Here's an article from the Fairbault Daily News on a new project partnering Johnson Controls and Fairbault (pronounced Fair-bow for the non-French and non-Minnesotans) public schools.

Community wind projects of the "school" flavor have demonstrated great success in Iowa, which has sparked interest in many other states across the US.
Here's a link to a map of the schools in Iowa with wind: http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/2006docs/060307-WindySchoolMap.pdf

The Iowa Policy Project recently published a report on Wind Power in Iowa Schools. Here's a link to the full report: http://www.iowapolicyproject.org/2006docs/060307-WindySchools.pdf

And don't forget about the article below!


Wind partners
Faribault OKs becoming one of 15 school districts
By Chris Thompson
Daily News Staff Writer

FARIBAULT -- Wind power could prove to be a viable source of revenue and educational opportunities for Faribault Public Schools and its students.
The Faribault Public Schools School Board approved a resolution and partnership with Johnson Controls Monday to set in motion a project to create a wind farm in southwest Minnesota with other school districts.

Mike David, account executive with Johnson Control, said partner districts could realize $100,000 in revenue each year after maintenance and repayment of bonds. That number could triple in 15 years after the initial investment is recouped.

"There are significant dollars that could be realized, and looking at our models, I think these are very conservative [estimates] when you look at where energy costs are going," David said.

A special meeting of the school board was called Monday about the proposed partnership because of a Wednesday deadline to apply for a portion of $500 million of Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs) recently made available by the federal government. The bonds, at zero-percent interest, would be used to fund the self-sustaining wind farm project.

"The plan ... takes absolutely no money from the classrooms and results in no levies, no levy dollars from the local communities," David said. "It is completely, 100-percent self funding."

The school board can still choose to opt out of the partnership, even if they are awarded the CREBs, which they aren't required to cash in.

If the school district would continue through the project, acquire financing and obtain more in-depth engineering documents from project manager Johnson Controls before removing itself from the partnership, it would be required to pay Johnson Controls' costs, capped at $100,000. If the district is not able to secure CREBs or more analysis shows the project is not self-sustaining it would not be penalized for opting out of the partnership.

Johnson Controls representatives are meeting with other school districts, including Northfield Public Schools, and David said he expects about 15 Minnesota districts to join the partnership.

"If we can get the turbines in a timely manner we could have the wind farm completely constructed in 18 months and could begin selling power right there after," David said.

Power companies are required by law to purchase excess energy and David said Johnson Controls would pursue long-term contracts to ensure steady revenue to partner districts.

The turbines would be wired for educational opportunities in partner school classrooms as well, which could include live Web cam feeds and various weather readings.

"I personally think this is a very exciting, ... forward-thinking project," said board member Lisa Burkhartzmeyer.

Board member Richard Olson said he was concerned with the fast-track approach of the partnership and other district issues with which the board should be dealing.

"For us, we have space issues we should be working on, and all of a sudden we're here talking about wind turbines," he said.

Added board member Otto Luknic: "I like the educational aspect of the program and it's so good for the students and also for the community," he said. "We would be viewed as visionaries, so to speak, in the state. It would send a good message."


-- Chris Thompson can be reached at 333-3132 or cthompson@faribault.com.