Thursday, December 30, 2010

Wind turbine is being planned for spot just east of Kuna

A new feature is going to be dotting the skyline just east of Kuna.
Ted Wheeler this week is installing a 100-foot wind turbine on his farm near the corner of Eagle and Columbia roads.
Wheeler said that the installation planned for Thursday has been pushed by back a day or so.
The wind turbine will have a wing span of 30 feet and is expected to produce 20 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Wheeler said he will use the electricity for personal use and then sell any remaining electricity to Idaho Power, with whom he has a contract for the purchase of electricity.
“We expect a check every month,” Wheeler said.
Studies on his property show that the average wind speed is 12 mph. The wind turbine will begin generating electricity at 3 mph and top out at 50 mph, Wheeler said.
Wheeler purchased the wind turbine from Treasure Valley Wind and Solar, of Boise. He said the federal government subsidized 55 percent of the project and the U.S. Department of Agriculture kicked in a $20,000 grant. In the end, the project only cost Wheeler about $10,000 out of pocket, he said.
Wheeler said he asked his immediate neighbors if they had any objections, and none of them had any.
Ada County has ordinances regarding cell towers, but nothing about wind turbines, Wheeler said.
“Somebody’s got to be the guinea pig,” Wheeler said. “I guess I’ll be it.”

1 comment:

slfisher said...

Ada County is actually starting to look at wind turbine zoning. So Kuna set a great example. :)