Farmers consider tapping into wind power

Small installations for communities

By FRITZ MAYER

LIBERTY, NY — The types of windmills installed on commercial wind farms are rated up to three megawatts and are difficult to come by just now, because of large backorders. However, smaller windmills, such as one manufactured by a company called Entegrity Wind Systems rated at 50 kilowatts (1,000 kilowatt equals one megawatt), are readily available and a good size to help generate electricity for some farms or school districts.

That was part of the information imparted to a group of about 20 local farmers and others, who gathered at the Cornell Cooperative Extension on Loomis-Ferndale Road in Liberty on November 21 for a presentation arranged by the non-profit group, Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development (SASD).

Mark Boumansour, director of sales for Entegrity, presented the bulk of the sometimes rather technical presentation to help the farmers try to understand if wind energy would work at their operations.

Boumansour said that many variables have an impact on windmill installations, but on average his company’s turbine sells for $140,000, with a $55,000 installation cost. Some of that cost, however, can be offset by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, which will pick up 25 percent of the price tag, and another grant of $60,000 is available from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Other grants may also be available through the federal government, which would provide additional funds.

Boumansour said that the actual cost to the buyer would be about $90,000, which, if energy prices continued to increase over the decades as expected, would result in $500 thousand in savings over the 30-year life of the turbine.

There were a broad range of technical and practical questions posed by the farmers, such as whether the windmill would increase the assessed value of the farm. Dick Riseling, a member of SASD and a longtime renewable energy expert, said that when he installed the windmill on his farm in Callicoon Center, the assessment was increased, but because of New York law, his tax bill did not increase.

Riseling also addressed other matters, such as the reasons why Entegrity was chosen for the presentation. He said the company’s windmill met various challenges: among them, the windmills are readily available and very efficient, which would allow more users to take advantage of the winds in Sullivan County, which are mostly rated on the low side of the wind energy scale.

After the presentation, Susan Jaffe, Sullivan County’s commissioner of community and economic development, said that, in her opinion, pursuing the option of renewable energy was a “no-brainer,” although a lot of homework remained to be done.

Farmer Ken Keller of Calicoon Center was intrigued by the prospect of wind energy but wondered if it was really necessary to go through what seemed to be a very large amount of paperwork to get to the goal.

Farmer Richard Dirie of Livingston Manor echoed the sentiments of several others when he said with his small operation, he wasn’t sure he could justify the $90,000 price tag.

Riseling told the farmers that SASD is working with other alternative energy initiatives and invited them to become involved in the process, and it seems likely that at least some of them will respond affirmatively to the invitation.

In one of his final remarks, Boumansour said, “The smaller communities are the ones to move forward and embrace renewable energy; it’s a very progressive thing to do.”

Go to www.sasdonline.org or www.entegritywind.com for more information.