A chance to harness the wind

It's Day 5 of the Iowa City Landfill fire, but because officials say there's not much to do besides steer clear of the billowing smoke plume and wait for the thing to burn itself out, let's talk about happier news.

Linn County has joined Johnson County in being designated a Small Wind Innovation Zone by the state Utilities Board.

That means residents of those counties (and Floyd County, the state's only other small wind zone to date) will have an easier time setting up personal wind turbines and a smoother path to sell or trade surplus energy back to the electrical grid.

The zones were created by state legislators in 2009 to encourage the development of more small wind-generation systems across the state.

Already, wind is the source of 20 percent of all the electricity generated in Iowa - more than any other state in the country, according to the Iowa Wind Energy Association. These zones, and a nice tax credit for energy sold by eligible wind-generation facilities, should help boost the numbers more.

And since we're one of the windier states (for proof, just take another look at that smoke cloud drifting for miles and miles from the Iowa City Landfill), there's plenty of room to grow.

Seventy-five percent of the state is suitable for wind-energy development, according to IWEA estimates.

The innovation zone turbines are smaller and quieter than those you see on the big wind farms, but they can provide the lion's share of the electricity needed to power a rural home, business or farm.

In fact, they remind me of the old metal windpumps you still see here and there in the country. Before those daisy-shaped rotors became collectors' items, they were cutting-edge technology - an efficient, sustainable way to pump water.

Similarly, personal wind production systems can help property owners control energy costs while doing the environment a favor. Sure, they're pricey up front, but they usually pay for themselves over time - just how long depends on the equipment you choose, site conditions and local utility rates.

So here's hoping that Linn and Johnson county landowners seize this chance to harness the wind.

Comments: (319) 339-3154;

jennifer.hemmingsen@sourcemedia.net