Penn State University is a large institution that uses a lot of electricity, energy, and coal to power its many buildings. What could Penn State as an organization do to improve the environment? Along with promoting conservation of energy, the university chose to minimize its coal consumption and buy local and national "green" power in the form of wind-generated electricity. One local power source is Somerset County where 220 foot tall, state-of-the-art wind turbines produce 17,600 megawatts.

The idea of using wind power to generate electricity instead of fossil fuels is attractive in terms of lightening our ecological footprint. According to the Pennsylvania Wind Map, if you purchase electricity for your home from wind turbines and other non-polluting sources of green power, you are doing the same as not driving your car 20,000 miles a year. [1]

The choice to buy wind power was a practical choice for the Pennsylvania State University, but it may not be a practical one for smaller organizations or individuals.

One way for some students to find out is to participate in an initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2005 Wind Powering America (WPA) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) launched the Wind for Schools (WfS) project. This project installs a wind turbine at rural schools and provides students and teachers with hands-on educational opportunities. Initially piloted in Colorado, the program has been implemented in five Great Plains states (CO, ID, KS, MT, NE). Students learn how to design a wind farm and what careers might be available in the field. [2]

Although Hershey Amusement Park in Pennsylvania benefits from its own wind turbine, you as an individual may not. A checklist of factors to consider is whether there is enough wind where you live, if zoning allows wind turbines, if you have at least an acre of land in a rural area, if your average electricity bills are $150 per month or more, and if you can make a long term investment. [3]

In addition to offsetting coal and fossil fuel generation in Pennsylvania, wind power has the potential to provide jobs in the construction and service sectors of the economy.

[1] Conservation Consultants, Inc. Pennsylvania Wind Map. Retrieved August 20, 2008 from http://www.pawindmap.org/htm/learnEnviron.htm

[2] U.S. Department of Energy (2007). Wind for Schools, A Wind Powering America Project.

[3] U.S. Department of Energy (2007). Small Wind Electric Systems, A Pennsylvania Consumer's Guide.

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