February 11, 2009

Bristol seeks to harness wind power

The city is eyeing the possibility of erecting two 100-foot towers topped with wind turbines in a bid to save thousands of dollars annually by producing green electricity.

Officials are looking at three potential locations for the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund turbines they hope to get for free: atop Bristol Central High School, Chippens Hill Middle School or the new water tank on Witches Rock Road.

City Purchasing Agent Roger Rousseau said the sites were picked because they offer the highest average wind speeds in town.

If the city is selected for the demonstration project, the turbines would be used for a year to gather information that could be useful for installing other wind energy towers across the state. After that, Bristol would take them over, paying $1,000 annually for maintenance and gaining the benefit of whatever electricity is produced.

City councilors this week endorsed the effort to get the turbines. It’s not clear how likely it is that Bristol will win out in the competition for them, particularly given that Litchfield County has more wind.

According to Rousseau, the state’s clean energy fund already has picked two locations on the shore for similar turbines, in Stonington and New Haven.

City Councilor Mike Rimcoski said that if the city is successful, it will have to talk to neighbors in the areas eyed for the two turbines that would be installed.

Another councilor, Cliff Block, said there is some risk to the city because it’s possible the towers won’t bring in enough power to cover the cost of running the turbines.

Rousseau said that the theory is that the turbines will be profitable for the city, though it won’t be known how beneficial they are until they are operating.

The small wind turbines  would sit atop towers, Rousseau said.

Rousseau said he doesn’t know who else is interested, but believes that Bristol would be lucky to get chosen.

“We can get long-term benefits from clean energy,” Rousseau said, particularly if the program could be tied in with the education students receive at the two schools.

The turbines are expected to last about20 years.


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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Put them in the centre mall .....


Plenty of wind across the street .

Anonymous said...

Green ...... green ..... green .....


Are these mental midgets ever going to wake up ?

Can't they find other ways to waste taxpayer money ??

Anonymous said...

Who is running this city?
It certainly isn't Ward!

Is it Kloko?
Is it Rosenthal?
Is it Rousseau?

It certainly isn't Ward!

Anonymous said...

airheads!

Anonymous said...

No way! Help us, Ted Kennedy!

Anonymous said...

THey got their heads in the clouds!

I'm being polite.

Anonymous said...

"Who is running this city?"...

Well, I'd say it's a pretty fair assumption that it's NOT the person you wish it was. Oh well. Guess that falls under the category of
"too damn bad."

;0)

Anonymous said...

I thought there was already enough hot air being blown around in the City.

Anonymous said...

Lots of wind at city hall - place a few there.

Anonymous said...

Ted doesn't care, he's just a NIMBY.

Anonymous said...

Oh No!

Windmills are the darling of the Greenies but wait until PETA gets wind of this. Windmills are known to chop unsuspecting birds into pulp.

What happens if a golden tufted meadow wren goes through the old Cousinart, or worse yet a bald eagle? Who will bear that responsibility including the legal fines, penalties and jail time? Artie?

At night the drone of the windmills attracts bats, which get similarly shredded. Bats eat mosquitoes that might carry disease. More mosquitoes mean more disease. Who will be responsible for the ensuing outbreak of bird flu?

Be afwaid, Bristol… be wary, wary afwaid!

Anonymous said...

8:02

It is clear that your man is not runnning the city, even though he is being paid very well to do so!

Anonymous said...

8:52 ~ What's painfully clear is that you haven't gotten over the fact that he won. I guess that means when he gets reelected, you're gonna be REALLY, REALLY ticked off!!!

Anonymous said...

7:37

IF, IF he gets reelected many, many people will be surprised, AND upset.

The best thing he has going for him is Ken Johnson, but 2,3,4 others are lurking in the wings.

Anonymous said...

2:02 ~ The anti-Ward crowd were surprised and upset when he won last time. Obviously the majority of the voters didn't feel the same way. When, WHEN he gets reelected this time, the same people will probably be surprised and upset again...kay sera sera

Anonymous said...

Que

Anonymous said...

And who will maintain and replace these devices after the grant runs out?

Cost it out folks, it ain't a freebie.