Social Media & Wind Energy

When the marketing team at Wind Energy Consulting & Contracting, Inc. (WECC) began to explore creating a social media strategy, we noticed some similarities between wind energy and social media.

Like wind energy, use of social media is not appropriate for everyone. Like wind energy, social media requires long term planning and strategy. Like wind energy, social media is not always orchestrated correctly, leading some to doubt its effectiveness.

As we investigated the current wind energy presence in the blogosphere, twittersphere and the magical world of Facebook, we became impressed with the amount and quality of activity within these social networks. There are multiple outlets focused on activism, education and mobilization. As consultants, it was important for us to educate – but for our strategy to be effective, we needed to find a niche to fill.

Finding our niche was as simple as talking to our clients. If you’ll allow us a moment to toot our own horn, we are very good at what we do. Our clients appreciate our expertise but they also appreciate the relationships that we form with them. It is that “personal touch” that truly sets us apart – and so our strategy was born.

We want people to know who we are and what we believe in. We want people to interact with us, ask us questions and share their hopes for the future. We want to help empower people who see wind energy projects as a way to save their family owned farms, generate income for their schools, and cut costs for their home or business. We even hope to put a smile on your face with The Adventures of Windy & Watt.

We continue to see the good that wind energy offers when implemented properly and we want to pay it forward. You may not read the tweets from @WECC_Energy and walk away with a wind energy degree but we promise to make you smile and make you think.

Connect With WECC:

Wind Energy Consulting & Contracting, Inc. (WECC)

Follow The Adventures of Windy & Watt

10 Things About...Brian, Finance

The "10 Things About" posts are designed to better acquaint you with the WECC team.

1. Where were you born?

Fort Wayne, Indiana.

2. How many countries have you visited?

Seven.

3. List your favorite sports teams.

Florida Gators, Purdue Boilermakers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Cubs

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?

A chef or a pilot.

5. What is your least favorite food?

Mushrooms, blegh.

6. What is your best WECC related memory?

Having coffee every morning with my father.

7. Do you have any pets?

One fantastic dog, Indy.

8. Do you have an interesting hobby?

I’m not sure golf counts as all that interesting but some of the pants I wear on the course probably qualify…

9. What is your favorite animal?

The Yak.

10. Name the one place that you've always wanted to visit.

Moscow.

Clean, Green, Cycling Machine - Matt's Story

WECC is home to a couple of cycling enthusiasts (it must be something about the wind in their hair) and to celebrate Earth Day we’re profiling WECC employee Matt Nipper’s green transportation habit.

Matt, our wind engineer, rides his bike to and from work. The trip is about 10 miles each way and is a chance for him to enjoy being outdoors in beautiful Jacksonville, Florida.

Like many of us, Matt learned to ride a bike at a young age and always enjoyed riding as a recreational activity. It wasn’t until years later that he started to use his bike for transportation purposes. During his final year at Georgia Tech he purchased a bicycle in order to get more quickly from point A to point B – and he was hooked.

After his graduation from Georgia Tech, Matt was accepted to The Technical University of Denmark to pursue his Masters in Wind Energy. As anyone who has visited Denmark knows, it is a country that is famously bike friendly.

Living in Copenhagen, Matt did as most residents do, riding his ordinary bike to school (or work) in regular clothes. Upon completion of the program and his return to the states, Matt kept his cycling habit alive by integrating it into his daily routine.

Just another way that WECC is helping the REgeneration to grow.

Matt & his bike at the office.

Happy Earth Day!

Generation X, Y, Z…where do we go from here?

Be a part of the REgeneration.

REthink.

REpower.

REnew.

This Earth Day, make it a point to learn about renewable energy and share what you’ve learned with a friend. For interesting stories and updates about wind energy, follow us on twitter!

10 Things About...Mandi, Marketing

The "10 Things About" posts are designed to better acquaint you with the WECC team.

1. My favorite childhood memories come from the summers that I spent in the mountains of Upstate New York and Pennsylvania, covered in dirt and leaves and loving every second of it.
2. If I had to choose one "favorite" thing about working at WECC, it would be the people that I interact with each day. I am constantly being inspired by the people around me.
3. I would move to Manhattan just for the food - specifically: Bagels, bakery, deli and pizza.
4. I am fascinated by science and history.
5. My favorite color is charcoal grey.
6. My least favorite color is orange...a terrible thing for a Gator grad to say, I know!
7. My favorite drink is tea - hot or cold.
8. I have an Australian Cattle Dog named Emma. She spent a confusing couple of months convinced that she was a cat.
9. My favorite thing about the wind energy industry is the way that wind energy projects are being used to revitalize entire communities. It is inspiring!
10. My understanding of evolution at seven years old led me to believe that the lizards I saw walking on two feet meant that by the time I was ten, there would be T-Rex's in my backyard.

Top 6 Tips to Choosing the Right Small Wind Turbine

The previously unregulated small wind market takes one step for small turbines, one giant leap for the industry with the announcement of four National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) certified small wind testing sites. (Disclosure: WECC worked with the Kansas State University team on one of the approved site proposals.)

The shift to a regulated market represents a victory for consumers who will now be able to easily verify the claims made by manufacturers of small wind turbines. Small wind turbines are any turbine that is less than 100 KW. These smaller systems represent a rapidly growing portion of the overall wind turbine generator (WTG) market, especially in the United States.

Testing of the turbines has yet to begin and the tests are expected to take at least a year for the initial WTGs selected. The stimulus package’s Federal ITC Grant provides for up to 30% of the cost of the project back in cash and is set to expire at the end of this year, before any WTGs are certified.

How can consumers be sure that they’re making an informed decision when choosing a WTG in the interim? Here are 6 tips to help you get your money’s worth.

1. Read the fine print.

A manufacturer may claim that their turbine produces 5 kW of electricity…in 25 mph sustained winds or more…how realistic is this?

2. Do your research.

What are people saying about the product online? Do you see multiple stories about products malfunctioning and not performing up to expectations?

3. Speak to a former customer.

Ask the manufacturer to connect you with a former customer who would be willing to talk to you about their experience. If they’re not willing to do it, it could be a warning sign.

4. Discuss warranties and servicing options.

Reputable manufacturers will warrant their systems from 2 to 5 years and will fully support.

5. Know your wind speeds.

A great turbine won’t produce any electricity if you don’t have adequate wind. NREL’s wind resource map is a great starting point. NREL Wind Map of America

6. Get a Free WindSight Assessment.

WECC’s wind engineering team has vetted a list of wind turbines and can make recommendations specific to your location and energy usage. Remove the guesswork and a free assessment today at www.FromBeginningToWind.com

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