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New wind turbine installed at Limeburners Point Boat Ramp
Monday, 29 June 2009
10:42 AM
Media Releases
The City of Greater Geelong has installed a micro wind turbine at the Limeburners Point Boat Ramp.
The turbine is the one of the first vertical axis models to be installed anywhere in Australia.
Council’s Environment and Sustainability portfolio holder Cr John Doull said vertical axis turbines have the advantage of being able to generate power in a wide variety of wind conditions and are silent in operation.
“The turbine will be able to generate power night and day in all wind conditions. The power generated will be fed back in to the electric power grid and used to power the boat ramp lights with excess providing a payback to the City,” he said.
“The turbine is expected to save more than 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and with non-renewable energy costs set to rise, the dollars savings will continue to grow over its anticipated 30 year lifetime.”
The micro wind turbine is part of the City’s Greenhouse Response, which seeks to reduce the City’s own energy use and greenhouse emissions across its operations and facilities.
“One of the aims of the Greenhouse Response is to demonstrate the benefits of renewable and low greenhouse polluting energy sources such as wind and solar,” said Cr Doull.
“Limeburners Point is a great location to demonstrate wind power in that there is a ready supply of wind and it is an easy place for people to visit and see the turbine in operation,” he said.
“The City has a close relationship with the Gordon T.A.F.E. and the turbine performance will be keenly monitored by students studying renewable energy courses.”
The wind turbine becomes the City’s third renewable energy site, joining the six kilowatt photovoltaic solar systems on the roofs of the National Wool Museum and City Hall.
“The City encourages individuals, community groups, businesses and other Government agencies to make use of renewable energy and reduce their carbon footprint,” Cr Doull said.
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