Like most greenhouses in the
north, the largest expense in our family's business, Pork & Plants,
has always been heating, and trying to anticipate the fluctuations
in gas prices is nearly impossible. The need to find a
better heating solution became a new business, Alternative Energy
Solutions, which joins the talents and expertise of brothers, Eric
and Paul Kreidermacher.
We wanted to reduce our heating
costs, but also do it in a way that is more efficient and uses
readily available inputs. The Pelco burners in the greenhouse
have been very effective in reducing our heating costs by half in
just the first year. We also have helped a number of other
farmers and growers determine the right Pelco setup for their
operations.
Originally, we
used corn to heat the Pelco burners, but as corn commodities widely
fluctuated Summer/Fall 2007, it became obvious that we needed to
make our own fuel source. After working with AURI
(Agricultural Utilization Resource Institute) to test out different
types of inputs, like corn stover, bean straw, and prairie grasses,
we ran the first pellets through the mills Fall 2009, and by March
2009 we were using 100% pellets to heat the greenhouse.
In June 2009, AES received the
AURI Innovator of
the Year Award for successfully implementing a great idea. Not
only can we help you build a better heating system based on our
experiences, but we can also supply a consistently priced fuel
source.
