U.S. Water News Online
FARGO, N.D. -- City officials are considering using wind energy to power the city's wastewater treatment plant.
The City Commission is discussing applying for federal bonds to finance a wind turbine. The 2005 federal energy bill has $800 million available for state, local and tribal governments and small electric co-ops to issue bonds for certain renewable energy projects, including wind turbines.
The commission is deciding whether to pursue some of the money.
The wind turbine would be built on city-owned land at the lagoons along U.S. 81 north of Fargo, City Commissioner Mike Williams said. It would generate about 4.3 megawatt-hours of electricity annually for the wastewater plant, which uses about 5 megawatt-hours per year, he said.
Electricity costs for the wastewater plant jumped nearly 30 percent from 2004 to 2005, city officials said. Williams' analysis found that a wind turbine would save the plant about $203,000 annually in energy costs.
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