Michigan Contractor Creates Green Division

Oak Electric Service, based in Waterford Township, Mich., has created a new Green Division for sales and installation of small wind turbines for commercial and residential applications."We are seeing major changes taking place for those of us that operate businesses in the energy field," says Gary Pipia, owner of Oak Electric, which began installing small wind turbines in early 2008. The company is planning to install a Skystream 3.7 kW turbine on a 30-foot pole at its headquarters.Pipia adds that Michigan’s net-metering policy will help encourage businesses and homeowners to consider small wind energy. "We believe that this type of policy encourages customer-sited generators to generate renewable energy in excess of personal needs," he says. "Our investigation also revealed that the single most effective driver for the industry continues to be the financial incentive programs offered by the state, and grid-connected, residential systems in the 1 kW to 10kW range constitute the fastest-growing market segment."