I have a couple of renewable energy calendars, and when you flip through them, you can’t help but notice a recurring theme. There are photos of wind turbines with photogenic cattle (or goats, or sheep) and glossy pictures of solar panels mounted on barns. All this is enough to start you thinking about renewable energy on the farm.
If you’ve ever wondered how farmers can benefit from renewable energy, check out this terrific page on farm energy from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (otherwise known as ATTRA). The ATTRA site is full of practical information on sustainable agriculture, and they have a great collection of resources on renewable energy, including solar energy, wind energy, energy efficiency and biofuels.
What kind of information is covered? Well, you can read all about generating your own electricity with solar panels or wind turbines, the best solar greenhouse design, and methane recovery from animal manure (a subject which, understandably enough, I’ve never seen pictured on a calendar). Check it out!
