Rural System's Country Store Catalog Page of
The Energy Group

Let The Energy Group of Rural System save you money

It's working for you and the region, bringing a new quality of life dimension throughout the rural area of the nation.

Probably like you, we've heard enough about the needs for energy conservation and so we're doing something about it. We have created a dynamic non-profit organization within the business ecosystem that's called Rural System. We work with you following the survival rules learned from biology: get energy, store and conserve energy, and continue that process. With educated, experienced energy experts and computer assistance, we provide you with services of which you may only have dreamed.

The deal:

We have several services, but the key one is helping you and other very busy people be energy smart. We do an analysis of your property and show you whether you can save any money by taking our energy conservation strategy. It is a comprehensive thing involving all aspects of energy. You pay us for the analysis and that is a donation to our group, the cost of us "doing business." You get a form to use in gaining potential tax deductions. If you decide to make the suggested changes, we can arrange for group costs, savings, and efficiencies from using our trained contract staff. Part of the money that you pay for the analysis goes to the increasing the vast services of Rural System which includes improving the productivity of private rural lands.

The bottom line:

Over time (our 7-year planning period), our Group's unique computer-produced energy conservation strategy will not cost you anything but if you implement it, in year 8 it will start being profitable. If fossil energy prices increase (and we're betting on that), the needs for conservation will rapidly increase. If you have implemented our strategy, your net financial gains will rapidly increase.

• For the realtor - we provide energy analyses that help sell or rent apartments and houses
• For the builder - we can suggest energy-conservation sensitive architects
• For the average citizen - we reduce a really big cost - heating and cooling
• For those concerned about the energy-limited future - we help prepare for that future

Find out Who We Are and Why We're in This Non-profit Activity

Here's How:

We have links that describe the following products, services, and opportunities that may meet unlimited combinations of needs and ideas. Let's work together for the good of people in the rapidly changing rural arena. (Give us a call or email us if you have an idea. We hope that you will use with us the Department of Energy's advice.)

1. A sophisticated comprehensive computer-aided energy analysis of homes and apartments. The typical family pays 44% of its utility bill for heating and cooling.
2. Computer maps of solar radiation, specific for sites, counties, and regions
3. Heating degree day analyses and their maps for structures as well as crop and livestock
4. Solar systems for electrifying fences (livestock and pest damage reduction)
5. Solar systems for yard lights, walkway lighting, winter birdbaths and pet watering devices
6. Solar cured, species-specific, and energy-rated firewood
7. Living plant community building roofs (Elizabeth J. Grant at elgrant2@vt.edu)
8. Sale and installation of small river and stream turbine systems and potential conventional electric grid connections
9. Optional structural materials for insulated surfaces (cooperating group prices)
10. Optional windows
11. Site-specific prescription for surface albedo (paint color and type) for structures
12. Access to optional stoves and wood-heat systems
13. Air pollution reduction services and aids for heating
14. Landscaping systems that integrate wildlife, wind reductions, improve seasonal shading, reduce erosion, and us native trees,shrubs, and garden units.
15. Massive heat sink stone sculpture for interior heat systems
16. Distance-learning educational units (architecture, biology, foods, SOL math)
17. New maps of solar radiation within the growing season of each alpha unit
18. GIS site selection with energy-related criteria as part of the multi-factor facility- or structure-location decision
19. Research opportunities and collaboration
20. Developing air pressure, sail systems, and and fly-wheel systems
21. Developing warmed-soil systems for greenhouses and gardens
22. Developing systems for collecting and storing low-volume methane (mines; compost)
23. Energy publications
24. Consulting on unique areas, projects, and problems
25. Wind potential analyses
26. Lectures and analyses for manufacturers using valued energy and embodied energy concepts (H.T. Odum).
27. Earth-heat and warm-spring systems
28. Presentations on and site analyses for on energy-wood system (e.g.. hybrid poplars) and seterrain
29. Kim Calorie Club - an educational program with web site for youth and others for learning about energy sources, conservation of energy, and improving efficiency and effectiveness throughout the rural community

Here are some of our working premises, the basics of energy flow based on the works of H. T. Odum

The I and II Laws of Thermodynamics always operate. Potential for control is dependent on embodied energy. Real systems form webs, not chains. Increasing energy quality accompanies planned or anticipated energy declines. The more the steps in transformation, the higher the quality of energy. The more critical or important a limiting factor, the more embodied energy it carries. Information is very concentrated, embodied energy (genes, books, folklore, TV message, computer program, culture, art, religious communication). Design of self organizing systems: feedback, abundant information; energy embodied for work; maximization of useful power. The fewer the inputs, the greater the recycling. All storage costs energy; there are losses in all storage; preventing losses costs energy. Storage is best in dispersed, low energy states for it reduces depreciation. Systems may be flow limited. (A water wheel can get no more energy than that inflowing from upstream). Work means useful energy transformation in a system of interest. Systems and transformations that do not contribute to maximum power tend be eliminated in competition for energy. (Power is energy flow per time). Useful works are transformations that feedback materials and services. Energy concentrations tend to be degraded (times arrow). All objectives can be seen as special cases of maximize useful power. Survivors upgrade energy quality while other energy is degraded. They thus pump energy faster; have high quality amplifiers and feedbacks. The potential of anything is the available energy per unit of matter stored that is capable of doing mechanical work. Entropy always increases. Systems that survive tend to develop autocatalytic units. (see 15) Time may be needed for recycling and may be limiting. Time is energy. Economic behavior causes money, symbolic information, to flow in, countercurrent to the flow of commodities bearing energy. The basis for buying power of money is the useful flow of energy. Money is in a closed loop; energy, however, flows. Money added and no systems change results in low flow of energy/dollar, i.e., inflation. Energy rationed or reduced also results in inflation. Administration is an energy sink; a cost of doing business. Money flow is not energy flow due to sources sinks life support Money flow decreases relative to energy flow as it passes through the system. The role of government is as a high-quality control sector. Maximizing power may lead to optimum rate of circulation of money and to power-yielding behavioral mechanisms. Income (market) facilitates energy access. Money is spent in proportion to its storage.

Perhaps you will share ideas with me about some of the topic(s) above at RHGiles@RuralSystem.com.

Maybe we can work together ... for the good of us all ... for a long time. Return to the top of page.