Texas not just putting on aires
July 2, 2009 -

By Stewart James
sjames@bizpress.net

Collin County is not typically known for its high wind speeds, but, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, wind gusts that speed over the North Texas terrain are on average higher than Chicago’s notoriously brisk airstreams that snake through the city’s skyscrapers. These winds make the prairies of the Lone Star State ideal for wind and solar power technologies.

Allen-based Solar Wind Technology is taking advantage of what nature has to offer and the environmentally conscious mindset that has swept the nation by storm.

Working with the city of Grand Prairie, Solar Wind Technologies is harnessing energy from the sun and wind to provide illumination throughout parts of the city and area parks.

“For the city, this is a positive move toward being environmentally friendly, cutting costs and providing safety and security for our residents. It just makes good sense,” said Tim Shinogle, park planning and development manager for Grand Prairie. “These recent projects have proven that solar and wind technologies are viable options in the park system.”

Grand Prairie has an eye on the future with regard to environmental enhancements in lighting and other renewable products, Shinogle said.
Business has been kicking and screaming, said Mike Correale, president of Solar Wind Technologies.

Solar Wind Technologies, in the past several months, has launched a marketing campaign to go and talk with cities across the Metroplex and state.
Cities have taken an interest in solar and wind technologies and are using stimulus money from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, Correale said.

The grand is intended to assist U.S. cities, counties, states, territories and Indian tribes develop, promote, implement and manage energy efficiency and conservation projects and programs designed to reduce fossil fuel emissions, reduce the total energy use of the eligible entities, improve energy efficiency in the transportation, building, and other appropriate sectors and create and retain jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

Solar Wind Technologies implemented solar- and wind-powered lighting at Fish Creek Trail at a bridge crossing and playground.

Lighting also has been installed at McFalls Park East to efficiently light up the parking lot. The relationship between Grand Prairie and Solar Wind Technologies first began when the company installed a solar- and wind-powered streetlight.

With the motto “Renewable Energy, Renewing Communities,” Solar Wind Technologies is educating people about the environment by using solar and wind solutions to provide electrical power.

“With regard to the surge of copper theft, self-sufficient lighting systems can eliminate the frustration and expensive replacement costs involved with standard lighting,” said Mike Correale, president of Solar Wind Technologies. “It also reduces reoccurring monthly electric bills. Another primary advantage is that we can place a light just about anywhere without the need of getting electrical power to it.”

Solar Wind Technologies has been offering the latest wind technology for more than six years, performing site consultations, system designs, installations and maintenance.

The Grand Prairie City Council approved a contract with Solar Wind Technologies for the amount of $48,161 for installation of security lights at Fish Creek Park.

Solar Wind Technologies is a licensed distributor of the Skystream 3.7 turbine, a product of Arizona-based Skystream Windpower Inc.

The turbine is the first residential wind appliance to produce energy at a cost of 9 cents per kilowatt-hour, which is lower than the retail rate of many electric utilities, the company touts.

“You basically have locked in power on SkyStream at a fixed rate for the next 20 years,” Correale said. “The 9 cents is kind of a generic number. If you are paying 15 cents a kilowatt-hour right now, and in some parts of the metroplex we are, if you put up a SkyStream turbine, for whatever the kilowatt it produces, it is saving you that 15 cents per kilowatt-hour.”

The January price for TXU Energy’s MarketEdgeSM plan, which closely tracks natural gas prices, ranges from 11.1 to 11.9 cents per kilowatt-hour depending on where a customer lives, according to TXU.

The cost of a Skystream 3.7 turbine is about $5,400. Depending on the tower and installation costs, wind speed average, rebates and local electricity costs, Skystream 3.7 can pay for itself in about five years.

Based on a 12 mph average annual wind speed, the Skystream 3.7 can produce about 400 kilowatt-hours per month.

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has an average wind speed of about 10.7 mph, which is above the national average of 9.2 mph, according to NOAA.

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