By Bridget Nash Staff Writer
Enid News and Eagle
ENID —
Hosting a public hearing was one of the requirements to be fulfilled by the Chisholm Trail Expo Center in order to receive a federal grant for more than $500,000.
The meeting was hosted Monday by Garfield County Commission and Garfield County Fairgrounds Trust Authority. About 20 community members attended the hearing.
Chisholm Trail Expo Center has been selected to receive more than $500,000 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to pay for a wind turbine, new high-efficiency lighting in the Coliseum and Pavilion and geothermal heating and air conditioning for the Pavilion and Youth Building.
Mike Steinke of Wind Energy Consulting and Contracting add-ressed those in attendance concerning the 50-kilowatt wind turbine that will be erected if the funds are granted.
“We have done a wildlife and wetlands assessment showing no issues and no problems,” said Steinke.
Steinke said an FAA study is in progress but he believes there also will be no problems with that study, which includes approval from Vance Air Force Base. The reason he believes there will be no problems, he said, is two other wind turbines have been approved. One of those turbines is across the street from the Expo Center and another in Enid is much larger, said Steinke.
“What you’re going to get is a turbine that is about 30 percent the size of the ones you see at the big wind farms,” said Steinke.
Other studies also have been conducted concerning the Expo Center turbine. Those studies tested for sun glare, noise, zoning and whether or not the location has historical significance which the turbine would compromise. Results from each study declared the turbine a non-disturbance.
“It’s going to be a nice project,” said Steinke. “Enid in general has good wind. It’ll be good for Enid. We’ll try to be the gateway for wind development.”
Monty Taylor from P&K Wind Energy also addressed the audience concerning the wind turbine.
Taylor said the 50-kilowatt turbine would produce 200,000 to 225,000 kilowatt hours per year for the Expo Center. He said that is a low estimate.
“We’re really, really, really conservative with our studies,” said Taylor.
Taylor also said the tubine will be larger than the turbine at Autry Technology Center and it is the same size turbine Drummond Public Schools will be putting on its property.
The cost of utilities is predicted to rise soon, said Taylor, and the wind turbine at the Expo Center will help protect the facility from feeling the harsh impact of a rise in utility cost.
“They’re hedging against future utility inflation,” said Taylor.
Barnes said the Expo Center will be be responsible for about 10 percent of the cost of installing the turbine, geothermal system and lighting at the facility and the cost savings will be well worth it.
“If there is not a soul in the building all day, we still spend about $100 a day (in electricity),” said Barnes.
Barnes said the Expo Center spends about $100,000 each year on electricity and the wind turbine is expected to cut that cost in half.
After the speakers, the hearing was opened to questions from those attending. Questions asked included:
• Will OG&E credit the Expo Center if the turbine produces more electricity than the facility uses?
The 50-kilowatt turbine will not produce more electricity than the facility can use. It will be a cost-saving feature, not a cost-eliminating feature. However, in general, any unused energy produced by a private wind turbine is bought at a wholesale price, said Taylor.
• How big will the wind turbine be?
The wind turbine will be 120 feet tall with 30-foot blades.
• Can the air conditioning or the heat ever be turned off in the facility in order to save money?
Barnes said there are some things that could be damaged if the building gets too hot or too cool but when certain parts of the building are unused, Expo Center officials try to keep the temperature at a cost-saving level. In the winter the bigger parts of the building are kept at about 50 degrees and some of the smaller rooms can be kept at 40 degrees when they are not in use for longer periods of time.
• Are the current air conditioning units worn out?
According to Barnes, the geothermal air conditioning units will save the Expo Center money and the old air conditioning units still will be used somewhere else.
• Do the days when the Expo Center is in use outnumber the days when there are only employees at the facility?
Barnes said an “event day” is a day when parts of the facility is being used by groups or organizations. There can be more than one event day on one calendar day if the facility is being used by more than one group or organization.
With that definition, the Expo Center hosts 500 event days each year, said Barnes.
• Could the Expo Center be a home to the Enid High School basketball team?
No. There would be too many scheduling conflicts, said Barnes.
• Where will the wind turbine be located?
On the west side of the facility.
• Who makes the final decision on the grant request?
Barnes said the Department of Energy and the Department of Commerce oversaw the grant request. Now that the Expo Center has been chosen, all of the requirements to receive the money must be fulfilled. Those requirements include paperwork, studies and having a public hearing. If all the requirements are met, the federal grant money will be received. If the requirements are not met, one of the other applicants will be chosen.
