Harvesting the wind

Oct 2 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Bob Blake The Lima News, Ohio

It's no secret that folks at Ohio Northern University are committed to embracing green technology. On Friday, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown visited the campus to see some of the efforts for himself.

Brown, D-Ohio, has been pushing a number of measures in the Senate to bolster the clean energy industry in Ohio. Viewing the three wind turbines off Klingler Road on Friday, Brown said ONU is leading the charge.

"Wind power is a clean, renewable source of energy that can help reduce our country's reliance on foreign oil," Brown said. "By using wind turbines as a source of electricity, ONU is setting an example for other universities and institutions across Ohio. The next step is to help give Ohio's clean energy manufacturers a boost so that our state can be a leader in both the manufacture and use of renewable power."

Brown has been part of the charge on two key initiatives he said are vital to clean energy technology. One bill seeks to help small and mid-size manufacturers retool for the clean energy economy. The other expands loan and financing opportunities for Ohio manufacturers.

"We're going to see more and more of these wind turbines built -- components and ultimately assembly built in the United States. It's time we regain our manufacturing edge," Brown said. "Only 9 percent of the American workforce is manufacturing. It used to be 20 percent. We've got to get back to making things because we know how to make things in this country."

Robert Ruble, vice president for financial affairs at ONU, said the university remains committed to clean energy initiatives.

"The university is certainly committed to sustainability. These turbines are the largest physical evidence of that because there are three of them at 220 feet tall," Ruble said. "We also have put in a number of geothermal projects. We have hundreds and hundreds of wells drilled down in the ground 300 feet deep to heat and cool buildings. If you look around the campus and look at vehicles our physical plant vehicles are electric trucks. The last three cars we bought for our fleet have been Honda Civic hybrids. We're committed."

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