Wind Industries

Homer Tribune
Wind, ball fields, wetlands and budget dominate council to-do list
By Naomi Klouda
Aug 12, 2009
http://www.homertribune.com/article.php?aid=4515

People currently wanting to set up wind systems in city limits need to wait for the Homer City Council to adopt an ordinance setting guidelines.

So far, the city has received two such requests, but had to tell the residents to hold off until the guidelines are set. Over the past several months, the Homer Advisory Planning Commission with Planning Director Rick Abboud have pored over information to create guidelines now under council review.

The council chamber was packed with people wanting to testify on ordinances, though Monday offered a warm, sunny evening outside. Most supported the idea of letting wind turbines go up in town, but in the crunch to obtain renewable energy relief, the council should avoid haste.

"I support alternative, renewable energy. Yet, whenever we touch anything, we have consequences," said Roberta Highland. "The biggest thing is to do good research on what is available."

Wind experts from Alaska Wind Industries agreed research is key. Nadia Daggett, owner, handed the council a packet of more reading material to help do just that. A group she belongs to, the Kenai Peninsula Association for Renewable Energy, plans to hold a meeting prior to the next city council meeting to offer a public forum to help debunk myths.

One myth is that property values would drop from so-called "unsightly" wind structures. Eric Schreier said the opposite is true: even Alaska Housing Finance Corp., in loaning money for wind systems, factors them in as an asset. Another study Schreier cited showed the turbines have not posed a problem to birds. The fast-changing technology now features a rotation on the pole, eliminating the need for a blade.

Daggett also addressed misperceptions relating to noise. A spinning turbine from 100 feet away registers at four decibels.

Starting now with small turbines could eliminate the need for the giant turbines causing controversy elsewhere, she noted. The state has a goal to see 20 percent of Alaska's energy production from renewable resources by the year 2030.

"If we can do it in small amounts, then it will mean we don't have to do the big turbines," Daggett explained. "We're going to reduce the amount of fossil fuel we have to produce in the future."

As for the aesthetics of wind turbines, Steve Zimmerman pointed out that the city has allowed high condos at the end of the Spit, large homes overlooking the Bay, and utility lines strung across the views.

"And you object to windmills?" he asked.

Local resident Leonard Wells said, "What's bad-looking to me is my HEA bill."

Some of the testimony asked the council to "walk the talk" on its climate action plan to reduce fossil fuel use by welcoming alternative energy.

Cook InletKeeper Executive Director Bob Shavelson noted that, "energy production has a footprint. It's up to legislative bodies like you to decide the parameters."

A second hearing providing opportunity for the public to testify is set for Aug. 24 on ordinance 09-34.