Lorain wants to give wind turbines a whirl

LORAIN — City Council, the administration and the public were all in agreement Monday night that Lorain needs to support a business that’s applied for a $9.8 million state grant to build a wind turbine farm along the city’s Lake Erie shoreline.

John Sekulic, owner of St. George’s Renewable Energy, told Council he’d like to see the wind turbine farm, initially comprising 13 turbines, built. To do that, he needs to secure 13 submerged land leases from the city.

“We need to secure the leases here, and we need the support of the mayor and Council,” Sekulic said. “The differences need to be put aside. That needs to be happening, and it’s our intent to raise the eyebrows of the world when we mention Lorain, Ohio, as the wind capital of the world.”

Councilman Dennis Flores, D-2nd Ward, is spearheading the effort to get the project built, as well as trying to get the manufacturing of the turbines established in the city as well. Sekulic said he definitely wants the turbines manufactured in Ohio but wouldn’t be pinned down about recommending his company build them in Lorain.

“The whole idea is to generate these jobs and generate this industry,” Sekulic said. “Job creation and economic development is our goal. … Part of what we want will be to include the local community in this. In what capacity, we don’t know yet. … We hope to see 493 land leases at the culmination of the project.”

Sekulic said the turbines could be built far enough off shore that they wouldn’t be that noticeable from land, but that would make the project more expensive and reduce the amount of power generated.

He hopes to learn this week whether the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority will give him the $9.8 million requested, Sekuric said, adding if his company gets the grant and secures the leases to the underwater property, it could be five to seven years before the turbine farm becomes a reality.

St. George’s is in talks with other cities, but Sekulic hinted Lorain may be a top choice if the city continues to be receptive.

“We’ve got (Mayor Tony Krasienko’s) total support and Council’s support,” Sekulic said. “We’re not going to forget that. Keep going the way you’re going, and I will make my recommendation.”

Krasienko pointed out Lorain is logistically a good choice because of access to major roadways, waterways and railways.

“We see the possibility for manufacturing to occur locally,” Krasienko said. “I see Lorain as a regional distribution point. We have very good logistics for distribution.”

Several Lorain residents, including Mike Beatty, Charlie Becker and Robert Benson, all encouraged city officials to pursue this opportunity.

“That would set us on the edge,” Beatty said. “No one has that on Lake Erie. Stimulus is coming this way, and they’re looking for us to be innovative.”

“Lorain could be the capital of renewable power in the Midwest,” Benson said. “There are too many resources in Lorain that are too under-used. I thank Councilman Flores and the rest of City Council for bringing renewable energy to the forefront.”

The land in question starts at the city’s western boundary and covers an offshore area three miles east and two miles out into the lake.

In a letter dated June 17, 2008, Sekulic tells Council the turbine farm project, from start to finish, could create 13,000 jobs for the region and inject up to $4.5 billion into the state economy yearly as well as create additions to the tax bases of local governments who participate.

Alicia Castelli

The Chronicle-Telegram

14 April 2009

Tags: Wind power, Wind energy

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