Kirkwood Community College Gets Permission for Wind Turbine Installation from City Council

The Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids will get its new 417-foot tall wind turbine soon. The City Council voted collectively to rectify its own wind turbine ordinance issued six months back to allow the $5.5-million wind turbine project to move ahead with the installation.

No objection was received in writing by the council or during its meeting. The council just requires two more routine votes.

The changed ordinance will tolerate the flickering shadows induced by the rotation of wind turbine blades over  residential buildings up to 30 hours annually. According to the analysis provided by the college, the shadows from its wind turbine will not reach over the homes for more than 20 hours in a year and in most of the cases it will go beyond 10 hours in a year.

For funding the wind turbine project the college has received $1.05 million as grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and $1-million as interest free loan from the alternative energy revolving fund of the state. The college will save over $300,000 every year meeting nearly one fourth of its annual spending towards energy costs. The college anticipates that the wind turbine will pay itself towards the investment in a period of 10 years. The 417 feet tall wind turbine will also be used in teaching the technicians and engineers on the technology.