Mother's Power uses sun and wind

"I'm powered by the sun this afternoon," Brad Lee told the crowd at the Farmer's Market last week.

Lee wasn't being facetious. He was serious.

Thanks to Mother's Power, Lee's singing and guitar playing was being broadcast at the market solely by using solar and wind power. A single power cord running from a trailer on the street to the stage at Glacier Discovery Square was providing power for the whole show.

The small trailer owned by Mother's Power is a traveling demonstration and work trailer that generates electricity from the wind and sun.

"We're providing all green (power) for the Farmer's Market," said Tom White of Mother's Power.

Business partners White and Jeff Arsell run Mother's Power out of Whitefish. They help customers evaluate their power usage and install alternative power sources such as solar, wind and hydro. Customers might use only self-generating power or a combination with standard electricity as well.

Mother's Power already powers the Whitefish Farmer's Market on Tuesdays and last Thursday made its debut as the power source for the Columbia Falls Farmer's Market.

White said the trailer was created when the company began installing power systems in places that didn't always have access to electricity.

"Rather than use a generator we decided to practice what we preach," said White.

Mother's Power uses the trailer to power tools, a radio and other equipment while at job sites.

Shortly after that they began taking the trailer to various events and providing electricity. What happened was a simple demonstration of how solar and wind generations actually works.

"We found that it's easier to show than to tell," said White. "Especially little kids love it."

White said he's been able to educate folks about exactly how the system works. A solar panel and small wind turbine outside the trailer collect the sun and wind. Inside, that energy is converted and stored in batteries. The electricity is available by plugging into a standard outlet.

While Mother's Power also installs hydroelectric systems, White said most folks don't have access to water at their home for power generation.

But wind and certainly solar is available everywhere.

"Has there been a single day the sun didn't come up?" asked White. "There hasn't been one yet. Even on the coldest, nastiest days the system will charge."

White said once the sun goes down, the wind usually blows more which generates power on the turbine.

The exact amount of items the trailer can power is variable depending on what's used. But the trailer can easily power the farmer's markets for four hours without even using half of the battery.

Mother's Power wants folks to know its type of power systems are accessible.

"This is not science fiction," said White.