CHRISTMAS TREE FARM POWERED BY WIND

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me
That hope and love will ever be
The way to joy and peace for me.
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
Your beauty green will teach me.
…from O Christmas Tree (English version of O Tannenbaum, traditional)

Wind is just beginning to get traction in Virginia. As so many other states and nations have discovered, the logic of wind is inescapable.

Patrick Wilson, operations administrator, Virginia Wind Energy Collaborative (VWEC) at James Madison University: “As of today, (wind power) is the single most cost-efficient form of renewable energy available…it has great environmental benefits; it doesn’t consume any water and doesn’t emit any pollutants.”

VWEC is becoming a driving force in the state. Through its Virginia Small Wind Incentive Program, it provided a grant that helped Virginia wind pioneers Jenny and Don Hochstein install a turbine to run the electricity at their Halifax County Christmas tree farm.

Always the first question: How much?

The best answer: It depends. Virginia buyers pay $7,000 to $55,000 for 1 to 10 kilowatts of capacity.

An anemometer is installed first to measure wind speed. That information, in conjunction with the owner’s history of power consumption, decides how big a turbine is needed and feasible.

In addition to grants from VWEC, Virginia helps would-be power-generators afford installations with a net metering program. All power fed into the local grid reduces the owners' utility bill. There is also a federal investment tax credit for small wind producers that goes into effect in January 2009. (For a detailed summary of Virginia New Energy incentives and regulations, see DSIRE)

The Hochsteins’ turbine generated 70-kilowatt hours of electricity in its first month of operation and saved them 9% on their power bill.

The Hochsteins say their total expense was less than the price of a new hybrid vehicle and they expect their investment to pay itself off within 3 years.

But like so many others who install small wind or solar energy systems, the Hochsteins had more than cost savings in mind.

Jenny Hochstein, co-owner, wind-powered Halifax County Christmas tree farm: “Unless someone does it, nothing’s going to happen…Someone has to step out there. We decided we were going to invest in the future of alternative energy.”

That’s Christmas spirit that will last all year ‘round, isn’t it?

From the National Christmas Tree Association: Making An Eco-Friendly Choice: The Environmental Debate Settled

For next week: Trees can be recycled as mulch.

The Hochsteins' wind turbine, among the Christmas trees. (click to enlarge)

Residents pioneer for alternative energy, build area’s first wind turbine
Sarah Arkin, December 13, 2008 (Danville Register Bee)

WHO
Jenny and Don Hochstein, owners, Halifax County Christmas tree farm; U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

WHAT
The Hochsteins installed a wind turbine to power their Christmas tree farm.

A Virginia Christmas tree farm. (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- The turbine is the first in Halifax County and one of the first in Virginia.
- The turbine installation was completed in November.
- The Hochsteins to Halifax County in 1999. In 2002, they started the first recycling business in the area.

WHERE
- The Hochstein farm is in Halifax County, Virginia.
- The turbine installers are based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

WHY
- Local and federal grants and federal tax credits paid for almost half of the Hochstein turbine $14,000 cost.
- Because the Hochsteins were pioneering small wind in their area, they did their own research, adapted to local ordinances and to USDA rules.
- The installers made mistakes with the 3-piece, 70-foot high turbine but completed the installation.
- The turbine has a computer controller in its nacelle that adapts it to weather conditions and shuts it down if necessary.
- Jenny is the recycling coordinator for Halifax County.
- Don drives a Mercedes Benz retrofitted to run on used vegetable oil from local restaurants.

click to enlarge

QUOTES
Jenny Hochstein, co-owner, Christmas tree farm: “We’re obsessed with alternate energy and the environment…We could have bought a hybrid car, but it costs less to do a windmill…[and] it would pay for itself in three years…”