January 19, 2011
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
Without wind, Pine’s turbine is a bust
By Sandy Trozzo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, www.post-gazette.com 19 January 2011
By Sandy Trozzo, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, www.post-gazette.com 19 January 2011
Pine is selling its 120-foot wind turbine, with ads in Wind Today magazine and in statewide municipal publications.
The turbine was expected to provide free electricity for concession stands at the fields and the park’s community center, and perhaps the municipal building on Pearce Mill Road.
It hasn’t worked out that way, officials said Tuesday night.
The township is placing the 120-foot-high wind turbine for sale, with ads in Wind Today magazine and in statewide municipal publications. The township has $160,000 invested in the windmill, supervisors said.
“It was a great idea that just didn’t pan out,” said Scott Anderson, assistant township manager.
The reason, he said: “No wind.”
“We just don’t have the adequate elevation in the township where it would work,” supervisors Chairman Michael Dennehy said.
Supervisors approved plans for the windmill in February 2005. The initial cost was $125,000, half of which was paid with a grant from the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Energy Harvest Program.
Nearby residents opposed the windmill, contending that it would be noisy and an eyesore and would kill birds and bats.
The windmill never came close to generating enough electricity to power township facilities, they said.
“I’m looking at the kilowatt hours listed here,” Supervisor Phil Henry said. “I think I use more at home.”
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/01/19/without-wind-pines-turbine-is-a-bust/