by Jbs050809 e3 — May 11, 2009—The same natural force that annihilated Greensburg, Kansas two years ago soon will be powering the town that has been rebuilt into America’s most energy-conscious community. On May 4, 2007, a 205-mph tornado destroyed 90 percent of the town, killing 11 people and uprooting its 1,400 residents.
With technical assistance from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the city of Greensburg, John Deere Renewable Energy, and other partners will open a wind farm generating 12.5 MW of electricity, enough to power 4,000 homes.
The Greensburg wind farm will include 10 turbines, each rated at 1.25 MW. John Deere Renewable Energy will build and maintain the wind farm, and sell power to the Kansas Power Pool, a cooperative of several Kansas cities. Greensburg expects to consume about a quarter of the electricity the wind farm generates.
When the wind isn’t blowing, the Kansas Power Pool will provide the town with clean power from other sources, including hydropower, to meet the community’s goal of being powered entirely by renewable sources. Groundbreaking for the Greensburg wind farm is planned for this summer at a site three miles outside of town, and commercial operation is expected to begin in 2010.
On May 2, Greensburg recognized the NREL with the city’s first annual Outstanding Support Award for playing an “instrumental” role in the town’s recovery. NREL advisers will continue its two-year work in Greensburg for another year to complete on-the-ground projects and develop a sustainability blueprint that other cities and towns might follow.
For more information on Greensburg, visit these Web pages: DOE, NREL, and Building America Program: Building Greensburg and the Building Technologies Program; City of Greensburg; or Greensburg GreenTown.
