Renewable Energy

As we work to move away from our reliance on coal-fired generation to an increased reliance on renewable resources, we have some broad experiences to draw on. Hoosiers throughout the state are currently getting some of their power from wind, landfills, the sun and even dairy farms! Certainly, we are ahead of the curve in many regards when it comes to finding economic ways to add renewable resources to our mix. But while renewable power offers tremendous benefits, it offers some challenges as well.

Learn more about Indiana’s renewable resources below.

Cows Efficiency Solar People Wind Trash

Cows

  • • Animal waste can be converted to clean, renewable electricity
  • • Through a process called Anaerobic Digestion, biogas (a mix of methane and other gases) is generated from cow manure and used to generate electricity
  • • Indiana-based Fair Oaks Farms, a large dairy farm operation, uses anaerobic digesters to treat manure and generate electricity for its own operations
  • • An average 3,500-cow dairy can generate enough electricity to power 750 homes
  • • Anaerobic digesters also reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the capture and use of biogas
  • • Anaerobic digesters remove potentially offensive odors from animal waste, making large farms better neighbors

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Efficiency

  • • Look for the Energy Star label when purchasing new appliances
  • • CFL bulbs use 25% of the energy of their equivalent incandescent bulbs
  • • A 25W CFL will do the same job as a 100W incandescent, while using less energy
  • • Sealing your home’s air leaks can increase the efficiency of heating and cooling equipment
  • • You’ll spend less to run the equipment, and
  • • Be more comfortable in your own home!
  • • When planning to build a new home, consult a HERS Rater for ways to be sure you’re using energy efficiently
  • • For energy saving tips, visit Touchstone Energy Savers or the IMPA Home Energy Suite

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Solar

  • • Electricity can be generated from sunlight
  • • There are two different approaches to generating electricity from the sun
  • • Photovoltaic technology (uses the sun’s light)
  • • Solar-thermal technology (uses the sun’s heat)
  • • Photovoltaic (PV) technology relies on chemical reactions to generate electricity
  • • PV modules are made up of thin layers of film, made of silicone and other conductive materials
  • • Sunlight hits the film, and the chemical reaction causes the release of electrons, which in turn generate electric current
  • • Solar-thermal (S-T) technology is a more traditional form of electricity generation
  • • Large reflectors (mirrors) are used to concentrate and capture the sun’s heat
  • • This heat is then used to create steam, which runs an electric generator

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People

  • • Everyone working together can help to reduce the daily demand for electricity
  • • Seal and insulate your home! The average American home has enough air leaks that, if measured, would be equivalent to having a three-foot hole in the side of each home
  • • Be ENERGY SMART - know how your home uses Energy
  • • Heating and cooling = 50%
  • • Water heater = 20%
  • • Refrigerator = 15%
  • • Lights, other = 15%
  • • A no cost/low cost way to save energy is to change your lifestyle
  • • Ride a bike, take the bus or walk
  • • Turn off, and unplug, items that you’re not using
  • • Think about using less, and choose products with less packaging

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Wind

  • • Since earliest recorded history, wind power has been used to move ships, grind grain and pump water
  • • Wind turbines, like aircraft propeller blades, turn in the air and power an electric generator, which supplies an electric current
  • • Wind turbines come in a variety of sizes and power ratings
  • • Large turbines have propellers spanning more than the length of a football field, stand 20 stories high, and produce enough electricity to power 700 homes
  • • A home-sized turbine has rotors between eight and 25 feet, and stands upwards of 40-feet
  • • Wind resources are characterized by wind-power density classes: Class 1 (lowest) to Class 7 (highest)
  • • Classes 3-7 have an average annual wind speed of greater than 13 mph
  • • Indiana has Class ratings of 1, 2 & 3

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Trash

  • • The methane gas that builds up under landfills can be used to create electricity
  • • Landfill gas is created when organic materials, like food wastes, paper and yard clippings, decompose inside the landfill
  • • The breakdown of these materials creates a gas that is comprised of
  • • 60% methane
  • • 40% carbon dioxide
  • • The gas is collected by drilling wells into the landfill
  • • Methane is used to fuel small, on-site engines
  • • By capturing the methane and converting it into electricity, we reduce methane emissions, a global climate change agent with 23 times the negative impact of CO2
  • • Our landfill gas plants generate, on average, enough electricity to power nearly 2,100 homes

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