USA, North Dakota - Benedictine nuns harness wind energy

The Sacred Heart Benedictine sisters in Richardton, N.D., are on a mission to harness the wind and cut down on pollution. Says Sister Bernadette Bodine: "We in North Dakota are blessed with the greatest potential for wind energy in the entire Lower 48 states. If we fully developed it, we could supply 36 percent of the Lower 48 states' needs for electricity.

The monastery installed two used 100 kwh turbines for $120,000 in 1997. It now has a newer turbine that produces 0.125 wegawatts of electricity."We estimated that we saved 39 percent of our electrical costs our first year of operation. This in spite of the fact that we had about 120 'down days' because of lack of wind - unusual for North Dakota." Bodine said. "We also estimated that we prevented between 200 and 300 tons of carbon dioxide, 1.4 tons of sulfur dioxide and .8 tons of nitrous oxides from going into the atmosphere."

The American Wind Energy Association says wind energy revitalizes rural communities by providing steady income through lease and royalty payments to farmers and other landowners.