University of Maine (Presque Isle) announces $1.5M wind turbine project (500 kW)

[jpak]

http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/aroostook.aspx?articleid=149439&zoneid=175

PRESQUE ISLE — There’s a mighty wind blowing through the University of Maine at Presque Isle, and officials plan to harness it to reduce energy costs and cut carbon emissions.

UMPI officials announced Thursday that they plan to complete a $1.5 million wind turbine project in the next 18 months that will create savings of at least $100,000 a year. UMPI is the first campus in the state to announce such a proposal.

UMPI President Don Zillman explained during an afternoon press conference that the project would most likely involve the installation of one 500 kilowatt turbine on university property, which would stand at 200 feet high or less and be visible from Route 1.

The turbine would help the campus in neutralizing its greenhouse gas emissions by generating about 500,000 kilowatts (sickWh) of power annually. That would be enough to offset more than a quarter of the campus electricity bill, which is about $385,000 a year. Officials estimate they will see a return on their investment within 10 years.

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[MADem]

1. That's brilliant....they should put a few more there, and up and down Rte 1!!! NT

[jpak]

2. They just commissioned New England's biggest windfarm (42 MW) not to far from there

at Mars Hill.

There's another one (57 MW) proposed in nearby Washington County...

http://bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=147450&zoneid=500

Wind farm would be N.E.'s largest

AUGUSTA - The company behind New England's largest wind farm is seeking regulatory approval for an even bigger, $100 million wind-energy project in a remote corner of northern Washington County.

Evergreen Wind Power LLC hopes to build 38 wind turbines on Stetson Mountain, a rural ridgeline that runs along Route 169 between the communities of Danforth and Springfield. The company said the turbines could be operating by the beginning of next year.

Each of the turbines would measure nearly 400 feet from base to blade tip. Collectively, they would generate approximately 57 megawatts of electricity for the New England power grid, according to an application filed with the Land Use Regulation Commission. The LURC staff is reviewing the application for completeness.

As proposed, the project is even larger than the company's Mars Hill Wind Farm, which came on line earlier this year. That would make the Stetson Mountain project the largest wind farm in New England, although another company is seeking LURC approval for a 44-turbine farm in northern Franklin County near the Canadian border.

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[MADem]

3. How great for Northern Maine....it will be good for the economy as well as the environment NT