WALL LAKE – A pair of wind energy generation workshops will be held starting at 1 p.m. on March 4 and March 18, in the Iowa Community Center in this southern Sac County community.

The meetings are geared to private businesses or individuals interested in erecting medium-sized generation towers. These are the towers typically used by local business, small manufacturing, towns, or schools.

The two workshops will differ from each other.

The March 4 event will outline the information needed to make an intelligent practical decision on the feasibility of wind energy generation at one’s site.

The March 18 event goes into details of legal issues, dealing with the utility companies, and financing the project using government and private loans, grants, and tax credits.

“I would definitely recommend both workshops for the best picture of the real world of wind energy generation,” said Patty Axman of the sponsoring M&M Divide RC&D. “It is not just a friendly green thing to do. It is a business investment decision.

“We have tried to structure this in such a way that participants have a true picture of the costs and benefits they can achieve by harnessing the wind.”

Preregistration cost for each workshop is $20 or both workshops for $30. Spouse registration is only $5 per workshop. Registration at the door is $25 for each participant.

Those who preregistration will receive a catered lunch before the workshops. They may also attend 11 a.m. tours of the Western Iowa Energy Biodiesel plant, Cookies Barbeque Sauce plant, or the Andy William’s Birthplace and boyhood home, all in Wall Lake.

For complete details, contact the M&M Divide RC&D at (712) 792-4415.

The workshops are provided with assistance from the Iowa Energy Center, numerous energy and business organizations, and the Sac and Carroll County Extension Councils.

Those who cannot attend either of these Wall Lake workshop dates, the Southern Iowa RC&D is offering an all-day wind energy workshop in Creston at the Southwestern Community College on March 5.

Many of the guest speakers from the Wall Lake conference on March 4 will also be in Creston on March 5.

For information on that workshop, contact Mark Depoy at (641) 782-7058.

The RC&D’s and all cooperating sponsors are equal opportunity and access providers.