Compiled by:
Alternative Farming Systems Information Center

December 2005

Publications from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

1. Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

EERE maintains a gateway to “hundreds of Web sites and thousands of online documents on energy efficiency and renewable energy,” at their Energy Information Portal, http://www.eere.energy.gov/. Many of these factsheets and resource guides are of interest to farmers who wish to explore alternative energy production and utilization. To search the EERE Web site, go to http://www.eere.energy.gov/menus/search.html. Search for terms such as: farmer, farming, rancher, or rural. Free online documents include:

• Anaerobic Digesters for Farms and Ranches.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_workplace/
  farms_ranches/index.cfm/mytopic=30002

• Biofuels and Agriculture: A Factsheet for Farmers.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass/pdfs/farmerfactsheet.pdf

• Direct Use of Geothermal Energy.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/geothermal/directuse.html

• Large Wind/Wind Farms.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/large_wind.asp

• Microhydropower Systems.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/electricity/index.cfm/mytopic=11050

• Small Wind for Homeowners, Ranchers, and Small Businesses.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/small_wind.asp

• Solar Energy Applications for Farms and Ranches.
  http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_workplace/
  farms_ranches/index.cfm/mytopic=30006

If you are unable to find the information you require via EERE’s Web site, Ask an Energy Expert is a free, public service of DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy:

Ask an Energy Expert online service, request form at: http://www.eere.energy.gov/informationcenter/

If you have difficulty submitting this form, you can contact staff at 1-800-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463).

2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) addresses energy issues that are environmentally and economically sustainable. NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

NREL offers many publications, including the Renewable Energy for Farmers or Ranchers series. Publications in this series, available online at http://www.nrel.gov/learning/farmers_ranchers.html address what the farmer or rancher needs to know about energy efficiency and renewable energy. Topics covered include: biofuels, biopower, geothermal heat pumps, hydroelectric power, passive solar heating and daylighting, photovoltaic (solar cell) systems, solar hot water, wind energy. Many of these resources include links for introductory or basic information on the topic.

• Biofuels for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_biofuels.html

• Bioproducts for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_bioproducts.html

• Fuel from Farms: A Guide to Small-Scale Ethanol Production.
  http://devafdc.nrel.gov/pdfs/0663.pdf

• Geothermal Direct Use for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_geo_direct_use.html

• Hydropower for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_hydropower.html

• Passive Solar Heating and Daylighting for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_passive_solar_heating.html

• Photovoltaics (solar cell) for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_photovoltaics.html

• Solar Hot Water for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_solar_hot_water.html

• Wind Energy for Farmers and Ranchers.
  http://www.nrel.gov/learning/fr_wind.html

This list was compiled at the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC), National Agricultural Library, U.S. Department of Agriculture, September 2003, revised December 2005, as a service to customers interested in pursuing various energy production options. For more information about AFSIC:

Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC)
10301 Baltimore Ave., Room 132, Beltsville, MD 20705-2351
phone 301-504-6559; TDD 301-504-6856; fax 301-504-6409
E-mail AFSIC
Web site: http://afsic.nal.usda.gov