FAIRGROUNDS  WIND  TURBINE  
PROJECT FEATURES  
(03-08-11)

Cuyahoga County and the Cuyahoga County Agricultural Society (Fair Board), wish to install a 500 kW wind turbine generator on the grounds of the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in Berea, with construction starting in May 2011 and completing by February 2012.

Purpose
The purpose of the installation is to promote the utilization of Renewable Energy in Northeast Ohio, by the installation of wind turbines and solar arrays. The immediate benefits will be the reduction in the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity. This will result in less air pollution, a slowing of global warming and a reduction in America’s dependence on foreign oil & gas.   

Goals
The ultimate goal of such installations is to project a wind-friendly image and to attract wind industry manufacturing expansions to locate in Northeast Ohio, creating new manufacturing jobs in this depressed area.

Other Benefits
The wind turbine would be seen by the 400,000 visitors to the Fairgrounds each year, and would attract even more, thus increasing the attendance and the economic viability of the Fairgrounds. As a medium-size utility turbine, the unit would be twice the size and twice the electricity production of the turbine at the Great Lakes Science Center in downtown Cleveland. With the moderate winds at the Fairgrounds, it is expected to generate an amount of electricity to result in a $50,000 per year savings in the Fairgrounds’ electricity bills. After maintenance costs, this savings will be re-invested in improvements to the Fairgrounds, thus assuring longevity to that historic, community-friendly operation.

Community Benefits
The residents of the City of Berea will see this wind turbine as a symbol of a progressive, leading, eco-friendly city. We expect they will point with pride to this icon of Renewable Energy.

Supporters & Funding
The State of Ohio and DOE have awarded this project $1,275,000 in a competitive grant encouraging the deployment of wind energy installations. Another $400,000 in federal DOE funds has been obtained from an EECBG award to the County. The County will fund the balance of $476,000.

Scope
The proposed project would consist of the erection of a 500 kW generator in a nacelle mounted on a 200’ monopole tower. The generator would be wind-driven, by a 3-blade rotor with each blade being 61’ long. The overall height to tip of rotating blade would be 261’. The proposed location is in Berea, in the center of the horse track, opposite the Gate #2 entrance (Center Drive).

Because there are no U.S.-manufactured turbines in this size range, the turbine will be obtained from Germany, where it is currently in operation and is scheduled to be decommissioned and replaced by a larger turbine. It will be shipped to the USA and re-manufactured in the USA. The tower will be shipped to Ohio where a 50% extension will be fabricated. The tower extension and the construction will add jobs in Ohio and will prepare workers and shops for the wind industry.

Cost
The total cost of the turbine installation is $2,076,000. Spending this amount of money in Berea and Northeast Ohio will certainly help the local economy. 

Jobs
Fabricating a tower extension in Ohio will create jobs and will prepare the fabricator for future wind business. Construction of the massive foundation (about 400 cubic yards of concrete), the electrical installation and the turbine erection will create other jobs, which will be temporary, but will prepare workers and companies for future opportunities. 

Design Precautions
People are free to be under the turbine, as they are at all installations, including the Science Center. Turbines on a properly designed foundation can withstand winds up to 110 mph. Turbines do not fall over. But, as a prudent precaution, the turbine will be located so as to be at least 287’ (1.10 x o.a.h.) from any structure or power line.

Safety
The safety record of wind turbines in their 25 years in Europe and about 10 years in the U.S. is excellent. Virtually, all incidents have involved construction workers not following strict U.S., OSHA safety procedures, principally, not being tied off when working on top of the nacelle mounted on the 200’ tower. Even with the incidents that have occurred, the safety record for erection of wind turbines is many times better than for construction in general. 

Insurance Coverage
As Owner of the Fairgrounds and its improvements (including a wind turbine), Cuyahoga County carries a Property Damage policy through FM Global with a $1 million deductible. The County is self-insured for Public Liability. 

Studies
A Feasibility Study was prepared by The Renaissance Group. Winds were monitored for 14 months by Green Energy Ohio.

Approvals
FAA, ODOT Aviation and MedEvac approved the installation at a 295’ height. Actual will be 261’. The new coordinates will be submitted. U. S. Fish & Wildlife has no issues; Western Reserve Audubon Society supports the clean-air project. FirstEnergy has signed agreements for Interconnection and Net Metering.

Objectors
Quadax Inc. on Old Oak Drive was opposed; their CEO did not want to see the turbine, nor have his workers distracted by seeing it. In the revised location, existing trees will block views from their offices.

Century Oak Care Center on Old Oak Drive was opposed, again not wanting to view the turbine. In the revised location, the turbine will be another 600’ away from them, reducing the visual impact.

American Tower, of Woburn Massachusetts, which has a land lease from the Fairgrounds for their cell phone transmission tower, was opposed, claiming possible radio frequency interference. As part of the Environmental Assessment, a microwave study concluded that there would be no interference. American Tower’s main concern is not degradation of signal, but unfavorable perception by potential lessees for tower space (i.e., reduced marketing potential).

Mayor and Council of the City of Middleburg Heights were not receptive to our application to locate the turbine in the Fairgrounds main parking lot, where the wind was expected to be somewhat better. Consideration of future availability of that land may have been a factor.

Proponents
The Sun News poll indicates 80% of residents favor approval of this project. A Middleburg Heights councilman reported that he has received about 80 letters, with 90% in favor. Baldwin-Wallace College and Polaris Career Center are very enthusiastic about collaborating on this educational project. The City of Berea welcomed the project.