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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-07-08, Page 374, ;:4 • V • The Huron Expositor • July 8, 2009 Pugs 3 ►. ^ ' " .. ' v i ' c ' � � ' ,,`z` E a .. `' '.�i U:1 -4$ Huron County continues to consider wind feasibility study Sue$a Uupdertwirk While : a feasibility study recom- mended that only a commercial -scale wind turbine could bring a return on the investment into wind energy generation at Huron County's prop- erty at Huronview, the Health and Library Complex and the Jacob Me- morial building, county administra- tion is still looking at whether or not _smaller turbines would work. "Staff had no intention at the out- set of building a commercial -scale turbine: Huronview is the home of 120 people," says Huron County planning director Scott 'Ibusaw. Zbusaw says that while the consul- tants who did the County of Huron Net Metering Wind Generator Fea- sibility Study over the past year and a half had the opinion that smaller 100 - 250 kilowatt turbines would not provide a payback, he's consider- ing having the feasibility study peer- reviewed for a second opinion. "If what the study says is true, then why would anyone put a small turbine," he says, adding that many small turbines have been erected throughout Huron County. The study says a 2 MK commercial - scale turbine would have a payback period of 13 years and generate a 460,000 net revenue thereafter. "Huron County is becoming well known for its favourable wind re- sources for electricity generation. If it were feasible to develop county - owned wind energy facilities, tax- payers in Huron County could. ben- efit from cost savings and/or a new revenue source to the county," he says in his June 10 report to county council. Huron County received a $40,000 grant from the Ministry of Natural Resources to conduct the $75,000 feasibility study to look at the poten- tial for using wind -powered energy for three county -owned facilities on its Tuckersmith. property to the south of Clinton. Components of the study included an audit of exist- ing electrical con- sumption, a con- servation strategy to reduce electri- cal demand, 12 months of meteo- rological testing to collect and inter- pret wind and cli- matological data, a feasibility study to evaluate tech- nical, economic and environmen- tal data relatedto installing and op- erating a 250 kilo- watt wind generator and a prelimi- nary environmental,, scan to identify potential issues and mitigations. Using a 60 -metre tower, the study found an average wind speed of 21:5 km/h with . a predominant wind di- rection of southwest. County administrators were hop- ing the energy efficiency measures and a wind generator big enough to power three buildings could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by . 920 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per year. gbusaw says the study helped the county learn a lot about local wind data, information that is public and can be shared with companies or in- dividuals looking at putting up tur- bines in Huron County. "This study ,is a' _good compara- tor for anywhere in the county. Of course, you'd still hake to do your own wind studies but this is the first comprehensive, publicly -available wind data available in Huron Coun- ty," he says, adding that while many private companies have collected similar data, it is not available to the public. Tousaw says the county study shows that Environment Canada data on Huron County wind is pret- ty reliable, adding that the county's study showed slightly better num- bers. He says the study ful in providing a number of cost- saving strategies in an energy au- dit. At Huronview, energy saving pos- sibilities include reducing the use of lights and in- creasing the use of natural day light- ing; laundry wa- ter heat recovery; was also help - heat recovery from air conditioners . for hot water; .occupancy sensors for lighting in certain rooms; delamp- ing of over -lit areas; active manage- ment of major systems (e.g., laundry, dishes) to reduce peak loads; replac- ing constant speed motors (at end of useful life) with variable frequency motors; replacing water heaters in apartments with on -demand units; repairing and maintaining pipe in- sulation, weather stripping, etc. and minimum energy star standards for all new equipment. At the office buildings, possibilities include modifying boiler circulation • piping; heat recovery from air condi- tioners for hot water; replacing con- stant speed motors (at end of useful life) with variable frequency motors; occupancy sensors for lighting in cer- tain rooms; de- lamping of over -lit areas; LED exit signs; replacing equipment older than 10 years with energy star equip- ment; increasing utilization of day- lighting; off -hours setbacks for tem- perature and ven- tilation; repairing and maintaining pipe insulation, A`kety pkk`ts tr7 C• 04htry prif0� e dpi/fs S Mors. 65 MainStreet Seaforth 519-600.4425 HURON COUNTY OP comes to Benmiller Inn & p FREE Cominuniy Event ^' Snday14 r /2:51ix Free American Wind Symphony Quartet Concertlif f_,O�Di�Hr Free BBQ provided by Metzger's Meats & West Hi' � Ort Free provided by Metzger's. Meats West Iia' Afternoon fille local v d*i .4 0,43Uenmi1ICy(nn & Spa 11 5 Bennui Line, GodeOSOntario liti244191 with live entertainment featuring Magic Mark, onstratlons and Free samples! . = �- -.�. , • u ur In t 1, INSURANCEk. '�. & INVESTMENT; , Join to to Mar* & NVUTMENT- Joinustoctebmtek sampla Coush;! weather stripping, etc.; relocating JMB air conditioning condenser to outdoors and developing policy and training for staff for improved ener- gy management. Zbusaw says that while the study was being done, there was no oppo- sition to a wind turbine from any of the immediate neighbours. "It would be . a fairly small turbine at the rear of the property away from any neighbours but you would see it from the road," he says. But, since it will take the next several months to mull over the op- tions, Huron County- council will not be making a decision one way or the other immediately. THE CASINO STYLE GAME. JUST SCRATCH, MATCH. AND YOU COULD WIN UP TO S50,000.