The Spruce Tree solar project was the first of an initiative to establish a solar corridor along the new light rail line along University Avenue.
The project was substantially subsidized by Xcel — in order to demonstrate the viability of larger solar electric systems in Minnesota.
This Energy Star-rated $1.5M residential construction project incorporates one of the largest residential solar hot water systems in the Upper Midwest.
With the house being new construction, the solar system was closely coordinated with the architectural design.
“We wanted to do something genuine, not phony and greenwashing,” said Bob Chesebro, President of family-owned Wigwam Mills.
“We selected Energy Concepts because of their knowledge of steam boiler plants and their ability to integrate solar to boiler feed water systems.”
This system is one of the largest solar space heating systems in Wisconsin.
Its 108 collectors are piped to three separate drainback solar stations. The three large solar systems all located high on a mezzanine — tied together to serve the in-floor heating system for the transportation building garage.
“There is a lot of teaching potential for our students in having solar panels on the roof. We have to prepare our students for a renewable energy future.”
“That’s where jobs will be found,” states Bob Schmidt, maintenance operations supervisor at Osceola, Wisconsin school district.
Standard industry thinking around small wind has been that any wind machine below “utility size” should be categorized as “small.”
The Northwind turbine represents the best in light commercial turbines in the world today. It is designed with the same principles as its large scale brethren.
