NEWS

Wind power to the people
The Daily Advocate (Greenville, OH)
June 15, 2007
www.dailyadvocate.com

GREENVILLE - "Produce energy in your own backyard" reads the front of the brochure for the Skystream 3.7, a utility-connected wind turbine. That's exactly what two brothers from Oakwood are doing with their own wind turbine that's installed on the 97-acre farm they grew up on off Stingley Rd.

Steve and Joe Jefferis, partners in Powerflo LLC, held a demonstration on a recent windy afternoon to show how the wind turbine operates. They are the first people in Ohio to install a residential power appliance that generates electricity.

"I am using electricity that will basically be free, so the message is "visualize free electricity," because that's what the wind brings us," said Joe Jefferis.

The Skystream 3.7 was developed over the last seven years with funding from a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy that was used to research and perfect the product for residential electric use.

The virtually maintenance-free Skystream 3.7 is mounted on a 35 ft monopole with a small concrete foundation. A cable runs underground from the pole to a special meter installed by Dayton Power & Light's net metering program.

The net metering program is offered by DP&L for customers who install renewable energy systems to generate their own electricity that can be used to offset a portion of the electric energy provided by the company.

Last month the Jefferis' received a $7.50 credit on their DP&L bill from electricity produced by the wind turbine.

"Every time I think about my windmill and how it's spinning, it makes me smile because of the freedom and independence that it represents, and it's real," stated Steve Jefferis during the demonstration.

The turbine costs approximately $12-15,000 to install, one-half to one-fourth the cost of previous wind technologies and takes about six to eight weeks to set up.

In his opening speech Joe Jefferis spoke of his company's enthusiasm for the product.

"This is a big economic development project that we hope will just take off within the next year," said Joe Jefferis

The demonstration continued with State and Federal officials offering their support of new sources of alternative energy.

A representative from John Boehner's office (8th Dist.) read a statement on behalf of the Congressman who was unable to attend.

"...Turbines like this one in Darke County help us find a solution to our dependency issues and help by spurring the local economy. We need to advance common sense and comprehensive energy solutions that increase American supplies of all forms. Congressman Boehner is proud to see companies in the 8th District embrace this innovative spirit and work to find solutions so that we can become energy independent."

Phil Mann spoke from the Ohio Department of Development, Economic Division. The Ohio Department of Development is an agency that provides grants for homeowners and small farms for wind electric through the Ohio Wind Production & Manufacturing Incentive Program.

"We're real excited about all the opportunities that the wind industry provides for the State of Ohio. We have been touring the companies in the State of Ohio and have identified about 50 companies that have already participated in the wind energy supply chain," said Mann.

Ohio State Senator Keith Faber spoke of how he came to the demonstration to learn more about the technology.

"As we go and learn more about this, we're all about reducing our dependency on foreign sources of energy and becoming more energy independent. This is just one of the many alternatives out there and certainly we'll continue to watch and follow this and encourage this as a way to keep us energy independent," said Senator Faber.

State Rep. Jim Zehringer (Dist. 77) commended the brothers for leading the way.

"...We're excited about the possibilities of jobs, putting these things up, servicing them and also decreasing our dependency on foreign oil is obviously our number one goal..," Rep. Zehringer said.

The Jefferis' brothers said that they have orders for three more wind turbines, one of which will be installed in Greene County. They state that the homeowners and farmers that have ordered the Skystream 3.7 are providing certainty to their future energy cost while at the same time supporting both the local economy and alternative energy.

Christina Chalmers is a correspondent for the Daily Advocate.