By Dave Wurtz

By the time you read this, the 20^th annual Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s Energy Fair will be just a memory. It was held June 19-21 in Custer. Exact attendance figures were not available at the time of this submission but during the course of that weekend, it is safe to say the population of Custer grew by many thousands of people. 

First, I’ll share some of the concepts and ideas that were on display from the obscure to the more practical. There were hydroponic gardens with pumps powered by photovoltaic (PV) panels and bicycle driven blenders. The latter of which can apparently be adapted to any kitchen appliance and other than the bike, all you need is a handful of scrap parts. It probably is not destined to catch on but build one and you are sure to be a hit at the next Jimmy Buffett concert.  

There were factory-built electric bicycles on display. It is cheaper than a motor scooter and probably useful on a college campus or for getting groceries. However, it left me to wonder, is a bicycle not already the original “green” transportation vehicle just as it is?  

One exciting moment was nearly being run over by a silent, solar-powered, 3-wheel recumbent bicycle. I’m not sure if it was operator error by someone taking a first test drive or someone having a good old time. By the smile on his face, I would say he was having a good time and it made me want to take it for a spin just to see how fast it would go.  

Some of the more practical ideas were home-brewed, plug-in, battery-driven cars. Kits are available for purchase online for a reasonable price and can be adapted to any used car, although the smaller and lighter the better. I think these would be very practical for anyone that commutes to work less than 40 miles round trip and can travel off the main highway, as the max speed seems to average 45 MPH.  

Of course, there were many vendors displaying their designs of wind turbines sized for residential, farm and light commercial use. I think these would be practical for someone that had the means and wanted to get at least partially “off the grid.” The same can be said for the many PV and Passive (hot water) solar arrays on display.  

I feel there was truly something for everyone whether an environmentalist, scientist or just plain curious, a child or child at heart, inventor or dreamer. The common thread that brought all of them together was a sincere belief that things can get better. You could see it on their faces. Everyone was walking around smiling as if reliving a childhood birthday party.  

That leads in to what I feel is the main thing I took away from the fair – the conversations I had with a wide variety of attendees. I won’t soon forget the joy on a renewable energy enthusiast’s face who asked to not be named as he told me how he has driven more than 44,000 miles the past three years on used fryer oil. He obtains 15 to 20 gallons of oil a week for free. The only investment was a $1,250 conversion kit from Elsbett Co. of Germany that he installed in 2006. I don’t have actual figures to report but he claimed that he had it emission tested and it barely registered. He reported as most I have talked to in regards to vegetable oil cars that instead of a black cloud of diesel exhaust you get the sense of whiffing a french fryer in use.  

I shared lunch with a couple of gentlemen on Saturday of the fair that own an engineering firm in Madison. As if sharing a top secret they explained that it was their first time at the fair and they were they were attending to check out the competition. They were collecting as much performance data as they could get on other manufacturer’s wind turbines. They wanted to establish a benchmark to compare their own very promising wind turbine blade design. After promising not to pass on details of what made their design unique, I asked them why they thought they had a better design. Their faces literally beamed when they told me of how one of their turbines consistently outperformed all of their other test models in wind tunnel testing. Talking with these two people, I couldn’t help but think that the future looks very bright.  

I spent quite a bit of time talking with William Yudchitz, owner of Revelations, an architectural design firm in Stevens Point. He had on display a concept, “off grid” home of his own design. With rainwater collectors built into the roof and a composting toilet, the design theoretically eliminates the need for water and sewer/septic connections. PV panels power the high-efficiency lighting.  

While from the outside the footprint appeared rather small, approximately 26 feet by 12.5 feet, the two-story interior was rather roomy. A very nicely appointed kitchen and dining/living area greet you as you enter. Off to one side was a spacious bathroom and two upper loft sleeping areas completed the layout. Everything speaks of high quality, incorporating sustainable CNC cut hardwoods sealed with non-toxic, water=based varnish.  

To use the word passionate is probably an understatement to describe Mr. Yudchitz. He explained that everything on display, which includes tanks, pumps, cabinets, counter tops, fixtures, appliances, etc., could be delivered and set up on site for about $75,000. Even so, people were having trouble obtaining financing, even with good credit for this type of a home. He explained how two things come into play. First, a bank looks at the footprint of the house and deems it not saleable in the event of a default. Secondly, if a potential borrower mentions words such as rainwater collector, off grid or composting toilet, the bank labels them as well, a little “off” themselves. He only half jokingly suggested that people wanting to get financing on homes such as these should “talk like a Republican.”  The only other option at this time is to pay cash or take out a commercial note subject to balloon payments and interest adjustments. He is hoping the government can consider forming something like an FHA specifically for these unique homes.  Beyond that, Mr. Yudchitz stated his sincere belief that any such “off grid home” his firm designs must fit the environment in which it is to be built and must fit the lifestyle of the owner. Because of this, he has committed to interviewing potential buyers and reviewing potential build sites to make sure that both of these requirements are met.  

Because it interested me, I spent quite a bit of time listening to a pitch on Solar Ovens. I’d heard of them before. They’re a nice concept. Using no gas or electricity, you can roast chicken, slow cook a meal or bake bread all without heating up the kitchen in summer.  

Let’s move that concept up a hundred fold in my opinion.  I was deeply moved listening to the person working in the booth for Kenya Works explain how they raise money to provide solar ovens to families in Kenya. Apparently there are areas in Kenya that are so devoid of firewood that people are forced to range out over wide areas looking for sticks or any type of wood, bundle it and carry it back home on top of their heads. Can you imagine what a lifesaver a solar oven would be to a family in Kenya?  

Kenya Works also helps these same families build ovens and stoves that get twice the use of what wood they do collect. Kenya Works is a non-profit organization founded by Mary Stusek of Menasha. Mary has also founded the Kenya School Project. I don’t know if they are available after the fair but they were selling kits to make your own solar oven during the fair. I plan to contact them and if they are still available, I know which one I’m going to buy.  

So many people have asked this question recently; What is Green? Or what does Green mean to me? Of course, these same people then take the opportunity to tell us the answer. I had the pleasure of talking to someone who had traveled from Indiana to attend the fair that I believe summed it up eloquently.  

I had been paging through a How To book on making your own residential wind turbine. Having spent so much of my career working with permanent magnets, motors and rotating equipment I was impressed with what they had to say on building the generator section of the turbine. Therefore, I decided to buy it.  

As I was turning to leave there was someone standing next to me who had bought the same book. He said I was really going to like the book and that the authors had put on a couple of educational programs at the fair and really knew what they were talking about. I agreed and said no one I had talked to before had understood coercivity and in their book, they had nailed the definition perfectly.  

We laughed and introduced ourselves. He quickly proclaimed to have been completely off the grid for several years. We talked about our experiences, education and environmental beliefs. It quickly became apparent that we were two different people. He was proud to be quite liberal. I was proud to be a businessperson, and while not radically so, was somewhat more conservative then he was.  

Yet through conversing, we were able to find that common ground. We had both been actively doing what we could to help the environment long before the word “green” was coined. He was working toward his dream of being off the grid and learning all he could and educating others to be able to accomplish what he had. I had been promoting energy conservation projects as a means of reducing costs and preserving the environment. We were both working toward leaving a cleaner world for future generations.  

Then he said something that really struck me. He allowed that the liberal side, although having good ideas, can tend to at times force things on the other side and what happens is that the conservative side digs in its heels. He explained that it is human nature. Then he said that of course the conservative side has its own issues. I agreed and we both laughed. He told me he has many people in his network that are admittedly very conservative. They get together, shake hands, and realize that if they stay stuck on politics it would be like a snake eating its own tail. They just find their common ground of talking about renewable energy.

Refreshingly, not once during my entire conversation with this person was the word green brought up.  I would like to believe that is what it is all about. Everyone putting aside his or her differences and finding the common ground. There exist so many brilliant people from diverse backgrounds all with equally brilliant ideas.  

Renewable energy, recycling, buying recyclables, sustainable practices, finding ways to get it done and making it work. I believe that is what the past 20 years of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association’s annual energy fair has been all about. The people, the sharing and most of all the conversations. It’s too bad the fair is only three days out of the year but we all have the opportunity to carry on its traditions 365 days a year.  

Dave Wurtz is the founder of Greenervation, LLC., a company devoted to green energy projects. Send questions, comments and feedback to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it