Harnessing the wind is one of the cleanest, most sustainable ways to generate electricity. Wind power produces no toxic emissions and none of the heat trapping emissions that contribute to global warming. This, and the fact that wind power is one of the most abundant and increasingly cost-competitive energy resources, makes it a viable alternative to the fossil fuels that harm our health and threaten the environment.

Wind energy is the fastest growing source of electricity in the world. Global installations in 2005 reached more than 11,500 megawatts (MW)–a 40.5 percent increase in annual additions compared with 2004–representing $14 billion in new investments.  In the United States, a record 2,431 MW of wind power was installed in 2005, capable of producing enough electricity to power 650,000 typical homes.  Despite this rapid growth, wind power is still a relatively small part of our electricity supply–generating less than one percent of both the national and global electricity mix. But thanks to its many benefits, and significantly reduced costs, wind power is poised to play a major role as we move toward a sustainable energy future.

BHES is a current member of SEI International and had the honor of education from one of the most experienced pioneers in the wind generation industry and Home Power Magazine Senior Editor, Ian Woofenden.  During an intensive late night seminar at Northwoods Stewardship Center Ian made it very clear "Wind turbines are a very important part of our energy solution, but proper analysis and complete understanding of the service issues are MANDATORY!"

BHES is a dealer of the most advanced wind turbines on the market and will provide design, sales, service, and installation.           
                                                        

                                          

Solar energy—power from the sun—is free and inexhaustible. This vast, clean energy resource represents a viable alternative to the fossil fuels that currently pollute our air and water, threaten our public health, and contribute to global warming. Failing to take advantage of such a widely available and low-impact resource would be a grave injustice to our children and all future generations.

In the broadest sense, solar energy supports all life on Earth and is the basis for almost every form of energy we use. The sun makes plants grow, which can be burned as “biomass” fuel or, if left to rot in swamps and compressed underground for millions of years, in the form of coal and oil. Heat from the sun causes temperature differences between areas, producing wind that can power turbines. Water evaporates because of the sun, falls on high elevations, and rushes down to the sea, spinning hydroelectric turbines as it passes. But solar energy usually refers to ways the sun’s energy can be used to directly generate heat, lighting, and electricity.

BHES is specializing in photovoltaics to provide the most complete and efficient sales, design, installation, and service package available to the Black Hills and surrounding area. Using the most up-to-date and comprehensive green construction techniques, BHES will lead the way for innovative "self sufficient" design. BHES is a proud member of USGBC the foundation of the green building movement.

                   

Solar hot water refers to water heated by solar energy. Solar heating systems are generally composed of solar thermal collectors, a fluid system to move the heat from the collector to its point of usage, and a reservoir or tank for heat storage and subsequent use. The systems may be used to heat water for home or business use, for swimming pools, underfloor heating or as an energy input for space heating and cooling and industrial applications.

In many climates, a solar heating system can provide up to 85% of domestic hot water energy. In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.

In the southern regions of Africa like Zimbabwe, solar water heaters have been gaining popularity, thanks to the Austrian and other EU funded projects that are promoting more environmentally friendly water heating solutions.

Residential solar thermal installations can be subdivided into two kinds of systems: compact and pumped systems. Both typically include an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 50 °C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar hot water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water can enable a hot water system to work all year round in northern climates without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar hot water system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.

Flat-plate collectors for solar water heating were popular in Florida and Southern California in the 1920s. Due to the abundance of sunlight in Israel, solar water heaters were used by some 20% of the population by 1967. Following the energy crisis in the 1970s, the Israeli Knesset passed a law requiring the installation of solar water heaters in all new homes (except high towers with insufficient roof area). As a result Israel is now the world leader in the use of solar energy per capita (3% of the primary national energy consumption).

During this time, there was some resurgence of interest in solar heating in North America. Technical innovation has improved performance, life expectancy and ease of use of these systems. Installation of solar hot water heating has become the norm in countries with an abundance of solar radiation, like Cyprus, Israel and Greece, and in Japan and Austria, where there is less.

Solar hot water systems have become popular in China, where basic models start at around 1,500 yuan (US$190), much cheaper than in Western countries (around 80% cheaper for a given size of collector). As a result, their quality is questionable. It is claimed that at least 30 million Chinese households now have one, and that the popularity is due to the efficient evacuated tubes which allow the heaters to function even under gray skies and at temperatures well below freezing.

In 2005 Spain became the first country in the world to require the installation of photovoltaic electricity generation in new buildings, and the second in the world (after Israel) to require the installation of solar hot water systems.

Economics, Energy and System Costs

A laundromat in California with panels on the roof providing hot washing water.

In sunny, warm locations, where freeze protection is not necessary, a batch type solar hot water heater can be extremely cost effective. In higher latitudes, there are often additional design requirements for cold weather, which add to system complexity. This has the effect of increasing the initial cost (but not the life-cycle cost) of a solar hot water system, to a level much higher than a comparable hot water heater of the conventional type. When calculating the total cost to own and operate, a proper analysis will take into consideration that solar energy is free, thus greatly reducing the operating costs, whereas other energy sources, such as gas and electricity, can be quite expensive over time. Thus, when the initial costs of a solar system are properly financed and compared with energy costs, then, in many cases the total monthly cost of solar heat can be less than other more conventional types of hot water heaters (and also in conjunction with an existing hot water heater). In addition, federal and local incentives can be significant.

As an example, a 56ft² solar water heater can cost US $7,500, but that initial cost is reduced to just $3,300 in the US State of Oregon due to federal and state incentives. The system will save approximately US $230 per year, with a payback of 14 years. Lower payback periods are possible based on maximizing sun exposure. In more northerly locations, solar heating used to be less efficient. Usable amounts of domestic hot water were only available in the summer months, on cloudless days, between April and October. During the winter and on cloudy days, the output was poor. Independent surveys have shown that modern systems do not suffer these limitations. There are cases of households in northern climates getting all of their domestic hot water year round from solar alone. Systems have been shown to efficiently work as far north as Whitehorse, Yukon (latitude of 60 B 43' N ).