City may accept wind turbine donated by CCEF

City may accept wind turbine donated by CCEF

Aug 22 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Lauren Garrison New Haven Register, Conn.

Thanks to a project through the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, New Haven could soon find itself the proud owner of a small wind turbine, at no cost to the city.

The Board of Aldermen is expected to consider a resolution Sept. 2 authorizing the installation on city property of a wind turbine, donated by the CCEF as part of its Wind Turbine Demonstration Project. If the city accepts it, a turbine will be installed in the Long Wharf area and studied by CCEF for one year, along with data from a temporary m e t e o r o l o g y tower. At the end of the year, the wind turbine will be given to the city.

According to Giovanni Zinn, environmental consultant with the city Plan Department, the wind turbine is expected to last a minimum of 10 years, during which time it should save the city about $5,000 annually in electricity costs. Zinn also hopes the wind turbine will demonstrate New Haven's commitment to alternative energy.

New Haven will be one of three municipalities to participate in the demonstration project, said Zinn. Stonington has signed on as well, and the third city has yet to be determined.

If the Board of Aldermen agrees to participate, Zinn hopes to see the tower installed this fall. Several months of monitoring wind speeds at the top of the tower will follow, before the turbine itself is installed.

The "demonstration" period will allow the CCEF to study how much energy is produced at a given wind speed for a particular machine, Zinn said. And, he said, "if there's a really fatal flaw to this, then we'll find out."

The small wind turbine New Haven may soon have is designed to supply electricity to homes, farms and small b u s i n e s s e s , Zinn said. Connecticut offers incentives for large commercial turbines, but falls behind other states -- he named Massachusetts and New York -- in incentives for smaller wind turbines.

Though New Haven does not have large lots of open space to fit expansive wind farms, Zinn believes "there is some potential for wind turbines in the city," particularly along the water.

Wind turbines could "give New Haven businesses a competitive advantage" by allowing them to "divorce" themselves from the vacillation of energy prices, Zinn said.