Yes YOU can….
by Timlynn Babitsky
Eric Chamberlain researched municipal wind energy, evaluated local wind resources, then shook his network connections at Wind Capital Group and John Deere Credit and asked: “Why not wind power for my town?” On Friday, April 18, 2008, Rock Port Missouri became the first city in the U. S. to be 100% wind powered and the entire community turned out to celebrate!
Rock Port’s Loess Hills Wind Farm was built by the Wind Capital Group, and employed 500 workers from 20 states for about a year. Its four 1.25 MW wind turbines will generate 16 gigawatt hours (16 million kilowatt hours) of electricity annually. Since Rock Port’s energy needs are quite a bit less than that, the excess power will be purchased by Missouri Public Utility Alliance, the local electric company.
Rock Port, Missouri, is about half-way between St. Joseph, Missouri and Omaha, Nebraska. Located in rolling agricultural country, the city is home to some 1,400 residents. “Small town” you might say, no wonder they got together to get the place 100% wind powered. If that were the case then, why are there not hundreds of RockPorts 100% powered by wind all over the United States?
What makes Rock Port special? To be honest, several factors made this smaller scale project possible. The city has a bluff within the city limits with good resources, John Deere’s Wind Energy is financing the project, and Rock Port is not that far from the power grid. But if it weren’t for Eric Chamberlain – one person with an idea and the drive to make it happen – Rock Port would likely still be just another sleepy “show me” town.
Click here for Rock Port’s project announcement.
Click here for the Rock Port city website.