ENSS launches wind turbine project

A youth-initiated, grassroots plan which will one day reduce the environmental footprint of East Northumberland Secondary School (ENSS) is being launched on May 20.

ENSS, has invited the news media, donors and dignitaries to the 9 a.m. ground breaking ceremony for the school's new wind turbine.

The "green" event will celebrate the next steps in the school's efforts towards environmental sustainability.

The ambitious environmental plan that will reduce the school's consumption of energy and lead the way for others was unveiled Dec. 13, 2007.

If all goes according to the original plan, the school will soon have its own 1,800-watt, grid-tied wind generator and 3,000 watt solar array valued two years ago at $65,000.

If installed according to the original plan, the solar array will be located on the south roof or south wall of the gymnasium. It will be tied to the school's electricity supply and produce usable power.

A wind generator will be installed on a 50-foot, free-standing monopole tower on the south lawn of the school just outside the gymnasium. It will be connected through a direct grid tie inverter which synchronizes the wind energy with the utility power being used in the school.

The goals of the plan are three-pronged - to reduce the schools ecological footprint, to teach the students and sponsors about renewable energy technologies and how they are implemented, and to provide a starting point from which other schools in the province can work.

The project will be implemented from the ground level, with students carrying much of the load. They will fundraise to pay for the equipment, assist in the installation and participate in the maintenance of the wind generator under the direction of a local contractor.

From the start the project was organized as a community venture. It will require community support and will be a beacon which exemplifies the community's commitment to reducing energy consumption.

The 2007 plan called for the system to be tied to an interactive and analytic computer

When it was launched over a year ago the organizers stated, “Students will have an increased sense of responsibility towards the environment through understanding and practice; there will be increased awareness of the sustainable power technologies available to help reduce carbon dioxide emissions; the school will have a reduced ecological footprint; there will be enough energy produced to power 236 computers each year (5,800 kilowatt hours); carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced by 2,500 kilograms per year. ENSS will set an example for other schools to follow and lead the way for home and business owners. The savings will be $820 per year using today's electricity rates.”

Staff supervisor Gwen McConkey related that seeds were planted for the project over seven years ago at a school sustainability conference in Ottawa. She and a group of students returned from the conference and wrote a sustainability plan for ENSS.

The wind generator and solar array are integral to the three-pronged energy sustainability portion of the plan.

The members of the Environmental Club at the school have been tracking and encouraging energy conservation through a program called Lights Off Computers Off (LOCO). It involves asking everyone in the school to turn off their lights and computers when not in use. The students have been checking classrooms after school at various times tracking 'wasted energy' - any electrical device left on when not in use.

From this data they have demonstrated that there would be a considerable cost savings, if 'LOCO' was fully implemented. The savings could be as much as $10,000 by simply shutting off all of the lights at the school when not in use.

The second prong has involved increasing the carbon sink - any natural mechanism that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere on a temporary basis.

The students have worked for many years with the Northumberland Stewardship Council planting native trees at numerous locations. This year they have taken a new approach. Thanks to the generosity of the Stewardship Council, the students have been given permission to sell the trees themselves at the same low prices.

Trees have been sold at Applefest, Parent's Night and in the school during lunch hour. The response has been extremely positive. They have sold thousands of trees.

The school also manages a wetland restoration project. The students have been working for many years to increase the size of the wetland beside the school. Restoration activities have included annual staking of the area, planting native trees, regular clean-ups, and removing purple loosestrife. All this has resulted in a five-fold increase in the area of the wetland.

The third phase of the energy plan is the renewable energy section which includes the power generation.

As Ms. McConkey noted in her presentation Dec. 11, 2007 "The future is one where science and alternative technology will be the key to innovation and innovative technology is the key to our future."

Under her direction, the students of ENSS are getting a head start.