Small wind turbine approved on Route 609

MONTEREY — While the giant wind turbines proposed for the western part of Highland County continue to generate doubt, smaller turbines for personal use are quietly gaining a foothold.

“Wind mills are one of the most elegant man-made structures,” said Franklin Marks. The curved blades on his turbine will be “pleasing looking,” he said.

“I can agree with you,” said Highland County planner Jim Cobb. “They are kind of like a radar tower. They mesmerize you.”

The Highland County Board of Supervisors approved a conditional use permit submitted by Marks to operate a 48-foot tall wind turbine tower on his 50 acres of agriculturally zoned property on Route 609 in the southern part of the county. Supervisors and planners held a public hearing last Thursday to consider Marks’ application.

This is the second small wind turbine in the county. The last one, approved two years ago, is 100 feet tall and belongs to Keith Carson and Polly Newlon of Blue Grass.

Marks’ turbine will generate 1.8 kilowatts of energy. It will be 70 feet from Marks’ camera business, 70 feet away from a BARC power line, and 200 feet from Route 609. The tower will be 600 feet from the nearest neighbor’s house. The structure and turbine are dull gray. The blades will not produce a flash effect from reflected sunlight.

Mike Nicholson provided the only written comment. He has no objection to the installation.

Marks explained the turbine is designed to back-feed electricity to BARC. The electricity generated will not be stored on a battery due to the added expense of buying and maintaining batteries. The turbine will be connected into a power panel attached to a BARC power meter. The energy returned to BARC is credited to Marks’ electric bill in a net-metering arrangement.

Marks will use the installation in his company advertising to show customers his company is sensitive to the environment. “It (the wind turbine) will benefit the company even if it doesn’t generate much power,” Marks said.

“I worked with Frank and Judy (Marks) when they first came to the county with their business,” said supervisor Robin Sullenberger. “This is not a major power producer, but that isn’t the point. I would be very supportive of it.” Sullenberger said he approved of the environmental sensitivity shown by Marks in choosing wind-energy for his company.

Marks uses ground-water heat pumps for his house and office. He is also considering putting in a two-kilowatt solar array. “In the winter, (the wind turbine) will do us pretty good,” he said. “In summer months, we will shut it off.”

He explained the greatest amount of power should be generated from January through March. “That is when we are using the most thermal heat,” he said. “The highest demand is on a windy night. The turbine will complement the heat pump. Effectively, the turbine will run the heat pump (at maximum output).”

Marks said the turbine maximizes energy production at 2 kilowatts in 20 mph winds. It can handle winds up to 50 mph, at no increase in energy production. Past 50 mph, the turbine shuts off. The turbine produces 4 watts of energy at 4 mph, though it takes 7-8 mph to get started.

Once he has his solar array in place, it would be the main source of power for the heat pump in the summer, Marks said.

He added that the turbine manufacturer claims the turbine has a low impact on birds and bats due to the relatively small blade. He said, according to studies he has read, birds and bats are not hitting the blades, but are affected by the low-pressure area behind the blade on larger turbines. He said larger turbine blades create low pressure behind the blade that causes bird lungs to explode if the birds happen to be in the way of the blade.

Planners passed the conditional use permit to the board of supervisors with a favorable recommendation.

Supervisors Sullenberger and David Blanchard approved the conditional use. Supervisor Jerry Rexrode was absent.