SOLAR TODAY - June 2012

Small Wind Conference Comes to Wisconsin, June 11–12

By MICK SAGRIllO

Mick Sagrillo is a small wind consultant, educator and advocate, and served as the small wind technology lead for wisconsin’s Focus on energy for seven years.

The Small Wind Conference (SWC, at smallwind conference.com) has become the small wind event of the year, a not-to-be missed extravaganza. The eighth annual SWC is slated for June 11–12 in Stevens Point, Wis.

SWC started eight years ago after a group of small wind industry activists decided that, if there was going to be a conference to address their issues, they would have to put it together. and put it together they did. SWC draws attendees and exhibitors from across North america, Europe, asia and beyond.

While SWC focuses on installers and site assessors, presenters also include manufacturers, supply chain vendors, insurance and financial interest groups, government agencies, public benefits programs managers, permitting authorities, educators and renewable energy advocates. Presentations are selected if they are “ experi-ence-based” and offer viable solutions for problems the industry faces.

SWC also features an exhibition of turbine manufacturers and supply chain vendors, but only those with a proven track record. other conferences may allow anyone to exhibit, but at SWC you won’t find any fantasy wind turbines or “technology breakthroughs,” just solid hardware and products.

Small wind Pioneer elliott Bayly Passes

the small wind industry lost a true pioneer in January with the passing of Elliott Bayly.

An electrical engineer, Bayly actually started out in small wind by founding KFMu, a radio station in Steamboat Springs, Colo., in 1972. Bayly refurbished an old pre-rEA Jacobs Wind Electric generator as the station’s only source of electricity.

over the next 40 years, Bayly invented three completely different wind turbine designs and founded three wind companies — Whirlwind Power, World Power technologies and Ventera Energy.