Bailey’s Greenhouse, an exclusively wholesale operation with 10,000 square feet of greenhouse space, grows annual bedding plants, vegetable plants, herbs, and perennials to service northern Wisconsin retailers. The company recently touted its alternative energy efficiencies.
Owners Bill Bailey and his wife Gayle Chatfield have reached an apex of sorts on their long journey to becoming alternative energy efficient. As of 2014, approximately 75 percent of their total energy needs for both the greenhouse as well as their home are being met by a collection of renewable energy systems. These include solar thermal panels for heating water, PV or photovoltaic panels that convert sunlight to electricity, and several wood gasification boilers to heat all the buildings.
On May 14, Bailey’s Greenhouse hosted an open house to which they invited local business owners, county agencies, and Bayfield Electric Cooperative. “The reason we had the open house was to show businesses (especially) that it made financial sense to do this,” said Chatfield, who at one time co-owned and operated the Bayfield Inn.
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