Is a green power project in Great Falls, Montana “Gone With the Wind?” Or, simply, the lack thereof…
Here’s the short version of the full story from The Great Falls Tribune:
The wind turbine at the Cascade County shop, installed in 2008 with projections it would pay for up to 80 percent of the facility’s energy costs, is falling short of expectations because the site isn’t as windy as anticipated.
At the turbine’s current rate of power production, it would take the county 33.70 years to recover its $201,924 investment, according to kilowatt-hour production figures provided by the county.
“We needed to get a payback in 25 years because that was the expected life of the unit,” Commission Chairman Joe Briggs said.
The Tribune also noted that the turbine is currently idle due to a parts malfunction.
Elsewhere in Montana, “The Hills Are Alive” with profitable oil, gas, and coal production. And, oh by the way, didn’t the schools just get a $75 million increase?
Comments
Walter Morris
Friday, May 24, 2013 10:50 AM
This seems to be consistent with all the information I have been able to gather on Wind Power Generation. Like all the rest of the green energy plans being shoved down our throats, they seem to come at a huge increase in energy rates. Like the deregulation of power in Mt., the bill pushed through the mt. legislature by our then Mt. legislature, Jon Tester, these green energy plans have done nothing but cost us money and set us backwards in our energy future. We do need to reinstate all hydro electric power in the status of renewable energy as it is the only true reliable renewable, clean energy we have. Please speak to our people in Helena and right this wrong.
Friday, May 24, 2013 11:32 AM
The wind turbine installed at the county shops in Great Falls has a monthly amortized cost of $1,175 and generates in an average month $500 worth of electricity.