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The Huron Expositor • October 11, 2006 Page 9
Leemings hoping other area farmers follow
their lead with wind turbine technology
Jeff H e u c h e r t
It wasn't until Carol
Leeming began learn-
ing about renewable.
power and wind energy
through an agriculture
leadership course in
Guelph that she, along
with her husband Bob,
started to seriously
consider putting up a
wind turbine on their
Front Road farm near
Seaforth.
Now, roughly three
months since the 40 -
metre high tower was
erected, the Leemings
couldn't be happier
with their decision and
hope more . farmers
across the province will
follow their lead.
"People seem very
interested, very curi-
ous. Part of the inter-
est for us is helping
give information to
others and making
them feel more com-
fortable with the tech-
nology," says Carol.
"Other countries are
utilizing this technolo-
gy and Ontario farm-
ers need to learn from
these farmers around
the world," she adds.
Aside from the envi-
ronmental benefits
from using wind gener-
ated power, Carol says
statistics showed there
was no better time to
make the investment.
"When you look at
starting a business you
look at the trends and
the trend points to the
world being windier.
Energy use is going up
and prices (on energy)
are going up. It just
makes sense for us to
do this sooner than
later," she says.
Tests were conducted
on the Leeming's farm
land, area vegetation
and wind to determine
if a turbine was prac-
tical on their farm.
Once it was deter-
mined that it would be,
the Leemings went
about purchasing a
turbine.
The Leeming's tur-
bine, which can gener-
ate 80 kilowatts of
Jeff Heuchert photo
Bob and Carol Leeming stand in front of the 40 -metre
wind turbine on their Front
power, is still consid-
ered a relatively small
model.
However, it is larger
than what is manufac-
tured in Canada, so
the Leemings pur-
chased their turbine
through a company in
Holland.
Once the pieces
arrived, it required
approximately three
weeks to build and
erect, using a crane to
lift the tower into
place.
The entire structure
is anchored by a
cement base, embed-
ded 20 feet into the
ground.
All of the wiring is
fed underground to a
control system inside
the Leemings large
Road farm.
workshed nearby,
where, for the most
part, the Leemings
don't have to do much
at all.
"It's pretty much all
automatic. It tells us
the wind speed, how
many RPMs (revolu-
tions per minute) and
the number of kilo-
watts," says Carol.
"It's smart technolo-
gy," she adds. "Its
weather system seeks
the strongest winds
and turn into it and
the blades tip depend-
ing on the wind to
optimize the rotations."
While Carol says 15
to 20 metres per sec-
ond is the fastest
they've had their
blades turning, the
turbine's blades will
get up to 28 metres per
second during the win-
ter, which will be the
turbine's full capacity.
The Leemings decid-
ed to enter into a net
metering agreement
with the hydro compa-
ny, in which the power
generated from their
turbine is used on their
property and then any
left goes directly into
the electrical grid of
Hydro One.
Net metering mea-
sures the difference
between the electricity
you buy from your
hydro company and the
excess electricity the
turbine produces,
while keeping track of
the difference.
So, if the Leeming's
turbine gener-
a ates more elec-
tricity than they
need, net meter-
ing allows this
excess electricity
to run back into
the electrical
grid, causing
their meter to
reverse.
"We should
have no energy
bills, says Carol.
"That's like being
paid," she adds,
noting last year
they spent
between $25 and
$30,000 in ener-
gy on their 100 -
acre farm, having
to use extra elec-
tricity on feeding
systems, lighting
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and ventilation for
their laying hens.
Carol acknowledges
that a turbine is a cost-
ly investment. She
says a turbine like
theirs cost in the area
of $200,000.
However, she says
farmers who cannot
afford a turbine, or do
not have an adequate
piece of land for one,
can still benefit from
wind generated power
through the
Countryside Energy
Cooperative, in which
Carol is now .a board
member.
Through the coopera-
tive, Carol says farm-
ers purchase a share of
a large turbine on
another piece of land -
then owning a portion
of the energy generat-
ed from it, cutting
their own costs.
There is also a new
renewable energy cen-
tre opening later this
month on Main Street
in Brussels, where
individuals will be able
to yearn about the
many different aspects
of renewable energy.
And best of all, Carol
says, is the promising
reaction the Leemings
have received from
area farmers.
"I think there's grow-
ing interest. Some peo-
ple are seriously con-
sidering putting up
something like this,"
she adds.
Church
Services
You are invited to attend these area churches
St.'rhomas
Anglican Church
A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522
Rector: The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Div
Sunday, October 15
Joln ue for Coffee at 9am
Worship at 9:30 am
- Rector's Coffee Hours
Thesday Oct.17 -9-11 am
Everyone Welcome
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982
Sunday School 9:45am
Sunday Worship 11:OOam
B&G Club Wed., 7- 8:15pm
Youth Activities Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
St. James Rornan
Catholic Church
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm
Sun. 11:00 am
Fr. Chris Gillespie
Egmonciville
United Church
Sunday, October 15
Worship 1l am
Sunday School 10am
Sunday, Oct. 22, Anniversary Sunday.
Theme:' Our church family, A Patchwork of
Memories.' Special music will be featured. Lurch to
follow worship. Wed. Oct. 25, Annual Turkey Supper
at the arena.
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderlc h St. W.
Rev. John Gould
Worship 11 am
Sunday October 15th
Anniversary Sunday
Nursery During Worship
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday October 15th
Worship 11:15 am
Nursery & Sunday School Provided