Officials Think Wind Power's Worth a Look

Jul 25 - Patriot Ledger, The; Quincy, Mass.

Like many South Shore towns before it, Hanover is exploring the possibility of putting up a wind turbine.

"Obviously, wind power is coming and wind power is here to stay," Selectman Daniel Pallotta said. "The question is, is it cost- effective and will it benefit Hanover?"

Local officials are considering wind power as a way to reduce the town's electricity costs.

With energy costs rising, selectmen say they are willing to explore any avenue to saving money. But before going full throttle on wind power, town officials want to do a feasibility study.

As directed by selectmen, Town Administrator Stephen Rollins is looking into the possibility of getting a grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, the state's development agency for renewable energy. The grant would pay for the study.

Rollins is reviewing the grant application to determine whether the town can or should apply. The application deadline is Aug. 17. The town could get up to $40,000.

"We should pursue the grant just to see if we have (enough) wind," Pallotta said. "We're not going anywhere if we don't have the wind."

Wind-power discussions began in earnest last week when David Brooks, a consultant with Iowa-based J.P. Sayler and Associates, talked to selectmen about wind turbines and their benefits. J.P. Sayler and Associates sells, installs and maintains wind turbines.

Brooks tolds selectman that Hanover could save $300,000 to $400,000 if it erected a turbine. A Massachusetts Technology Collaborative wind map shows that the average wind speed in Hanover about 230 feet above ground is approximately 14 mph. Brooks said that is enough wind for a turbine to work. Based on the wind map, he suggested that the town erect a turbine at the high school.

The turbine would cost about $2.5 million, including installation.

Rollins said the town has not worked out any details as to where a turbine could be put up or what town buildings it could power.

"It's very preliminary now," he said. "You have to explore these things."

Across the state, about 70 cities and towns have shown an interest in building wind turbines.

On the South Shore, several communities, including Weymouth and Plymouth, have inquired about turbines. Scituate, Cohasset, Marshfield and Kingston are working with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, studying the feasibility of wind power or monitoring wind speeds, said Kristen Burke, project manager for the collaborative.

Pembroke is testing to see if wind speeds are high enough there. Hull installed its second turbine in April. Together, the town's two turbines are expected to produce enough electricity to power about 1,000 homes and cut electricity costs by more than $500,000 a year.

"The concept of wind has certainly caught on in New England," Burke said. "We have a lot of projects that are in visible places. It also has to do with the favorable economics of wind. I think the time is right for exploring these (wind turbines)."

Burke said turbines not only save communities money, they are good for the environment.

In Hanover, wind-power discussions are just getting started. Town officials see a Massachusetts Technology Collaborative grant as a possible first step.

The collaborative is looking to expand the production and use of renewable-energy technologies in the state.

Towns awarded a grant must do studies that include site, wind- availability, environmental-impact and economic analyses, said Jon Abe, project manager for the collaborative.

Abe said many towns that submit grant applications have already done preliminary feasibility studies.

Grant-award announcements are expected in November.

Eunice Kim may be reached at ekim@ledger.com.