Windmill applicant may be first of many SOUTH KINGSTOWN - For $13,000 and up to a 25 percent tax credit from the state, installing a windmill can be an affordable alternative energy source. That’s what David Anderson, a Tuckertown Road resident and owner of the R.I. Renewable Energy Co., thinks. He will appear before the Zoning Board on April 18 seeking a special use permit to install a 70-foot tower and a Skystream model windmill on his property at 336 Tuckertown Road. If his application is approved - and Anderson said he’s optimistic that it will be - the stage may be set for other residents to submit similar requests. “There is tremendous interest in alternative and renewable energy sources,” Anderson said. “People have been talking about finding ways for residential properties to generate their own power. The time has come, and it’s finally gotten to the point where residential wind power is affordable.” As a Skystream dealer, Anderson already has several local residents interested in installing windmills of their own. He just opened for business at the Salt Pond Office Park in South Kingstown. Building Official Russell W. “Bo” Brown said that a windmill is an allowed use in a residential zone with a special use permit. The windmill can’t exceed a height of 200 feet, however, without an additional dimensional variance. Brown said the board’s concerns probably would include potential noise and the impact of the windmill on neighbors. But Brown said he’s aware of widespread interest in alternative energy sources within the community and thinks it can be a viable option for residents with enough land. “There are a lot of people looking at windmills and solar panels,” Brown said. “I don’t know what the payback is, but whatever extra power you generate can be sold back to the power company. In an ideal situation, it costs nothing for power.” Anderson said the Skystream produces very little noise. He said he’s received a positive response from his neighbors and believes he won’t face major opposition to his plan. In fact, he said, a couple of his neighbors would like to install windmills, too. “Down here in South County and around the coast we have tremendously good wind,” Anderson said. “It’s a viable option for thousands of people.” But not everyone. Some properties are simply too small and too close to neighbors, power lines, tall buildings or trees. Others are too far inland or within valleys, without the steady wind needed to power the windmill. Every potential client, Anderson said, will be given a calculation of average annual wind speed. Each property will be mapped with longitude and latitude lines along with other geographical details to determine if a windmill is feasible. “Certainly, there are cases in which we’ll have to tell a prospective customer that a windmill isn’t right for them,” Anderson said. In an ideal situation, a windmill is situated several feet above the tree line and generates about 40 to 90 percent of a household’s energy needs. The remaining power is bought from the utility company. During periods of strong, sustained winds, it’s not out of the question for a single Skystream to generate enough power to spin the power meter backwards. “It’s not a bad deal to get a check cut from the power company,” Brown said. Anderson said that, depending on average annual wind speeds, it might take 5 to 12 years for a Skystream to pay for itself. The units are built with encased bearings and should prove dependable for years, requiring little to no maintenance. They come with a 5-year warranty. Local interest in wind power continues to grow. Anderson said that he’s been talking to planning and zoning boards and town officials around the state and has received favorable indications that towns would be willing to make it easier for homeowners to install alternative energy devices. After brief contact with North Kingstown, Anderson said, he received word this week that the town wants to modify its zoning laws to make it easier for residents to install windmills. Anderson said his company’s Web site, www.rhodeislandrenewableenergy.com , will be up soon. For more information, call 788-0643. Mark Schieldrop can be reached at schieldrop@scindependent.com. Southwest Windpower - Renewable Energy Made Simple |
