US/Michigan discovery centre receives wind turbine in exchange for information.

The windier the weather, the better it is at the Outdoor Discovery Centre. The Fillmore Township centre recently received a donation in the form of an 80-foot electricity generating wind turbine courtesy of American Electric Power, a Midwest wind energy company. The new turbine that is equipped with three 10-foot blades was installed on Friday afternoon and started generating power for the centre's buildings as of today. American Electric Power donated the turbine and funds its maintenance in exchange for the data to be collected concerning the turbine's performance over the next year.

“The Outdoor Discovery Centre is in one of the windiest regions in Michigan, according to recent wind maps”, said Craig Brumels of Coastal Wind Energy, who also played an important role in installing the turbine. "It will generate most of the (electrical) power we need," said Brad Klow, development director for the 120-acre centre, which has a monthly electric account of approx. $800.

The centre will also incorporate the turbine into an educational curriculum on alternative energy, said Jamie Krupka, programme coordinator for the centre. Krupka said the centre plans to connect data received from the turbine to an Internet based website, which makes access of students and community members to the data easier. Each year, approx. 10.000 school children and 3.000 children from the community visit the centre.