HOME > NEWS & PRESS > NEWS ITEM Williamsons harvest the power of windShare Killeen Daily Herald (TX) NOLANVILLE – Stan and Jeanne Williamson stood in their backyard Wednesday and watched as Industrial Projects and Services of Waco erected a 45-foot pole to harvest power. Industrial Projects installed a wind turbine that would feed electricity to the Williamsons' home. "We started talking about this about nine months ago," said Stan, a former Nolanville councilman. "I am glad to see it up, and I will probably sit outside tonight and watch my power meter slow down." The Williamsons have been concerned with their rising electric bills, which run about $400 a month during the summer and about half that during the spring. "Believe me, I am all for this," Jeanne said. "I can't wait for the thing to be hooked up. When it starts, I am going to watch that meter. I am tired of the high electric bills." Stan hopes the wind turbine cuts his summer electric costs in half. The wind turbine, the Skystream 3.7, will generate about 500 kilowatt hours of electricity in a month that averages about 14.5 mph winds, stated information from Southwest Windpower the manufacturer of the wind turbine. During a month, winds averaging 8 mph will produce about 100 kilowatt hours of electricity. "It will produce between 500 and 600 kilowatt hours per month for around here," said Rusty Beals owner of Industrial Projects and Services. At that rate, Stan estimated the couple will recoup the cost of the wind turbine in about five to six years. The model costs about $14,500, said Dickie Pruett, another owner of Industrial Projects and Services. The Williamsons have also considered solar panels and placing a tankless water heater in their home to help save on electric bills, Stan said. The water heater will probably be next. Several City Council members watched the construction of the wind turbine. Mayor Emma McCullough said she was happy the City Council permitted the wind turbine's construction. The Planning and Zoning Commission is currently working on an ordinance to regulate wind turbine construction, she said. "We are going green one place at a time," McCullough said. Industrial Projects has installed several wind turbines in the Temple and Waco areas, but this was the first in the Killeen area, Pruett said. After the construction, the only thing the Williamsons were waiting on was "wind, lots and lots of wind," Jeanne said. |
