Town uses wind power to reduce energy costs
MMA Innovation Award winner - award presented on Jan. 11, 2003
Hull Wind I is a wind turbine that produces energy from the seaside community’s strong winds. Using this reliable source of renewable energy, the town realized significant savings in electricity costs in 2002.
The wind turbine began producing electricity on Dec. 27, 2001. It generates at least 1.5 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year, or enough energy to power street and traffic lights for the community of 11,000.
The Board of Selectmen was informed in early January 2002 that the town would save over $55,000 that year on the electricity costs to power streetlights and traffic signals. Hull Wind I produces renewable energy at one-third of the nine cents per kilowatt-hour rate that the Hull Municipal Light Plant charged the town for electricity.
The cost of Hull Wind I was approximately $700,000. The wind turbine was purchased with existing light plant funds. No borrowing or bonding was necessary.
Hull Wind I is the largest wind turbine on the East Coast. The blades are 90 feet long. With a blade perpendicular to the ground the windmill stands 240 feet high.
Innovation award judges
Judges for the 2003 MMA Innovation Awards were Richard Leary, who served as town administrator in Brookline for 25 years and was the first executive secretary in the town of Swampscott, and Edward Reilly, director of the western office of Kopelman and Paige and a former mayor of Pittsfield.
Written by MMA Associate Editor Mitch Evich
