Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Aurora nixes proposal for wind turbines at police HQ

http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/4442361-418/city-nixes-wind-turbine-plan-at-police-headquarters.html#
A plan to install five wind turbines at the Aurora Police Department headquarters has been axed by Mayor Tom Weisner.

“In looking at the numbers, there’s probably a program that would have a better return on investment,” said Chief of Staff Carie Anne Ergo.

Instead, Ergo said, the city will look to expand existing green programs, like the Waubonsee Greenworks partnership, designed to help local contractors undertake commercial and residential building audits, or the energy-efficiency grants intended for Aurora businesses and homeowners....

City staff requested that Shaw Environmental complete a cost-benefit analysis of the project
...
The project was slated to cost $213,500 and would have been funded by a $1.57 million Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant.

The 23-foot turbines. which would have been placed directly east of the police headquarters building on Indian Trail, would provide 7.5 kilowatts of power, according to Kris Kiszynski of Shaw Environmental, the firm slated to complete the project.

Lawrence said at the meeting that the turbine output did not justify the cost of the project.
...
The turbines would have provided about .2 percent, or one-fifth of 1 percent, of the amount of power the police station now uses, or about as much power needed to power one to two homes, Kiszynski said. Kiszynski said that would equal a savings of $560 to $1,200 a year.

But Barb Katterman, special assistant of development facilitation and the police headquarters project manager, said it would reduce the station’s energy use, would create jobs and could be used as an educational tool.

In late January, the city installed two 38-foot-tall wind turbines on McCoy Drive, at Waterford Drive and at Frontenac Street on Aurora’s far East Side. The turbines, which were estimated to generate 10 to 20 times the amount of power the traffic signal would use, cost $117,400 and were also funded as part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant."

By Stephanie Lulay
The Beacon News http://beaconnews.suntimes.com
March 22, 2011
For Full Story Go To:
http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/4442361-418/city-nixes-wind-turbine-plan-at-police-headquarters.html#

No comments:

Post a Comment