四個風力發電機為岩石港鎮(Rock Port)1395個居民帶來了電,也讓這個位於密蘇里州西北角的小鎮,成為了美國第一個完全依靠風能發電的城鎮。
聖路易的風力資本集團(Wind Capital Group)在Loess丘的風力發電場豎立了四個Suzlon1.25MW的發電機組,由堪薩斯市的一家風能公司負責財務規劃。風力發電廠發電之後,將電傳輸至岩石鎮的電力公司配送到家戶。
密蘇里大學的專家克勞佛(Jim Crawford):「我們正在利用我們這兒現有的風能。」
「我對此感到驕傲,尤其是儘管我們在這麼鄉村的地方,仍然對環境做出了一分努力。」
美國能源部出版的一份地圖中表示,密蘇里州西北部是該區風能最豐富的地方,有幾個地點甚至有作為生活用風力發電的潛力。
克勞佛說:「每公頃的風能的收益比種植許多作物都來得好,一邊喝著咖啡,一邊看風車發電,多麼愜意。」風力發電廠每年將會為該鎮帶來110萬美元的土地稅收益,由風力資本集團支付。
密蘇里大學的鄉村發展專家貝克(Jerry Baker)說:「這情況很特殊,因為在鄉村地區,我們很難得看到成長的稅收。」
替代能源同時也讓地主獲益,將部分產權租給風能公司,他們人可以得到3000-5000美元的報酬。
「這方案為整個社區省了錢,也為鄉村的電力公司省錢,風力發電至少可以為此地提供20年的電力。」
「這些風力發電機也招來了遊客,旅遊讓收益更添一筆。」
風力發電也節省了電費荷包,岩石港鎮的居民預計在未來15到20年不會看到電費費率成長。這個風力發電廠是為滿足當地電力需求所設計,而如果發電量超過該鎮的需要,密蘇里電力公司會收購多餘的電力。
Four wind turbines supply all the electricity needed by the 1,395 residents of Rock Port. The town in the far northwest corner of Missouri announced Tuesday that it has become the first town in the United States to operate solely on wind power.
Rock Port depends for power on the Loess Hills Wind Farm with its four Suzlon 1.25-megawatt wind turbines developed by the Wind Capital Group of St. Louis. John Deere Wind Energy in Kansas City handled the financing.
The electricity generated by the wind farm is transmitted to Rock Port Municipal Utilities, which distributes to customers in town.
University of Missouri Extension specialist Jim Crawford says, "We're farming the wind, which is something that we have up here."
"That's something to be very proud of, especially in a rural area like this - that we're doing our part for the environment," said the natural resource engineer.
A map published by the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that northwest Missouri has the state's highest concentration of wind resources and contains a number of locations potentially suitable for utility-scale wind development.
"The payback on a per-acre basis is generally quite good when compared to a lot of other crops, and it's as simple as getting a cup of coffee and watching the blades spin," Crawford said.
The wind farms will bring in more than $1.1 million annually in county real estate taxes, to be paid by Wind Capital Group.
"This is a unique situation because in rural areas it is quite uncommon to have this increase in taxation revenues," said Jerry Baker, University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.
The alternative energy source also benefits landowners, who can make anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 leasing part of their property for wind turbines.
"It's a savings for the community in general, savings for the rural electric companies, and it provides electricity service for at least a 20-year time period, which is the anticipated life of these turbines," Baker said.
Baker said the wind turbines also attract many visitors, adding tourism revenue to the list of benefits.
And for ratepayers, the wind turbines are easy on their wallets. "Anybody who is currently using Rock Port utilities can expect no increase in rates for the next 15 to 20 years."
The wind farm is sized to provide enough electricity over the course of a typical year to match electricity consumption in the town. The Missouri Public Utility Alliance in Columbia will purchase excess electricity from Loess Hills when the output from the wind power plant exceeds what Rock Port residents use.
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