JULY 2016 / WELDING JOURNAL 39 Clean-Energy Transformation Last year, Jenny Steffensmeier assumed management of the family business when her husband Ben passed away. He founded the company in 1982 by opening a repair shop from his small garage to assist Iowa’s farm and agricultural industries. Since then, it has become an industrial operation with 22 employees, occupying a 24,000-sq-ft facility, and serving the tristate area within a 200-mile radius (see sidebar). To continue spurring growth and increasing efficiency, she adopted new strategies, including pioneering the solar field. The inspiration for this project came when the company’s former production engineer, Glenn Steffensmeier (Ben’s brother), was looking into solar power at his own homestead. He heard about Iowa farmers and agricultural operations transitioning to this energy form and saving money on utility costs. He took what he learned to Jenny, then she assembled a team to investigate its feasibility. After meeting with multiple vendors, Steffensmeier decided to collaborate with the Iowa-based solar design and installation firm, Ideal Energy, who shared the company’s values. The welding company announced the project in July 2015. Iowa Governor Terry Branstad was present at that presentation — Fig. 2. “It’s important to remember that 80% of the new jobs in our state come from existing businesses,” Branstad said. “The more I can be knowledgeable and helpful to eliminate some of the barriers, the better the Iowa economy and the opportunities in the state.” Making a Cost-Effective Choice The system was installed at a total cost of $973,233. However, the net cost of Steffensmeier Welding’s system after tax incentives and depreciation for all years will be $322,257. Once construction began, the project was completed in six weeks to accommodate using 2015 tax credits. The following incentives were beneficial: the Federal Investment Tax Credit, covering 30% of the system costs as a dollar-for-dollar reduction in income taxes, the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System, an incentive that applies to solar to help capture the depreciation value faster than normal, and the Iowa Solar Tax Credit. Installation Impact The solar installation was not in a simple rectangle, even though the preliminary design started out that way. During the value-based engineering phase of the project, on-the-ground site assessments revealed potential shading issues from the buildings during winter months. Taking this into account along with the property available and solar production goals, a keyshaped layout was adopted — Fig. 3. Advanced Technology Details The solar field is constructed of 1412 solar panels with 21 inverters to generate an annual production of 548,981 kWh — Fig. 4. That’s enough to cover Steffensmeier Welding’s com- Fig. 1 — This aerial shot shows the 31⁄2-acre Steffensmeier solar field in Pilot Grove, Iowa. It powers the welding company’s entire operations and offers 430-kW DC power.
Welding Journal | July 2016
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