The Searsburg wind turbines were first erected in 1996. The blades of the turbines at Searsburg are made out of fiberglass and are black on purpose because this helps the blades to shed ice during the winter. The total height of the turbines is 198 ft, and each blade is 64 ft long. The turbines are located 2800-2900 ft above sea level.

The wind speed increases with elevation, with about 28% more generation of electricity with increase in elevation. This is because greater elevation means smoother wind flow, which eventually creates more energy. The eleven turbines on the site produce 6 MW of energy, which is enough to power over 2,000 average Vermont homes. One generator can supply a couple hundred average homes.

The turbines begin to generate energy when the wind blows at 8-10 mph, and they shut down automatically when winds are in excess of 65 mph. An interesting feature of the Searsburg Wind turbines is that the turbines know when to rotate to the most optimal position based on changing directions of wind.

Some environmental concerns that were taken into account during the construction of the wind turbines include the effects on aviary wildlife, small mammals, and plants. For this reason there are only a few tours scheduled during the year so as not to disrupt the natural cycle of animals. The turbines help reduce the use of fossil fuels. Some problems include lightning strikes and loss of blades.

See http://www.greenmountainpower.biz/atyourservice/wind.shtml for more information.

Click here to visit Searsburg Wind Power Facility photo gallery.