Wind turbines for US vegetable growers
"It's something that we've been waiting for a year since the Board of Supervisors granted us a permit, so its very exciting," said Thomas Truszkowski, deputy city manager.
The turbine is the latest component of the city's Community Sustainablity Initiative. It is being constructed on city land and the power it generates will be used by Taylor Farms. The turbine will supply 50 percent of the plant's power needs, Truszkowski said.
Taylor Farms and Growers Express together recently expanded their plants from 80,000 square feet to 280,000 square feet.
Taylor Farms reaps benefits from the turbine because it will purchase power from the turbine's owner at a rate lower than current utility rates.
If the turbine's blades were to spin 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Truszkowski said, it would produce 2,500,000 kilowatt hours a year, or enough power to supply 700 homes.
Contractural agreements for the turbine are a bit complex. The city provides the land, Taylor Farms leases the turbine for 25 years and also contracts with the turbine owner, Foundation Windpower of Menlo Park, to build and maintain it. The city incurs no costs in the arrangement.
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