News Release Date: January 12, 2010
Eastern Energy Systems Inc. Installs the Largest Wind Turbine in the History of Long Island
100kW Wind Turbine Made Possible Through LIPA’s Backyard Wind Initiative
View press conference photos
Riverhead, New York—Eastern Energy Systems Inc. completed the installation of the largest wind turbine in the history of Long Island this December of 2009. Lloyd Rasweiler, owner of Half Hollow Nursery Inc. a wholesale only nursery located in Laurel, New York, commissioned E2sys to install the Northwind 100kW wind turbine on the property that spans over 1,200 acres of the Riverhead Township. Lloyd is the first pioneer to utilize the power of the largest wind turbine which was made possible through LIPA’s Backyard Wind Initiative.
Coinciding with the relationship between job creation and higher education that renewable energy will bring for the future, E2sys is hosting an essay contest for high school students on Long Island entitled “Why I want to work in the renewable energy industry”. E2sys in partnership with Stony Brook University, The Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC), Molloy College and Farmingdale State College will award scholarships to the winners of the contest.
"This project is an excellent example of the power of renewable energy,” said Governor David Paterson. “We not only have a smart resource that brings us closer to our goal of meeting 45 percent of our electricity needs through efficiency and renewable energy by 2015, but we are also jumpstarting our economy and creating jobs for the clean energy workforce. I applaud the work of Eastern Energy Systems, Half Hollow Nursery and all those involved to bring this project to fruition."
“LIPA is proud to be a partner in this significant project that will increase the awareness of wind power on Long Island,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. “The use of solar and wind continues to thrive under LIPA’s renewable energy rebate programs helping us to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, assisting customers in lowering their energy bills, and to create high quality clean energy jobs right here on Long Island.”
“The mantra of the renewable energy industry has been that it will create “green” jobs and educational opportunities for our future work force. Well the future is now, here on Long Island,” says Albert Harsch, Director of Corporate Relations at Eastern Energy Systems Inc. “We are doing what the green industry promised… creating work and jobs in our local economy; this turbine was made in America and installed by Long Islanders defining the term in-sourcing. In creating the essay contest in relationship with this wind turbine project we are able to highlight the fact that this growing renewable energy industry will demand higher educational requirements.”
Jeffrey Lang, VP and Director of Wind Technology at Eastern Energy Systems added, “This wind turbine as it provides a cost effective solution for the farm, will cultivate more than just trees. It will cultivate our greatest natural resource, the students of today that will be tomorrow’s work force. Pioneers like Lloyd Rasweiler will drive the industry forward by allowing us to show the benefits in real numbers and hard data.”
The Northwind 100 wind turbine, a community scale direct-drive unit manufactured by Northern Power Systems in Barre, Vermont, will stand at 121-feet to the nacelle and 156- feet to the highest point of the rotor. “Although Northern's turbines have been installed in over a dozen states and in four countries, we are very pleased to see the first Northwind 100 spinning on Long Island and in New York State at Half Hollow Nursery Inc." Brett Pingree, VP of North America.
“Investment in renewable technology is a wise choice for our future energy needs,” said Suffolk County Legislator Ed Romaine. “I applaud LIPA and Eastern Energy Systems for choosing Riverhead as the location for Long Island’s largest wind turbine. Let this turbine serve as an example of our commitment to reducing our dependency on foreign oil.”
The installed cost of the 100kW wind turbine is $500,000 of which LIPA will rebate approximately $126,777.50. In addition, the Half Hollow Hills Nursery may further reduce the cost of the system via a federal tax incentive and by selling the excess electric energy produced back to LIPA. By using wind power as the primary source of energy, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 99.49 tons annually. The wind turbine is expected to produce an estimated 157,555 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity per year for an approximate annual energy savings of $29,305.
In collaboration with Stony Brook University, The Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC), Molloy College and Farmingdale State College; Eastern Energy Systems is hosting an essay contest entitled “Why I want to work in the renewable energy industry” in which each college will award two students with a scholarship to attend their collegiate institution. In addition, the winners will receive a spot in the E2sys Summer 2010 internship program along with numerous prizes that will be presented at the commissioning event to be held in April 2010. As a symbol of the hope for the future of Long Island, the winning students will also have the honor of ‘cutting the ribbon’ at the official commissioning of the wind turbine.
For further information about the Renewable Energy Essay Contest, in which Suffolk County high school students will have the opportunity to win scholarships to further their education in the renewable energy field, please visit www.e2sys.com.
"The Advanced Energy Center's mission to transition energy research into sustainable results will be augmented by the education that Stony Brook students receive based upon daily data from this windmill installation. Additional wind projects, studies and interactive learning opportunities with strengthen the Universities renewable energy course content," said Yacov Shamash, Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Science and Vice President of Economic Development at Stony Brook University, and Vice Chairman of the Advanced Energy Center. "We are pleased to award two Stony Brook engineering scholarships that will serve as an additional attractor to help fill the pipeline of energy researchers and energy engineers for the benefit of our entire local community."
Edward Thompson, VP for Advancement stated, “Molloy College applauds LIPA and E2sys for their commitment to a sustainable energy future for Long Island. By establishing our Sustainability Institute, we have committed to educating Long Islanders about how we can thrive as a region while preserving for future generations all that we love about the Island.”
“Farmingdale State College is a natural to partner with Eastern Energy Systems on energy-related scholarships. The College has invested in environmental sustainability since its founding as an agricultural college almost 100 years ago. Our focus on energy is further illustrated by pioneering research in hydrogen fuel cell technology for vehicles, establishment of the first accredited Solar Energy Center in the Northeast and our role with both the Green Building Institute and the Smart Grid Corridor. Building on the success of our solar workshops, we will soon begin offering training in wind installation and site mapping. Our students see our commitment to the environment in our solar panels and fleet of electric/flex fuel campus vehicles,” said W. Hubert Keen, President of Farmingdale State College.
“I have been an advocate of green energy and I am excited to see that this project is underway,” said New York State Assemblyman Marc Alessi. “By reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, we can see real savings on our energy costs while protecting the environment. I applaud Half Hollow Nursery for their commitment to renewable energy, and I encourage other local businesses to follow in their footsteps."
“Backyard wind projects are an essential part of Long Island’s energy plan for the 21st century. Gone are the days of wind debates and here are the days of putting shovels in the ground and creating a better, stronger, sustainable future for Long Island,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “Congratulations to LIPA and Eastern Energy Systems for moving us forward to a cleaner, safer energy century.”
"Using wind energy comes naturally to Long Islanders who have used it for centuries, like the first settlers who built their windmills", said Gordian Raacke, Executive Director of the not-for-profit group Renewable Energy Long Island. "Wind power is coming back to Long Island - and it's here to stay.
LIPA has made a 10 year, $924 million commitment to investing in energy efficiency and renewable technologies under its Efficiency Long Island program (ELI) which offers a wide array of incentives, rebates and initiatives to LIPA’s residential and commercial customers to assist in reducing their energy usage and thereby lowering electric bills.
LIPA’s Backyard Wind Initiative was introduced in January 2009. The program provides rebates to homeowners, businesses, municipalities, and non-for-profits seeking to harness power from the wind through the use of land-based wind turbines. In addition, program participants may be eligible for a 30% Federal tax credit. This program is consistent with Governor Patterson’s “45 X 15” program which establishes the goal of New York State meeting 45% of its electricity needs through improved energy efficiency and renewable sources by the year 2015.
The rebate for new residential wind installations for 2010 will be rebated at the lesser of $3.50 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the first 16,000 kWh or 60% of the total installed cost, with a maximum rebate equal to $56,000. New commercial installations will be rebated at the lesser of $3.50 per kWh for the first 16,000 kWh and $0.50 per kWh thereafter up to a maximum of 175,200 kWh or 60% of the total installed cost with a maximum rebate equal to $135,600. New municipality and non-for-profit installations will be rebated at the lesser of $4.50 per kWh for the first 16,000 kWh and $1.50 kWh thereafter up to a maximum of 101,333 kWh or 60% of the installed cost with a maximum rebate of $200,000.
Nearly $2 million was committed to the wind initiative in the LIPA Operating Budget for 2010. For more information on LIPA’s renewable programs log on to http://www.lipower.org/Efficiency/wind-comm.html. The Backyard Wind Initiative is an expansion of the utility’s successful Solar Pioneer program, which has rebated nearly $59 million on the installation of over 2400 photovoltaic or "PV” systems since its inception in 2000.
Eastern Energy Systems is a renewable energy installation company for solar, wind and geothermal technology based on the North Fork of Long Island, New York that serves the residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal markets.
LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2011, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State for frequency and duration of service interruptions. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at http://www.lipower.org.
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