City lays out rules for use of wind turbines
, Editor
06-19-2009
The city of Ennis is looking toward the future of energy production with care.
City officials considered an ordinance to adopt regulations over the use of Wind Energy Conversion Systems this month, passing a measure proposed by City Manager Steve Howerton unanimously at Monday’s meeting.
“I think wind energy is going to be a very important part of the electric supply system for the United States,” Howerton said.
Howerton came to city officials with the WECS ordinance as a pre-emptive measure, putting Ennis in a position to join other cities setting up for a future with more alternative forms of energy. He’s not sure the systems are energy-efficient in small-scale applications at this point, and is concerned about the liabilities of their use.
He used his own property as an example.
“With the way my lot is laid out and our current regulations, a person could put a wind turbine almost in my back yard,” Howerton said to commissioners during consideration of the ordinance. “We won’t see these for a while, I don’t think, but we may see more demand for this kind of energy generation in several years.”
Concerns include high frequency noise generated by some forms of wind turbines, as well as their relative height and damage that could be done by a toppled windmill, Howerton said. Groups of turbines could also become public disturbances or nuisances if allowed in city limits, he said.
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