Renewable Energy Technologies
Wright-Hennepin (WH) is committed to implented renewable energies into our power supply. Our goal is to inform our members about new renewable technology and what it can do for them.
Wind and Solar Power Contest
WH has constructed its first wind turbine outside its main office in Rockford, MN. WH built a 120 ft tall, 20 KW wind turbine. For more information on the wind turbine, the wind turbine camera, or to enter the wind and solar power contest, please click here.
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Solar technology has advanced greatly over the past decade, with new solar "farms" being developed across the country. WH has even decided to get in on the action.
The cooperative recently installed two 1,000 watt solar panels, which is enough to power twenty 100 watt light bulbs or four 500 watt portable electric heaters. Rod Nikula, Chief Operating Officer, WH, says, “This installation is meant to be an educational experience for both WH and its members, much like our wind turbine installation last year. It will be a good way for us to measure what type of solar energy we can harness right here in Wright County, and it will help WH and its members determine if this is a practical energy resource to use in Minnesota.”
For more information the solar panels and the monitor the current amount of power that they are harnessing, please click here.
Biofuels could change the way we power our lives
Bioenergy is renewable energy made from any organic material from plants or animals. Sources of bioenergy are called "biomass." Biomass consists of three main segments: wood, solid waste and alcohol fuels.
Biomass is a renewable resource that is more evenly distributed over the Earth's surface than other energy sources, and they may be extracted using environmentally friendly practices. Today, biomass resources are used to generate electricity and to produce liquid fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel.
For more information on Biofuels, please click here.