10/25/2007
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Staff photo by David Leamingfrom the Kennebec Journal
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from the Morning Sentinel
The town has purchased a Skystream 3.7 wind generator that will be installed next week at the plant on Farmington Falls Road along the Sandy River.
Skystream's distributor in Maine is All-Season Home Improvements of Augusta. Roger Lambert, owner of Windowman on Farmington Falls in Farmington, is the sales representative for the western Maine district.
Farmington's wastewater treatment plant Superintendent Steve Moore said he convinced selectmen to go along with the $12,000 purchase by offering to forgo his annual request for a vehicle reserve account.
After studying the wind resource map for New England and specifically for the Sandy River valley, Moore said he argued there would be enough wind blowing through the river corridor to justify the investment. The wind power will supplement the plant's existing electricity from the grid.
"I have always had a 'green' side to me," he said with a smile.
The wind turbine tower will start generating power with winds of 8 to 10 mph and 20 mph will be optimal: "We may not generate much, but it will pay for itself in about eight years," Moore said.
Farmington Town Manager Richard Davis said in addition to the cost savings, "it is important for the town to do its part for a clean environment."
The Skystream 3.7, developed by Southwest Windpower in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, is a small wind generator designed for homes and businesses.
Farmington's model will be about 33 feet high with three 12-foot rotor blades on a single "stick" tower base.
It will be able to produce about 400 kilowatt hours per month in a 12 mph wind and with an average wind speed of 8 mph, the Skystream can generate about 100 kilowatt hours a month, according to the company. Energy generated soars to 800 kwh when the average wind speed hits 24 mph.
It also has an all-in-one design with the controls and inverter to AC power built in. The tower has a pivot base so it can be lowered to the ground to service the unit.
Lambert said he has 50 generators under contract and 25 units are up just over the past year.
"People who call me up are committed to helping the environment and they also are 'getting even'" -- against the wind that buffets their homes and also against the utility companies, he said.
Southwest Windpower, the Flagstaff, Ariz., company that manufactures the Skystream, says that those who purchase the device typically save 30 to 80 percent on their electricity bills. Savings can vary, depending on a consumer's energy consumption and the average wind speed.
Reader comments
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And saved the $12,000 too.report abuse
If you think this is good for the environment, consider this: If they generate 100kw/month, that's not quite enough power to run single 150 watt light bulb. This thing will never pay back the cost in greenhouse gasses that it takes to manufacture, install and maintain it.
These things are nice for remote areas and on boats but this is a foolish application, though they do mean well.report abuse
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