Wind turbine up and spinning

BRIGHTON, NORTHUMBERLAND - East Northumberland Secondary SchoolÂ’s wind turbine is up and spinning and feeding green energy to the grid, says Gwen McConkey, environmental club teacher.

The project, which was about two and a half years in the making, is finally completed, commented ENSS principal Jeff Kawzenuk.

“I’m so excited to see this project finally coming to an end,” said Kawzenuk. “This is just part one of many things we hope to do to make ENSS a green school.”

The school broke ground on its new 1,800-watt, 50-foot-high wind turbine project on May 20 and celebrated itÂ’s completion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 15.

The project was estimated at $26,250, with local service clubs and groups making donations and approximately $5,000 of in-kind donations from local businesses, says McConkey.

And next they hope to put in a 3,000-watt, grid-tied solar energy system which will offset 1000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions each year, thereby contributing to the global warming solution, adds McConkey.

The plan was to then add the educational component, but a donation has already been received from a local business that will enable students to monitor the wind turbine remotely, McConkey added.

“Seven years ago students attended a conference, and that resulted in the creation of a sustainability plan for the school,” said McConkey.

Energy conservation was the first phase, followed by carbon sync where students planted thousands of trees, did some wetland restoration and sold individuals and organizations 5,200 trees.

This last phase, the renewable energy phase, is made up of three parts: wind, solar and education, she says.

ENSS is one of five schools in the province, and the first in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board, to have a wind turbine project on the go.