Neenah budgets for wind turbines or solar project

From an article by Duke Behnke in the Appleton Post-Crescent:

NEENAH — Proponents of renewable energy have convinced the Neenah Common Council to budget $250,000 next year to build either a system based on solar power or wind turbines at the city garage.

The project would be designed to generate 50,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually, or about 25 percent of the electrical needs of the Tullar Road garage.

The city would fund the project by borrowing $100,000 and drawing $150,000 from cash reserves. Proponents anticipate receiving $150,000 in financial incentives — $100,000 from We Energies and $50,000 from Focus on Energy — to replenish the cash reserves.

The electrical costs at the city garage total about $20,000 a year. If the system covered 25 percent, or $5,000 annually, the payback period would be about 20 years.

Ald. John Ahles, co-chairman of the Sustainable Neenah Committee, asked the council not to forget about the educational and environmental benefits of the project.

"It will help educate this council, and it will help educate future councils," Ahles said.