Merry
Lea Installs Wind Generator
Even as the White House called for energy conservation in the wake of
Katrina and projected increased winter heating costs, Goshen College’s
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center took a major step toward energy
independence at its Rieth Village, now under construction.
On October 4, contractors installed a 10 kW wind generator that will
generate up to 20 % of the facility’s electrical needs. Grants
from the United Service Foundation and from the Energy Group, Office
of the Lieutenant Governor, State of Indiana, funded the bulk of the
turbine, tower and installation.
Emergency
Radio Services of Ligonier assembled the 100 ft freestanding tower,
and Schmidt Electric of Fort Wayne hooked up the generator’s electrical
system and attached the 11 ft, specially engineered fiber reinforced
plastic blades. By late afternoon, the generator and tower were in place
ready for final connection when the adjacent buildings are completed.
Noble REMC, the local utility company that serves Merry Lea, will meter
the electricity produced by the wind generator and purchase the excess.
Likewise, Merry Lea will draw on Noble REMC when wind resources are
not adequate.
“Our energy cooperative has not had a client install a wind generator
for some time,” commented Ron Raypole, manager of engineering
and construction at Noble REMC. “We are eager to see how this
installation plays out.”
The Bergey Windpower Co., Norman, OK, a leading manufacturer of small
business and residential wind systems, built Merry Lea’s wind
generator. The 100-foot steel tower is anchored in a block of concrete
four feet deep and 16 feet square, and it is designed to withstand the
stress when large blades turn in high winds. The height is necessary
to avoid turbulence created by buildings and trees.
While Merry Lea’s wind generator represents 21st century technology,
generating electricity with wind is not new to Noble County. Several
residents currently generate some of their own power or have done so
in the past. Most installed wind generators in the late 1970’s
when the first energy crisis hit and federal and state tax credits for
alternative energy installations were granted.
“It’s always a pleasure to watch the electric meter run
backwards,” one windmill owner commented.
Based on the wind resources at Merry Lea’s site, the generator
is expected to produce approximately 14,000 kilowatts of electricity
per year. This is at least 20% of the projected needs of Rieth Village
when all buildings are completed.
When planning for Rieth Village began three years ago, Merry Lea’s
engineer, Alan Chalifoux of Eta Engineers, calculated simple payback
on Merry Lea’s wind generator (compared to the cost of other energy)
at 17.8 years. However, with each increase in energy costs, the break-even
point comes closer to the present. The wind turbine is expected to last
35 years, so Chalifoux places the rate of return on investment at least
23%.
In recent years, conducting required maintenance and obtaining parts
and service have been the greatest obstacles for area residents who
wish to generate their own power from wind.
Merry Lea’s wind turbine should avoid some of those problems given
that today’s units have sealed bearings and solid-state electronics
for greater durability. Further, modern portable cranes such as the
one used to erect Merry Lea’s system now make it easier to conduct
repairs.
Students who live at Rieth Village will monitor their consumption of
energy and the generator’s ability to provide it as part of their
educational experience. This is similar to the educational role of a
comparable unit installed some years ago by Indiana Michigan Power at
Fort Wayne’s Science Central. However, in Merry Lea’s case,
the generator is a significant source of power for two cottages and
an interim academic building.
Producing some of its own power helps Rieth Village receive a higher
rating by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design (LEED). Solar and wind power, cisterns to recycle
rainwater, structural insulated panels and careful teamwork between
the architect, engineer, landscape designer and Merry Lea’s staff
all help to better our score.
Rieth Village will be ready to receive students interested in studying
agroecology, natural history and environmental education in May 2006.
Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College is an 1,150-acre
nature preserve located in central Noble County, about 30 miles northeast
of Fort Wayne. It is owned and operated by Goshen College, Goshen, IN.
Currently, over 7,000 people visit Merry Lea each year. Its staff of
15 provides environmental education to over 6,000 school children as
well as hikes and workshops for the general public and undergraduate
and graduate academic courses. – Larry Yoder
Photos of the installation of the wind generator and additional technical
information may be found at http://www.goshen.edu/merrylea/collegiate/riethvillage.html
For additional information contact Jennifer Schrock at Merry Lea jenniferhs@goshen.edu
or 260 799 5869
