Presque Isle
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 Presque Isle State Park's completed wind tower. |
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| The tower stands 120 feet high, with a Bergey 10kW Excel-S perched at the top. With an average yearly wind speed of 12 mph, this turbine is expected to produce about 17,000 kilowatt hours each year. Not only does this provide a financial benefit to the State Park, but it also serves to protect the environment. Every kilowatt of power produced by the windmill is one less kilowatt of power that has to be produced using non-renewable sources such as coal, gas, and other fossil fuels. | ||
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The wind turbine was assembled and erected during the Summer of 2004 by a team of local businesses and individuals who generously donated their time and efforts to the Presque Isle Wind Energy Project. The project was also funded, in large part, by the Pennsylvania Energy Harvest Grant. The electricity generated by this wind turbine provides supplemental power to the Stull Interpretive Center located on Presque Isle State Park.
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You can see how much power the turbine is producing by looking at the special meter and inverter (pictured at left) , located inside the Stull Interpretive Center. The small window on the inverter shows the rpm’s (rotations per minute) of the rotor, the line amps, and the number of kilowatts. The meter shows a running tally of how many kilowatt hours the turbine has produced since it was installed. This information will be used to monitor the productivity of the turbine, and also to establish accurate wind data for the area. |
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| You may be surprised to know that while the wind does occasionally come across the lake (from a Northerly direction) the primary wind direction is from the Southwest. That means that most of the wind comes right down the neck of the peninsula. Since there are many trees on the peninsula the turbine was placed on a 120’ tower, allowing access to the wind energy that is well above the trees. The height of the turbine lessens the amount of exposure to turbulent wind; turbulence can not only decrease the production of a wind turbine, but over time can damage its components and shorten its production life. This machine is expected to produce power for more than 25 years! | ||
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Lake Erie has a good wind resource, and using that resource wisely may be one of the ways we can help both the environment and the economy. Whether you are an individual, a small or large business, a farmer or an enthusiast, there’s a good chance that wind and other renewable resources will have an impact on your future. Keep your eye in the sky! |
For more information, please contact: Copyright © North Coast Energy Systems. All Rights Reserved |
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