 Moorhead Public Service hoped to get 425 subscribers by summer to its Capture the Wind program, launched during Earth Week in April.
It took just 12 days. The phenomenal success of the program means that Moorhead will build a 750-kilowatt wind turbine on the northeast edge of town. It should be providing clean energy to city residents by June 1999. Environmentally friendly "Wind power is renewable and affordable," said Bill Schwandt, Moorhead Public Service general manager. "Wind turns the turbine rotors that spin the generator that makes electricity. No need to mine, burn, or dispose of anything." Residential participants agree to buy either all or 1,000 kilowatthours per month of their electricity from wind generation and agree to pay a half penny more per kilowatthour to finance the cost. For a typical Moorhead resident with 1,000 kWh of energy consumption per month, the program will add $5 to the resident's utility bill. For that $5, the participant will reduce 8,800 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. "That is equivalent to planting 1.2 acres of trees, or removing a car from the road each year," explained Christopher Reed, director of energy services and marketing for Moorhead Public Service. Commercial customers may also participate in the voluntary program. They agree to buy blocks of 1,500 kWh of wind energy per month. The average commercial customer will pay about $7.50 more per month for energy by participating. Three-year signup Customers agree to participate for an initial three-year period, followed by one-year renewals. Those who signed up initially become charter members and will receive progress reports as the turbine is built and begins operation. Information on the program will also be posted on the utility's Website. The rotor, with a 156-foot diameter, will be mounted on a 180-foot tower. The large turbine blades rotate at a relatively low speed of 28 revolutions per minute, reducing the risk to birds often associated with earlier turbine designs. Bird kill is the major environmental concern associated with wind energy. The program has no effect on customers who choose not to participate. "Many customers may be satisfied knowing that their electricity is already produced by hydropower and by one of the most efficient and cleanest-burning coal-fired plants in the U.S.," Schwandt said. Moorhead currently gets two-thirds of its electricity from Western and one-third from a coal-fired powerplant. The wind power will displace coal generation for participating customers. Other programs The wind energy program is not the only environmentally friendly program offered by Moorhead Public Service. More than 50 Moorhead businesses and organizations have lightened their energy bills by participating in the Lighten Up/Energy Efficient Lighting Program. Through that program Moorhead businesses save more than 4 million kWh of electricity annually, reduce peak demand by 1,100 kW, and reduce emissions by 27 tons of sulfur dioxide, 11 tons of nitrogen oxide, and 3,205 tons of carbon dioxide. That's the equivalent of planting 864 acres of trees and removing 641 cars from the road. Participants receive a rebate of $300 per kW of energy saved. So far, Moorhead has awarded more than $455,000 in rebates to these customers. It has also presented them with Energy Excellence Awards.
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