By David Fleet
Editor
Atlas Twp.- Change is in the wind for at least one area home and business.
Dave and Judi Pearce, owners of Amazing Wings Therapeutic Riding Center at Hawk Nest Ranch, 9500 S. State Road, are moving forward with a plan to utilize wind energy to power their home and barn, combined more than 13,000 square feet of area.
On Jan. 20 the township planning commission recommended a wind energy ordinance to the board of trustees, and at the Feb. 22 meeting the board approved the ordinance, 5-0.
The ordinance sets guidelines to care for both the environment and safety of the community with regard to wind turbines.
While the southern Genesee County area is not the greatest wind area in the state, said Pearce, the Hawk Nest Ranch is one of the highest points in the township at about 960 feet above sea level.
The ranch is located on about 70 acres near the banks of Lake Shinangaug which, due to the flat surface area, is conducive to more wind. The tower will extend in the air with twin 20-foot blades well above the tree-line utilizing the wind. The tower support would require a 20-by-20 foot concrete slab 12-feet thick.
‘Some say there’s no wind here,? said Dave Pearce. ‘But there’s just about always a breeze’there’s enough.?
Pearce also addressed the environmental concerns of the project.
‘This can’t impact my neighbors or the 16 horses we have’or even the birds that fly by,? said Dave. ‘The, ‘whoosh? sound of the turning blades is also a concern.?
Costs are also a major factor. The estimated cost of the project could exceed $200,000’funded in part by both federal and state grants of which Pearce said is necessary to construct the turbine, which would produce about 20 kilowatt hours.
‘That would be enough electricity to zero out my electrical bill and sell some power back to Consumers Energy,? he said. ‘Ultimately this project could be a showcase for other communities and home or business owners.?
A three-bill package signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm in 2008 mandates 10 percent of the state’s energy come from renewable sources, like wind power, by 2015. The package also includes an income tax credit to offset a portion of rate-payers? investments in renewable energy for Michigan.
‘It’s sometimes difficult to take a jump forward into new territory,? said Judi. ‘These grants are available to move forward with the green initiative.?