Loch Sheldrake, NY – This fall marked the dawn of a new type of model turbine wind power, where Manhattan-based Environmental Technologies and Sullivan County College celebrated the introduction of their first 1.25-megawatt vertical axis wind turbine to be built on the campus grounds.

Environmental Technologies’ founder and president, Sam Ikeda, was joined by college president, Dr Mamie Howard-Gollard and others to celebrate the introduction of the 110-foot ETC-LU windmill – the result of 19 years of research and development in Pennsylvania, Japan and Taiwan.

What makes the turbine so revolutionary is that it is only about one-third the height of traditional horizontal, propeller-type windmills, but is able to produce twice the power. It is also said to be much quieter and easier to maintain since all the mechanical parts are located at ground-level, instead of 300-feet in the air.

The ETC-LU wind turbine’s spins at only 10-15 rotations per minute, creating no motion blur, which is responsible for many windmill-related bird deaths. Although the slow rotation, it’s advanced DC and AC gearing enables the turbine to produce as much as 3-4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per annum at an average wind speed of just over 21 kilometers (14 miles) per hour.

Ikeda said, “Given our mission to help solve the problems facing our planet as a result of global warming, we are very excited to install our internationally patented, 1.25 megawatt-class vertical-shaft wind turbine here at the college. This installation of our ETC-LU model wind turbine will be the first, we hope, of many to come.”

Howard-Golladay went on to add, “Not only will this turbine complement our existing campus sustainability initiatives, it also will serve as a unique, hands-on learning opportunity for our students, particularly those in our Green Building Maintenance & Management and Environmental Studies programs.”

The experimental model turbine wind system, along with an educational booth will be erected on one acre of land near the campus traffic circle, and is expected to be ready by January 2009. Once fully operational in early Spring 2009, it will be connected to the grid, and able to power about 400 homes.

Originally posted 2008-12-08 11:04:52.

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