53nd Annual Rural Energy Conference & Agricultural Wiring Workshop

Click here for MREC Conference Brochure 2015

Feb 18-20, 2015, Embassy Suites Hotel, Bloomington, MN

Conference presentations

Pre-Conference Workshop Materials:

• Advanced Topics in Stray Voltage Investigation–Tom Seidl, We Energies, and Paul Ortmann, Idaho Power
• Stray Voltage Testing- Counterpoise Calculations, Tom Seidl, We Energies
• Stray Voltage Testing- Distinguishing Contributions from Different Sources, Tom Seidl, We Energies
• Stray Voltage Testing- Transformers, Winding Configurations, Load Box, Tom Seidl, We Energies

 Conference Presentations:

• Iowa Stray Voltage Guidelines, Tony Harvey
• Standby Generation, Peak Shaving, and Tier 4 Engines, Nathan Huso, NRG Reliability Solutions, LLC
  
• Robotic Milking Do’s and Don’ts, Dan Schultz, Farmer, Taylor, WI

Thursday afternoon break out sessions:
Track 1: Agricultural Energy Management on Farms

• Energy Use in Swine Production, Larry Jacobson, University of Minnesota
• Grain Drying and Related Issues, Mark Hanna, Iowa State University
• Overview of Customer Owned Solar in WI, Mike Moore, WI Public Service
• A High School Science Curriculum on Digesters, Mike Moore, WI Public Service
  

Track 2: Farm Wiring and Electrical Safety

• Power Quality Recordings;How to Decipher What the Recorder is Telling You, Tom Seidl and Pete Enstrom, We Energies
• Pools, Piers, and Shower Houses: Electric Shock Drowning, Chuck DeNardo, We Energies,
• Pools, Piers and Shower Houses: Preventing Shocks in a Shower House: Steve Meyer, Jackson Electric
  
• Lessons Learned from Farm Wiring Inspectors, Monte Ewing, Electrical Inspector
  
• What do Wind Turbines do for Single Phase Distribution? Jim Thiede, Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, LLC

Friday Morning Sessions:

• Smart Grid and Impacts for the Rural Electric System,  Massoud Amin, University of Minnesota
• Overview of Precision Dairy Technologies such as Automated Milking and Calf Feeding, Marcia Endress, University of Minnesota
• Economics of Corn, Beef, Feed, and How it Relates to Energy Issues, Jim Salfer, University of Minnesota Extension