Construction of a 750-kilowatt wind turbine next to Crisfield’s sewage treatment could begin as soon as April after City Council members this week awarded a $3.2 million contract for the work. Bearing Construction Co. was awarded the contract after submitting the lowest of three bids...Construction is expected to take nine months to complete, Loar said.The project will save money on electricity for the city because of the enormous subsidy given to wind power.
Although the turbine is expected to generate more than enough electricity to power the sewer plant, it must still connect to the grid since the plant needs a consistent source of electricity, and the turbine’s output could fluctuate depending on how windy it is, officials have said. The city also can sell the excess electricity back to the grid.As we have seen before, having wind power does not substantially reduce the requirement for other forms of power, in most cases in Maryland, coal burning plants. And because coal plants must be kept running to be able to rapidly take over in the event the wind dies, the amount of fossil fuel saved (and the amount of CO2 production) stopped by wind power is minimal. But it makes greenies feel good.
And here's a problem I hadn't remembered with wind power:
The project has been scaled down from its original design after officials at Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St. Mary’s County expressed concerns that turbines will interfere with radar systems.
The turbine now planned for a site will be under the 300-foot height limit set by the Navy.
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