[Winona Online Democracy] That's a great idea Greg. As long as we're investing, we may as well do it right. Now, I only hope you're a voting, tax paying Winonan-ite..so they can take your opinion on the matter seriously! LOL!! Tania
________________________________ From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] on behalf of Greg Olson Sent: Mon 8/8/2005 9:29 PM To: [email protected]; Dwayne & Denine Voegeli Subject: Re: [Winona] Possible Wind Turbine & Dept. of Commerce $200, 000 Grant [Winona Online Democracy] Just a thought. Rather than litter our roadsides with white turbine towers AND cell towers why not look at combining the two technologies on the same tower. I have read where some communities require the parties interested in putting up a tower to use aesthetically pleasing designs. Look at our bluffs and see the towering sky litter. I am certainly not a tree hugger but if there is a better way to do something and preserve our beautiful countryside--why not...We have the opportunity to do it right the first time. See the attached site. http://www.utilitycamo.com/sites.html Greg Olson ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dwayne & Denine Voegeli" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 08, 2005 7:30 PM Subject: [Winona] Possible Wind Turbine & Dept. of Commerce $200,000 Grant > [Winona Online Democracy] > > Hello Keith, > > Thank you for asking about the large wind turbine project the County Board > will be discussing at tomorrow's meeting. > > Again, the project is designed to apply for one of two competitive > $200,000 > grants the Minnesota Department of Commerce will be awarding this Fall. > > In case people missed last Friday's Winona Daily News, here is a story > about the County's EDA Commitee vote on the issue. > > http://winonadailynews.com/articles/2005/08/05/news/00lead.txt > > Below is the briefing the County Commissioners were sent as an addition to > their agenda packets. > > Please let me know if you or anyone else has any other questions or > feedback. > > Thank you, > > Dwayne Voegeli > > August 8, 2005 > > ----- > > Briefing for County Board Commissioners > > August 8, 2005 > > ----- > > Here are the quick basics behind the large wind turbine that is being > discussed: > > > A. Cost: Approximately $2.1 million for one turbine > > B. Payback Period: Approximately 10-11 years * > > C. Life of Turbine: Approximately 20 years > > D. Size: 1.65 megawatts, enough to power 500 homes > > E. Rate of Return: Nearly 10% over 20 years > > F. Grant Release Date: August 2, 2005 > > G. Grant Application Date: October 6, 2005 (less than two months from > now) > > * Blake Pickart, the County's Finance Director, was given the cash flow > sheets for this proposal almost two weeks ago. He has been asked to go > over the numbers to make sure they are accurate and valid. He will be > present at tommorrow's meeting to answer questions. > > --- > > Possible partners to work with on this project to share costs and to > increase partnership potentials: > > 1. Winona State University > 2. Saint Mary's University > 3. Technical College > 4. 3 School Districts: Winona, St. Charles, and Lewiston > 5. Private Schools > 6. Possible Townships > 7. Possible Cities > > > --- > > Some beginning questions and answers: > > > Question # 1: Why should the Winona County be involved with a project > like > this? > > Reply: > > A. It is a good investment and it will save taxpayers money over the long > run. > > B. It will spur private investors to develop more projects like this. > > C. It will help the farmers who allow the turbines on their land with > additional income through land lease payments. > > D. By helping farmers and rural land owners, wind turbines will help keep > the countryside rural and it aligns with the County's Comp Land Use Plan. > > E. It places us on the cutting edge of a new technology in our part of > the > state. It will come one day, the question is, "when will Winona County > residents benefit from the cost savings and clean energy source?" > > F. It may help create good paying jobs in our area. > > G. It will help keep all the money we spend on energy in our area and it > will decrease our dependancy on foreign oil. > > H. It is the environmentally responsible thing to do. > > --- > > > Question # 2: Isn't this best left for the private sector to do? > > A. Usually the private sector leads and government follows but sometimes > government leads and the private sector follows. > > (i.e. Did you know that both IBM and ATT had a chance to develop the > internet? They both passed on the idea and it was left for government to > develop. There are many other examples like that.) > > B. This grant comes from the Minnesota State Department of Commerce. It > is > designed specifically for local governments, not the private sector. The > Dept. of Commerce wants these projects to be seed projects that will spur > more private sector investments and projects like this. > > C. This project is not simply about catching a really big fish ($200,000 > grant), it's about learning how to fish. It's about learning how to help > and encourage others to do more projects like this. > > D. I and others have been working on this for over 2 years. It would be > quicker and easier if someone from the private sector would begin a > project > like this but it simply hasn't happened yet. > > --- > > > Question # 3: Has this been done before? > > Reply: Yes. > > This same kind of grant was done two years ago. Two wind turbines were > built and are now up and running, one at Carleton College in Northfield > and > one at the University of Minnesota - Morris. This grant produces concrete > results and it's a real thing, it's not just a nice sounding idea. > > --- > > > Question # 4: Is there insurance for things like this? > > Reply: Yes. > > Even though it's new to us in Winona County, billions are invested in > large > wind turbines across the country and there is a whole insurance industry > built around these machines. > > --- > > > > Question # 5: What about maintenance costs and problems? > > Reply: There's always a chance there might be problems. > > Any new power source may have potential problems. But the costs for the > repairs are built into the cash flow sheet for the project. There are > also > people who work on machines like this. > > --- > > > Question # 6: What about noise problems and other concerns from possible > neighbors? > > Reply: There may be possible concerns. > > There are many myths about wind turbines which a little bit of information > or a tour to existing wind turbines would quickly take care of. > > Many myths come from the front people and groups who represent the coal > and > other industries who benefit from the status quo and who do not want to > rock the boat with new technologies. > > For example, when it comes to noise, if you ever have a chance to visit > one > of the big turbines, you wouldn't believe how quiet they are. > > It will be important to site any possible project with neighbor's concerns > in mind. There might be concerns but there are ways to solve those > problems. > > > > ------------ > > Dwayne Voegeli > > Winona County Commissioner > > (507) 453-9012 > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 359 Pleasant Hill Dr. > Winona, MN 55987 > > ------------ > > > _______________________________________________ > This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy > All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. > No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. > To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit > http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona > Any problems or suggestions can be directed to > mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact > page at > http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org _______________________________________________ This message was posted to Winona Online Democracy All messages must be signed by the senders actual name. No commercial solicitations are allowed on this list. To manage your subscription or view the message archives, please visit http://mapnp.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/winona Any problems or suggestions can be directed to mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you want help on how to contact elected officials, go to the Contact page at http://www.winonaonlinedemocracy.org
