In search of a windy city

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

In search of a windy city

By Zeb Carabello
The Aurora Daily Sun & Sentinel

Councilman Bob FitzGerald huffed and puffed about wind-generated power at city hall Sept. 14, but he could have been just tilting at a dream because Aurora isn’t windy enough to make windmills practical, officials said.

Residential wind turbines — traditionally used as supplemental energy sources in rural areas — are much smaller and practical than their 60-foot tall predecessors. Several Aurora residents want to install the alternative energy source in their homes, FitzGerald said Sept. 14 at a Code Enforcement and Redevelopment Committee meeting.

He urged the city to create a policy on the new turbines, but other lawmakers said they were hesitant to put any resources into the project.

No one has asked for wind-turbine permits in the last five years, according to the city.

“To me, it’s a non-issue,” said Councilwoman Molly Markert. “If there’s no one applying then I don’t see the point.”

According to a city study, the turbines need to be in an area where the winds average at least 10 miles per hour to be economically effective. In Aurora, the average wind speed is 8.6 miles per hour.

“Wind speeds below 10 mph make the use of wind turbines impractical,” the report said.

Old turbines used to require a tower at least 60 feet tall. New technology has reduced the height needed for the turbines, and the rotating windmill blades have also gotten smaller, making them more practical for urban and suburban settings, FitzGerald said.

The city suggests turbines should only be allowed on half-acre plots or more for safety reasons.

There are currently few — if any — active turbines in the metro area, according to the report.

If used effectively, the turbines can supply between 25 and 57 percent of a home’s energy, the report said, although cost savings will not likely be seen for several decades because the systems can cost as much as $40,000 to install.

“Usually people who purchase the smaller wind turbines (1kWh) do so out of their interest in wind energy and for the sake of principle of having a wind turbine,” the report said, “not because they are interested in significantly producing enough energy to make a difference in the overall energy load of their household.”

The typical wind turbine is the larger 10 kWh machine that can cost up to $40,000 — 1kWh machines can be purchased for as little as $3,000. The average “payback” period for someone who purchases the 10 kWh machines is 30 to 40 years.

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