For three days every summer for the past eight years a small town in central Wisconsin becomes the alternative energy capital of the world.

In June, about 10,000 people from 49 states and 30 countries descended on the Portage County Fairgrounds near Amherst (population 700) to examine solar, wind, and other renewable sources of energy, along with alternative construction methods, vehicles, and communications, and a variety of social issues. They attended workshops and took notes like eager college students, gazed skyward at whirling windmills (one with a blade span of 27 feet), and admired solar panels the way some people admire new cars in dealer showrooms. Some scurried from exhibit to exhibit as if afraid of missing anything, while others engaged in long technical discussions with vendors and other experts. Children cavorted in the streets formed by colorful carnival tents - when they weren't attending their own activities which ranged from ";Durwood the Dinosaur and His Conservation Tips"; to the energizing sing-along with Tom Pease. There was good food, lively music, and rousing speeches by Ralph Nader and Annie Young.

This extravaganza is known as the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair.

Forecast for the future: Sunny - and exciting The 129 workshops, most held in 12 large, colorful tents, made homesteaders wish the event lasted three weeks, not three days. Even though some sessions were repeated, it was impossible to attend every one that pertained to making the homestead both energy-independent and more pleasant.

They covered Photovoltaics, Electrical Storage and Controls; Wind and Water; Housing; Transportation and Fuels; Perspectives; Sustainable Living Skills; Renewing the City; and Children's Workshops.

Within these categories were sessions on PV systems for beginners and "New Developments in Photovoltaics: Amorphous Silicon"; the history of wind machines and PV/Wind hybrid systems; straw bale construction and cordwood building and earth sheltered construction; gardening in the north, and saving seeds; cooking with the sun, community living and a panel discussion on the spirituality of sustainable systems. You could learn about methane, ethanol and fuel cells, ground-coupled heat pumps and Stirling engines, sustainable agriculture and the ABCs of socially responsible investing.

Just as instructive and exciting were more than 80 booths and exhibits featuring huge wind electric converters and small ones - large arrays of solar panels and tiny ones for powering radios - solar cookers, steam power, batteries, wood and pellet and masonry stoves and energy-efficient home appliances as well as hemp, ham radio, and recumbent bicycles.

There was a display of alternative energy powered vehicles, and a model solar home, in an "eco-village." And if you were overcome by all that, you could have visited the massage tent.

It was, in brief, a preview and celebration of the homestead technology and culture of the future... and it was all available right there in Amherst.

On the following pages you'll find some highlights of just a few of the sessions of particular interest to homesteaders.

The future of solar is at hand: Dr. Richard Komp of Sun Watt Corporation said new solar cell materials that are now in production slash the manufacturing cost from $5 a watt to $1 a watt. This makes solar electricity competitive with fossil fuels.

The cost reduction hasn't reached retail levels yet for several reasons, including manufacturing capacity, the developers' desire to amortize their research and development investments, and supply and demand. Expect this to change in the next year or two. And when prices come down, demand will soar, production and competition will increase, and electricity from the sun will follow the pattern of calculators and computers: They will be everywhere.

When this happens, Dr. Komp expects solar electric output to increase at a rate of 1,000 megawatts a year - equivalent to one new nuclear power plant each year.

He touched on quantum physics and "momentum space," the bottom line being that modules have gone from 20 microns to 0.35 microns thick, with a resulting increase in efficiency. (Ten percent power efficiency is the "magic number" for solar cells.)

Today, about 75% of the solar cells manufactured go to underdeveloped countries where most people live far from fossil fuel power plants.

Although the useful life of a solar cell depends on how it's made, he once tested a German-made photographic light meter, which works on the same principle. It was still accurate - and it was nearly 80 years old. (Pocket calculators use modules that decay.)

Also of interest: Photovoltaic (PV) cells are made from silicon -sand - which contributes to solar power's being a "clean" source of energy. Some are being made from reject computer chips - and at least one large manufacturer subcontracts work to Silicon Valley computer chip makers.

And note this in connection with COUNTRYSIDE'S Homestead 2100 series: entire solar electric systems, including the batteries, are being manufactured in what amounts to cottage industries in under-developed countries such as Nicaragua.

Water-powered pumping:

Rams can be used with heads as low as three feet. (Flowing water is a requirement with these devices: they will not pump water from a lake or pond.) With a greater fall, water can be lifted as high as 300-500 feet, he said. There is no set ratio of supply to delivery because of variables, although a formula does provide some generalizations.

For example, with a drop of three feet, and raising water 18 feet above the ram, a chart provides a number of .09. Multiply this times the gallons per minute entering the ram times 1440 to get the estimated gallons per day the ram will pump. At a height of 6 feet the number is .24; at 12 feet, .12.

Example: With a drop of three feet, and a flow of two gallons a minute entering the ram, you can expect to pump 259 gallons a day to a height of 18 feet... using only the power of the falling water itself.

How it works: Water flowing into the ram strikes an impulse valve, opening it to allow water into the main chamber, which also includes air. When the pressure in the chamber reaches a point where no more water can enter, the impulse (or impetus or waste) valve closes.

A flapper valve (compared to the valve in a toilet) opens and the air in the chamber forces some of the water into the delivery pipe.

As this process is repeated over and over again, water is forced up the delivery pipe and into the holding tank.

Welch told of some friends who were hiking in a remote area of California's gold country hearing a rhythmic clicking. Curious, they searched for the source of the sound. Beneath the forest floor they discovered a water ram, still pumping away after who-knows-how-many-years. These machines are durable and virtually maintenance-free.

Some models, however, use brass valves that can be worn by sand in water. Those using hard rubber last longer under such conditions, Welch said.

Also, in climates such as Wisconsin's, there is potential for freezing. The water must be kept moving, and it's a good idea to house the ram in an insulated box.

Welch displayed a High Lifter, a somewhat more sophisticated version of the ram, using pistons. This can operate on a flow of as little as one quart per minute. Used for household, livestock or irrigation water, it can pump 750-1500 gallons per day. It was suggested that the high lifter could be hooked up to a hand pump to increase the lift.

Another form of "energy-free" water pumping is the sling pump. This is used in a flowing stream or river.

It consists of a cone that is tethered in the stream. The cone is lined with tubing, wound in a spiral. The tube is progressively smaller as it passes from the large to the small end of the cone.

On the small end of the cone are vanes or propellers which make the entire unit revolve in the current like a cement truck. Because of the vanes, these generally require a stream at least 18 inches deep and one free of floating branches or other debris that might damage the unit. It should be removed from the water when flooding causes such conditions. How it works: As the sling pump slowly turns in the stream, the open tube alternately grabs a drink of water and then air. As these pass through the ever-constricting tube, the air compresses, but water doesn't. When the two get to the end of the cone the compressed air forces water through a swiveling coupler into the delivery tube.

Sources and more information: For an excellent source of more information, pumps, and many other items, contact Alternative Energy Engineering, PO Box 339, Redway CA 95560; 1-800-777-6609; www.alt-energy.com; e-mail energy@alt-energy.com

Folk hydraulic rams are priced from $795 to $1,095; High Lifter pumps are $775.

Sling pumps (and others) are available from Jade Mountain, PO Box 4616, Boulder CO 80306 (800-442-1972; and Lehman Hardware and Appliances, PO Box 41, Kidron OH 44636 (330-857-5757). Prices range from $869 to $1,300.

Masonry Stoves:

Builder Mark Klein (Gimme Shelter Construction, Amherst), looking for an environmentally appropriate and aesthetically satisfying method of home heating with wood, believes the answer is the masonry stove.

Masonry stoves burn wood, but at very high temperatures (1500 degrees - 2000 degrees) for short periods (about two hours). The heat is stored in the mass of the stove (they weigh two tons or more) and then is slowly released to the house.

What this means is that the stove is tended only once or twice a day even in frigid weather; it uses 20-30 pounds of wood per burn - a small fraction of what a conventional stove or furnace would consume under similar conditions; and the high temperature combustion results in low emissions. It's possible to have creosote problems with a masonry stove, Klein said, "but you have to work at it."

Along with the lack of creosote, low surface temperatures after the burn and the elimination of overnight fires are also considered safety features.

Traditionally, small pieces of wood have been used in these stoves. But when they were developed in Europe in the 18th century that was all that was available. In what might be considered a preview of the oil crisis, the fuel-efficient stove was developed to conserve a dwindling resource. However, wood that is three inches in diameter is recommended to get that fast, hot burn needed to make these stoves work as intended. At least 20 pounds of fuel is needed for a good burn.

How they work: The very hot fire superheats the wood gases which are then routed through a long flue. (Flues are configured in various ways within the stoves.) The gases transfer their heat to the thermal mass and are relatively cool when they reach the chimney. When the fire has died down, a damper is closed and the stored heat radiates into the house.

While simple in principle, making owner-construction possible, Klein recommends the kits available from several manufacturers, mentioning Envirotech and HeatKit. Relationships between the size of the combustion chamber, length of flue, chimney size and radiant surface area is quite precise. With the factory components, the guesswork has been eliminated.

Much of the workshop session was devoted to questions and answers about bake ovens and cooking ranges, which can be incorporated into the stoves. However, the Gimme Shelter Construction booth at the MREA Fair provided other information.

Asking why masonry stoves are often referred to as "Swedish" stoves, we learned that there are four basic types. Along with the Swedish are Russian, Finnish and German styles. Ovens, ranges, corner units, see-through fireboxes, heated benches and domestic hot water are options offered by various manufacturers.

For more information: The Masonry Heater Association of North America, 11490 Commerce Park Dr., Reston VA 22091 (703-620-3171) is a trade organization and can furnish names and addresses of member builders, dealers and manufacturers. Envirotech, PO Box 323, Vashon Island, WA (800-325-3629) manufactures components at prices starting around $4,000.

Straw Bale Construction:

Rice straw is the most commonly used material, with wheat in second place. Thousands of acres of rice straw are burned every year in California. (A 1996 initiative banning straw burning has been rescinded.)

However, any kind of straw (not hay) can be used. Use what's available.

How the straw is baled is more important that its type. You want good, tight, "square" (but rectangular) bales. preferably three-string.

There are straw bale houses in Nebraska that are 200 years old and still standing. Some people living in straw bale houses didn't even know it!

Straw bale construction can be load-bearing or in-fill. The in-fill technique is often used with timber framing, although steel studs are becoming popular, and are cheaper than wood in some cases. Bale quality is more important with load-bearing walls.

If load bearing, the straw should be allowed to settle before finishing the walls. Two weeks is standard. Most building codes don't allow load bearing straw walls, especially where snow loads are a problem. (As of now, only Pima County in Arizona allows them for houses.)

The first row of bales must be above grade, or the straw would act like a wick. In the southwest, a rubble base, with no foundation, is common. Soil-filled bags are used for the first course, and the straw bales are added on top of that. If building on a cement slab, a rise or foundation ridge of at least two inches is required. Tar or tar paper goes over this.

Where termites are a problem, a termite barrier is required. Termites don't eat straw, but they live in the straw and eat the wood.

The first row of bales is impaled on rebar imbedded in the concrete. The bales of load bearing walls must be pinned, tying three layers together with bamboo or rebar. Pinning isn't necessary for fill-in construction.

Run plumbing in the floor, not the walls, because of potential water problems. Other forms of ductwork can be in the walls. A weed whacker works well for cutting ducts.

Bales that must be cut to fit around windows, doors and corners, can be cut with a chainsaw, hay knife, or weed whacker. Remake the bale by making a "needle" to pull the bale twine through the straw.

There are two schools of thought on finishing the walls. One covers the straw with chicken wire before plastering. The other uses a "slip-coat", a thin layer that can be sprayed on the wall, The plaster goes over that.

Straw bales houses aren't always as inexpensive as some people expect. One reason is that walls represent only 20% of the cost and structure and the studs, headers, etc. are very important. Some straw bale houses have cost $125-$160 a square foot. Others, however, have come in as low as $60 a square foot, which is competitive with conventional building methods.

Methane:

That, he jokes, is because methane is the only alternative energy technology with a "100% failure rate."

Actually, that isn't quite true. There are more than 200 methane plants operating in his home state of Iowa (where he uses hog manure to produce the gas). There are even more municipal methane plants, working with human waste.

But none of them are cost-effective. The problem is that in the winter it requires more heat to make the process work, than the process delivers.

An example he cited was St. Cloud, Minnesota. The city spent $17 million to build a methane plant that costs $250,000 a year to heat the slurry so the bacterial process will convert human waste to methane gas.

Some farmers produce methane... and simple torch it off to get rid of it.

"It works as a process for getting rid of manure, but it's a total failure as energy production."

St. Paul, Minnesota, has a greenhouse that for years featured a grapefruit tree. The structure was heated with municipal methane. "We can grow grapefruit in Minnesota - if it's paid for by taxes."

Farmers do have one advantage over municipalities: they can use warm manure. But this isn't enough.

The slurry used in methane production doesn't heat up, like compost. And it needs to be at 95 degrees - 100 degrees, usually for a holding period of 40 days. In addition, stirring is essential. (This is not "beating" or "whipping." In his system, the stirrer makes three slow turns per hour.)

The latest experiment is being conducted on a poultry farm with 80,000 layers, a $600 a month power bill, and two tons of manure a day. t utilizes a 9,200-gallon digester (a junked tanker truck) with a waterbath underneath and heavy insulation. While he has doubts about some aspects of the system, he says "Never tell a visionary it won't work."

Contact: e-mail: arutan@commonlink.net; www.commonlink.com/~methane; A video is available.

Model Home:

Previously, the model home was erected before the fair and dismantled afterward. Now a 10-year contract with the Portage County Fair has enabled MREA to build a permanent structure showcasing solar space and domestic water heating, both wind and solar production of electricity, as well as straw bale and cordwood construction.

For space heating, solar heated fluid (a food grade polypropylene glycol) is pumped (with a 10 watt 12 volt solar-operated pump) through tubing in the floor. The tubing is about two feet beneath the floor and buried in several feet of sand, which serves as thermal mass. This mass warms up in the summer when the most insolation is available and releases heat during the winter.

A separate loop, for the back-up heater, is located close to the floor surface for quicker heating.

Domestic hot water is heated by two solar panels on the roof.

There are three different electrical systems, demonstrating two different inverter technologies. One is a 1500 watt Whisper Wind from Solar Power Technologies. The second is a 14-panel solar array, wired in series. This is mounted on a tracker that follows the sun and adds 30%-40% to its efficiency. The third system is a stand-alone solar array mounted on a smaller tracker.

Two alternative construction methods are employed in the house, straw bale, and cordwood. The straw bale wall is post and beam in-fill.

The model house features super-efficient insulation and south-facing windows that are shaded by eaves in the heat of summer but allow the sun to shine in in the winter.