Harnessing the wind
MATC considering wind turbines for its Fort Atkinson campus
Kim Ellingson,Clarion Editor-in-Chief
Issue date: 2/11/09 Section: News
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These symbols will be a pair of wind turbines, and each one will tower 155 feet in the air. The turbines will each generate about 35 kilowatts of energy, which is expected to provide roughly 80 percent of the campus' electricity, saving about $8,000 on Fort Atkinson's average $10,000 a month energy bill.
The college began looking for ways to reduce energy at the Fort Atkinson campus while it was undergoing a $2.35-million expansion in 2008, and after MATC President Bettsey Barhorst signed the "American College and University President's Climate Commitment." The commitment is an oath stating that MATC is serious about reducing energy and becoming more carbon neutral.
"Wind turbines looked feasible to us because we have a lot of open land at Fort Atkinson," said Fred Brechlin, an architect at MATC.
Aside from energy savings, having wind turbines on campus will provide a hands-on approach to students enrolled in MATC-Fort Atkinson's Renewable Energy Certificate. The certificate program provides a basic understanding of solar, wind, geo thermal, and bio fuel applications. The turbines will allow the wind portion of the program to be taught on site, and students have the opportunity to learn how to maintain and repair the turbines.
According to Brechlin, the turbines will cost about $250,000 each. Some of the project is going to be funded through grants. A Wisconsin group called Focus on Energy will be granting up to $100,000, and Brechlin said MATC is also going to pursue a grant up to $50,000 from We Energies, as well as look into if there will be money available through the upcoming federal relief funds. The remaining part of the project will be financed through district funds.
The project is still in the approval process, and according to Brechlin, there are several organizations that need to approve of the turbines. Among them are the City of Fort Atkinson, the Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport and the MATC District Board. The proposal is being supported by the Fort Chamber of Commerce and a local business group called Industrial Development Corporation.
According to Lorin Toepper, senior administrator of the Fort Atkinson and Watertown campuses, the project is only about 1-2 months from obtaining final approval from the Fort Atkinson city council.
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