Atop Belknap Hill, residents study potential for wind power

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

A group of residents in the Belknap Lookout neighborhood have partnered with Calvin College to conduct what is likely the Grand Rapid's first feasibility study of urban wind turbines.

Neighbors in the residential neighborhood, which is situated on a bluff just east of the Grand River, intends to determine what potential, if any, exists to produce wind-generated electricity at their elevated location. They hope to learn whether there is enough wind blowing to power individual homes, new developments like Newberry Place, the broader neighborhood, or perhaps even help supply the city's energy demand.

Grand Rapids Mayor George Heartwell has made energy conservation and innovation a centerpiece of his administration. Most recently, the mayor called for a strategy to meet 100 percent of municipal power needs with renewable energy rather than nonrenewable fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. Achieving such an ambitious goal, the mayor says, would only boost the local economy and environmental stewardship efforts.

Two weeks ago, Professor Paul Ribeiro of Calvin's electrical engineering department and a team of six engineering students mounted two anemometers on one of the highest points in the city—atop a reservoir on the north end of Belknap Hill. The anemometers will remain in place through July.

James Horton, a civil engineering student, is working with Professor Ribeiro throughout the summer to monitor the devices and compile a detailed analysis.

If the Hill catches enough wind, the study recommendations will include:

• The size, types, and number of turbines needed.
• The amount of electricity that could be generated.
• Costs.
• Funding sources.
• Ideas for connecting to Consumers Energy's grid.

"We got the City's permission to install the anemometers, and we talked with Consumers Energy about possible connections with their grid," says Professor Ribeiro. "Our design requirements are to avoid producing more power than the Newberry community can absorb."

Professor Ribeiro's early estimates are that costs could range between $200,000 and $300,000 for output power that could vary between 100 to 200 kilowatts.

"That's enough to provide an average supply of power to the 20 houses throughout the year," he says. "The economic analysis will give us some numbers so the community can determine the payback time period and if it's worth it to them."

Source: Professor Paulo Ribeiro, Calvin College

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].