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Ocean Gate reaping winds - and praise
BPU recognizes, helps fund turbine project
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OCEAN GATE -The power of wind does not lie solely in the outer continental shelf.
On Monday, this Ocean County borough became the first municipality in New Jersey to begin development of a small wind project.
Ground was broken Monday, with two 100-foot turbines expected to be up and running by mid-September.
The city also was honored with the 2008 New Jersey Clean Energy Leadership Award for Municipality of the Year by the state's Board of Public Utilities for getting the project under way. The Atlantic County Utilities Authority received the leadership award in 2007, but Ocean Gate is the first municipality to receive the honor.
"While you're small, you're really mighty with what you've done," BPU President Jeanne Fox said at a ground-breaking ceremony Monday.
The turbines are to be constructed next to the town's water tower, and upon completion, they will be about the same height.
Ocean Gate is the first municipality in New Jersey to take advantage of the BPU's Small Wind Model Ordinance. The town received $200,000 toward the project's $600,000 cost from the BPU. Seven municipalities and small businesses have also applied to take advantage of the ordinance, according to Fox.
The project has been in development for about 2½ years, according to Ocean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy. He said the project met with approval from "about
98 percent of the community" in a series of town meetings.
While the proposed offshore wind farms have to wait for federal approval, onshore wind projects such as Ocean Gate's can move forward much more quickly, according to Kennedy.
"The state of New Jersey needs to follow us now," Kennedy said.
E-mail Ben Leach:
Benefits of the turbines
The two wind turbines being constructed in Ocean Gate may not generate nearly as much energy as the proposed offshore wind farms, but they have their fair share of benefits.
n The 50-kilowatt wind turbines are expected to generate about 224,000 kilowatt hours annually.
n The turbines will cut emissions by an amount equal to removing 162 tons of carbon dioxide or conserving 376 barrels of oil
annually.
n A similar amount of carbon reduction could be achieved by planting 36 acres of fir trees.
Posted in Ocean on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 11:05 pm
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