, rural
communities, and clean energy advocates to build grassroots support
for renewable energy throughout the states and in
Congress.
Eric Wesselman was the
field coordinator in UCS's Clean Energy Program.
More Information: To order
printed copies of the fact sheets on renewable energy and
agriculture, contact Kate Abend at 202-223-6133 or kabend@ucsusa.org. Or download PDF versions from the UCS website (www.ucsusa.org/renewable_energy/index.cfm)
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