College Building New Wind Turbine

College Building New Wind Turbine

Sep 22 - Bismarck Tribune

BELCOURT (AP) -- A wind turbine that could supply 90 percent of the electricity for Turtle Mountain Community College is the next step in the school's drive to adopt environmentally friendly technologies.

College officials plan to start construction this weekend on the foundation for the new turbine, which is expected to be complete by late fall.

Plans for the 660-kilowatt machine have been in the works for several years. Once in place, the 300-foot structure will have several benefits, said Dennis Bercier, the school's infrastructure developer.

"It's going to provide us a living classroom for an environmental study for energy research," said Bercier, who also is a Democratic state senator from Belcourt.

"It's going to help defray costs for utilities, and it hopefully will be a springboard for what we are looking at in the future, which is a modest wind farm."

The project's estimated $750,000 cost will be paid with a grant from the federal Department of Energy and money from the college.

"It's going to be a good thing," said building and grounds supervisor Todd Poitra, who is overseeing construction. "It's going to serve the purposes of the mission of the college."

That mission includes promoting alternative energy sources, which Turtle Mountain already does in its use of geothermal heat.

Eventually, the college wants to research hydrogen-fuel technology and biomass, which involves gases produced by decaying vegetation. Those sources could eliminate the need for diesel- powered backup generators, Bercier said.

"Technically, we could be quite self-sufficient with nearly zero emissions," Bercier said.

Bercier also estimates that wind power could cut the college's electrical expenses by 70 to 80 percent. Although the turbine is capable of supplying most of the college's power, the college has an agreement that allows it to sell electricity to Otter Tail Power Co.

Much of the electricity initially might be traded to Otter Tail until the computer-controlled electrical system at the college can be adapted to the wind turbine, Bercier said.

For far more extensive news on the energy/power visit: http://www.energycentral.com .