ARCHBOLD WEATHER

Wind Turbine Could Be In Line For State Capital Budget Funds





David Deskins, Archbold Area School District superintendent, said the school wind turbine – alternative energy project could be in line for state money.

Speaking at the Archbold Area School Board meeting, Monday night, April 21, Deskins said he met with Bruce Goodwin (R-Defiance), who represents Archbold in the Ohio House of Representatives.

Deskins said Goodwin told him he had received a call from the state budget director asking about the wind power project.

“When the budget director calls, that’s a pretty good sign,”

Deskins said.

Deskins said the district, along with Pettisville schools, had originally requested $2.5 million between Archbold and Pettisville for alternative energy studies.

If the Archbold-Pettisville proposal is included in the capital budget, the school district could see a large portion, or even the full request, funded.

“We could receive zero, or up to $2.5 million between Archbold and Pettisville,” he said.

He said one factor is the support it has received.

Officials from Fulton County and the Village of Archbold have pulled together to support the project. There also have been conversations with Northwest State Community College and the Gorham-Fayette School District.

Lisa Arends, Fulton County economic development director, also is behind the project.

“The whole area recognizes its potential,” Deskins said.

Test Tower

Last week, Green Energy Ohio announced Archbold will be one of two sites in the state to receive the loan of a temporary wind test tower.

In a Wednesday, April 16, meeting at Archbold High School, Kemp E. Jaycox, manager of the Green Energy Ohio wind energy program, said Archbold was selected for the 2008-09 Anemometer Loan Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Ohio Department of Development.

Jaycox said Archbold will receive the use of a 50-meter (164.04 feet) temporary meteorological tower.

The tower will have anemometers at 30 meters (98.43 feet), 40 meters (131.23 feet) and at the top to measure wind speed, along with instruments to determine wind direction.

Jaycox said data collected by the tower will be used to determine how much power a wind turbine could generate.

The tower will be installed on the northwest corner of the Archbold Evangelical Mennonite Church property, west and south of Archbold High School.

It will be erected in June, and in place for about a year.

Value

Jaycox said cost of the equipment is $16,000. He said the value of the yearlong study is about $40,000.

Overall, Deskins said a total value of $70,000, including the GEO loan program, has been donated to the school district to explore alternative energy.

No money has come from school district funds, he said.


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