Ohio Anemometer Loan Program Wrapping Up 5th Year

Ohio Anemometer Loan Program Wrapping Up 5th Year
The village of St. Paris, the Southeastern Correctional Institution, and the Lorain
Correctional Institution were selected by Green Energy Ohio (GEO) and the Ohio
Department Services Agency (ODSA) as the three sites for participation in the
2011-2012 Ohio Anemometer Loan Program (ALP). Twelve months of wind speed
data have been collected from each site, and GEO is working on finalizing the final
wind turbine feasibility studies for the three sites.
Funded by the ODSA, the Ohio ALP is managed by GEO and was designed to
provide assistance to public entities, non-profit organizations and small businesses/
industries that are interested in developing wind power. Under the Ohio ALP, the
selected applicants can borrow equipment from a dedicated ALP inventory and
obtain wind monitoring study services. Monitoring studies are conducted over a
12-month period. The selected applicants receive raw data files, monthly analytical
summaries and a final report that characterizes the site’s potential for wind power
generation. In addition, an economic feasibility study will be conducted at each
location which will address permitting, electrical interconnection, energy
production estimates and financial analysis for future wind development projects.
Located in western Champaign County, the village of St. Paris has partnered on
the ALP study with Ice River Springs, a Canadian bottling company, to evaluate
the feasibility of powering a portion of a bottling plant with wind power. The
project supports the village’s goal to explore and pursue the development of
renewable energy. The village is already host to a 66.24 kW solar system installed
at the village water district pump house.
Located in southern Fairfield County, the Southeastern Correctional Institution
has an interest in testing the wind resource in their area for the benefit of the tax
payer, the environment, and the education for the inmates, staff and the local
community. The institute’s other green initiatives include partnering with the
Fairfield County Community Action Agency to launch a recycling program at the
facility and serving as a pilot facility for the Ohio Green Prison Project; a project to
design and implement a green vocational training and reentry program that will
benefit the inmates and reduce the environmental impact and operating cost or the
facility.
After evaluating the two correctional institutions participating in the 2011-2012
ALP, GEO has found that such institutions appear to be particularly well suited for
wind turbine installations. Positive factors include: overall power usage, load
distribution, multiple utility provider interconnect options, redundant supply
infrastructure, existing spare infrastructure, existing high voltage site grid
infrastructure, available physical installation space, state control of surrounding
properties, likely feasibility of positive cash-flow models from initial installation,
and possibilities to connect or replicate projects for other state controlled facilities
for economies of scale.
The Ohio ALP has assisted 12 participants in evaluating their sites for wind energy
since 2006. Of the 12 ALP participants, four have gone on to install wind turbines
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Emily Sautter
Emily is the Wind Program Manager for Green Energy Ohio. Emily conducts wind resource
and wind turbine feasibility studies as well as wind energy education and outreach
Installation of 60 meter meteorology tower at
Ice River Springs for the Village of St. Paris
www.GreenEnergyOhio.org
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WIND NEWS
Lorain Correctional Institution, located in Lorain County, would also like to
investigate the feasibility of a wind turbine to help power their facility at a lower
cost to taxpayers. The Lorain Correctional facility is in the beginning stages of a
recycling program to decrease their impact on the environment.