Gustavus closer to installing turbines

Power generators more available now

By Robb Murray

ST PETER — Gustavus Adolphus College has moved a little closer to following through with its wind energy project.

Physics instructor Chuck Niederriter said the college has been exploring the idea of installing wind turbines since 2001. But because of the difficulty in obtaining one, they’ve never really come close to actually making it happen.

Until now.

The economy has created a situation where the demand for the costly wind turbines by public utilities isn’t as high, and private groups such as Gustavus now have access to them.

Niederriter said that if all goes as planned, a wind turbine could be installed by the end of the year or early next year. The most likely location is on an 80-acre site on the western edge of campus.

The turbine Gustavus has in mind is rated at 1.65 megawatts. That means, when the wind is blowing above 12 meters per second, the turbine will produce 1.65 million watts of electricity.

And when it’s in, it could generate enough energy to satisfy one-third to one-half the college’s energy needs. This would result in a cost savings of between $250,000 and $300,000.

At a cost of roughly $3 million for the project, it will take a number of years for the college to recover costs. Once it does, however, it will realize the vision of sustainability first brought to the college’s attention by a student group called the Gustavus Greens.

It was the Gustavus Greens who first approached the college administration in 2001 about researching the viability of wind turbines. The Greens are the same group that brought Gustie Ware to campus — the reusable containers students use instead of disposable take-out containers — as well as the Recyclemania contest.

The college hosted a public forum late last week where it informed area residents about its plans and answered questions. About 50 people attended.

College officials tried to ease residents’ concerns. One such concern is the welfare of birds and bats. Niederriter said the older turbines were built on lattice structures that invited bat nesting. The structures on newer turbines are smooth and streamlined. Bats won’t nest there.

In some cases migrating birds have been killed. But those cases took place on turbines installed in mountainous areas. Gustavus isn’t on a mountain.

To counter questions of aesthetics, Niederriter said they showed attendees altered photos of how the turbine would look. Using computer technology, they superimposed an image of a turbine, trying to approximate how large and prominent it would look from various angles and perspectives.

There is also the issue of noise. Niederriter said the turbines comply with state noise ordinance standards. But Nicollet County, he said, is considering changing its ordinance to include a setback for noise.