LONG BRANCH, NJ- (July, 2009) Kicking off its first major green initiative, the City of Long Branch is scheduled to install a small wind turbine off Ocean Boulevard to determine the feasibility of powering the boardwalk lighting with clean wind power.  The City has chosen a Windspire vertical wind turbine (www.mariahpower.com) for the three month test in which the City will collect data on the amount of energy the Windspire can produce as well as the reaction to the wind appliance from local officials and hundreds of thousand visitors to the popular recreation area.  If the test proves successful, city officials intend to install multiple Windspire wind turbines to help power more than (how many) boardwalk lights.  An event to celebrate the installation of the Windspire will be held on August 3rd and is open to the public.

Using wind power to provide energy for the boardwalk lights would save the City of Long Branch money and help the environment, which is important to the people of Long Branch who treasure their white sandy beaches.  The test will determine how much energy the Windspire can produce sitting just 75 feet from the ocean, and thus how much money the City can save. The city will also encourage local businesses to go green with Windspires, promising an easy permitting process for all.

“Green energy is the future, “said Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider.  “Testing the use of wind power to supply energy to our boardwalk lights is our first step in using green technologies to make a difference, both financially and environmentally, for our great city.”

The Windspire wind turbine is a 30-foot tall, propeller-free, vertical-axis wind turbine designed for harnessing wind power in urban, suburban and rural locations.  The radical design of the Windspire allows it to operate silently in changing wind speeds and directions.  It is the most affordable alternative energy appliance in the 1 kilowatt range, costing about $9,000 to $12,000 after installation but prior to a 30 percent federal small wind tax credit for homeowners and businesses.  

Windspire wind turbines have been installed across the country, including at the official residence of the Governor of Michigan and at the US Botanic Gardens in Washington D.C.  The Windspire is made in Michigan at a former automotive facility, helping to put former auto-workers back to work.
 

A photo of a Windspire wind turbine that will be installed in Long Branch on August 3rd

About Windspire
The Windspire wind turbine is a low-cost, low-noise, attractive wind power appliance for use in urban, suburban, rural and remote locations.  Manufactured in the U.S. by Mariah Power, Windspire turbines are propeller-free, vertical-axis designs that feature patented technology that maximizes energy conversion from wind into electric power, regardless of changing wind speed and direction.  The Windspire portfolio includes a 1.2 kW version and a special High Wind version.  Later this year, Mariah Power will introduce multiple new products based on the Windspire technology including: off-grid capabilities, 240V energy output, larger rotors and a system that is able to generate more energy at lower wind speeds. The Windspire has been featured in Fortune, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, and on “20/20”, CNN and NPR. For more information, visit www.mariahpower.com.