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‘Going green’ has been a popular catchphrase or slogan sweeping the globe for some time, but it may have rather recently become a reality in Jackson County.
A 126-foot high wind turbine has been constructed to determine if utilizing wind energy to create electricity is a viable option for the area. It is a curious coincidence the turbine was placed right next to Hwy 67, another recently completed project people hope will bring progress to the region.
John Connor Jr., the turbine’s owner, plans to erect more of the structures if this primary one is successful and hopes this technology will help curb the consumption of fossil fuels.
“We put it up to see if we can capture the wind here in Jackson County,” Connor said. “We may be able to harvest some of the Earth’s renewable energy and cut our dependency on foreign oil.”
The unit needs winds of at least 8 mph to produce electrical current, according to Greenway Renewable Energy Wind Specialist Chris Charlton. It is an Endurance S-343 model distributed by John Deere and produces direct A/C energy.
“Wind turbines traditionally produce D/C energy, and it has to go through an inverter to be converted to A/C energy before it can be put into the grid,” Charlton said. “You lose about 20 percent of the energy produced during the conversion process.”
The turbine will automatically shut down if wind speeds become too high or if there is a power failure to protect the grid. The S-343 is capable of generating more than 5,000 watts of power at a wind speed of 27 mph and will also decrease the amount of greenhouses gases released into our environment.
Charlton said, “Even a small wind turbine, like this one, will keep thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the Earth’s atmosphere during its 30-year lifespan.”
He realizes this technology is in its infancy in the Natural State, but is being utilized and growing in other spots around the globe.
“This industry does not exist in Arkansas, but right now there are an estimated 30,000 small wind turbines spinning all over the world,” Charlton said. The wind specialist expects this to increase the number of “green job prospects” for contractors, electricians and engineers.
“What we are trying to show people is that we have an energy problem, and we also have an economic problem,” Charlton said. “It is time we started looking at all of our available natural resources and determine which one is the best for us.”
“This really is the future, but it is up to the free-market to see how people make buying decisions on this type of product.”
The small wind turbine distributed by Charlton’s company has been used productively in Greensburg, Kan. The tiny town was hit by EF5 tornado on May 4, 2007 and about ninety-five percent of the homes and business were destroyed. The terrifying twister is estimated to be 1.7 miles wide and have had wind speeds reaching 205 mph.
Community leaders then chose to rebuild the Kiowa county city as a “green” town.
“I think that when we look back in the history books that the Greensburg tornado will be a key date when things began change with the green economy,” Charlton said.
‘Going green’ has been a popular catchphrase or slogan sweeping the globe for some time, but it may have rather recently become a reality in Jackson County.
A 126-foot high wind turbine has been constructed to determine if utilizing wind energy to create electricity is a viable option for the area. It is a curious coincidence the turbine was placed right next to Hwy 67, another recently completed project people hope will bring progress to the region.
John Connor Jr., the turbine’s owner, plans to erect more of the structures if this primary one is successful and hopes this technology will help curb the consumption of fossil fuels.
“We put it up to see if we can capture the wind here in Jackson County,” Connor said. “We may be able to harvest some of the Earth’s renewable energy and cut our dependency on foreign oil.”
The unit needs winds of at least 8 mph to produce electrical current, according to Greenway Renewable Energy Wind Specialist Chris Charlton. It is an Endurance S-343 model distributed by John Deere and produces direct A/C energy.
“Wind turbines traditionally produce D/C energy, and it has to go through an inverter to be converted to A/C energy before it can be put into the grid,” Charlton said. “You lose about 20 percent of the energy produced during the conversion process.”
The turbine will automatically shut down if wind speeds become too high or if there is a power failure to protect the grid. The S-343 is capable of generating more than 5,000 watts of power at a wind speed of 27 mph and will also decrease the amount of greenhouses gases released into our environment.
Charlton said, “Even a small wind turbine, like this one, will keep thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the Earth’s atmosphere during its 30-year lifespan.”
He realizes this technology is in its infancy in the Natural State, but is being utilized and growing in other spots around the globe.
“This industry does not exist in Arkansas, but right now there are an estimated 30,000 small wind turbines spinning all over the world,” Charlton said. The wind specialist expects this to increase the number of “green job prospects” for contractors, electricians and engineers.
“What we are trying to show people is that we have an energy problem, and we also have an economic problem,” Charlton said. “It is time we started looking at all of our available natural resources and determine which one is the best for us.”
“This really is the future, but it is up to the free-market to see how people make buying decisions on this type of product.”
The small wind turbine distributed by Charlton’s company has been used productively in Greensburg, Kan. The tiny town was hit by EF5 tornado on May 4, 2007 and about ninety-five percent of the homes and business were destroyed. The terrifying twister is estimated to be 1.7 miles wide and have had wind speeds reaching 205 mph.
Community leaders then chose to rebuild the Kiowa county city as a “green” town.
“I think that when we look back in the history books that the Greensburg tornado will be a key date when things began change with the green economy,” Charlton said.
