Mike's energy plan blowin' in the wind

Feb 20 - The New York Post

The next hurricane could power your apartment.

Mayor Bloomberg is pushing a proposal to add hundreds of wind farms on skyscrapers and lots along the city's waterfront, generating enough renewable energy to power thousands of homes.

City Planning officials introduced the idea in community board meetings this month to allow 55-foot wind turbines on buildings taller than 10 stories and free-standing turbines on industrial properties on the water.

But the plan does not permit companies to build wind farms in water itself, keeping views of the riverfront largely unobstructed.

The turbines are one element of a broad zoning amendment allowing property owners to make their buildings more energy efficient and making it easier to install solar panels, rooftop greenhouses and sun-controlling awnings.

Bloomberg first pitched the idea of vastly expanding the number of turbines at a clean energy summit in Las Vegas in 2008.

The first one was built on a Brooklyn Navy Yard building in 2009, but only a handful of structures are in operation. The city currently allows much smaller turbines that do not exceed a building height limit.

The City Planning Commission and City Council must vote on the proposal this spring before it becomes law.

Cynthia R. Fagen

Originally published by Cynthia R. Fagen.