Council OKs wind turbine at wastewater plant

BARSTOW • Another wind turbine may become part of the Barstow landscape, providing an alternate source of power for the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

Johnson Controls Inc., hired by the city in March to conduct an energy analysis of its buildings, proposes installing one-megawatt wind turbine at the wastewater treatment plant. Installing the wind turbine would cost about $3 million.

Four members of the Barstow City Council Monday approved of adding the wind turbine to the city’s energy audit. Councilman Willie Hailey Sr. was absent.

The wind turbine design is still being researched. The final project will be brought back to the City Council for approval in about 60 days. Company representatives are currently pursuing a state energy incentive grant for $1.5 million, half the project cost.

The city would have to find a way to pay for the rest of the project. According to Barstow Finance Director Terri Willoughby, city staff is looking for a lease. The amount of money saved because of the wind turbine would cover that debt.

It’s unknown what the amount of the lease will be or how long the city will have to pay it back until the energy incentives have been obtained, said Chuck Spiker, a solutions sales consultant for Johnson Controls. But the company will guarantee the cost savings.

Installing the wind turbine will help get the wastewater plant off Southern California Edison’s power grid, said David Evers, director of global energy and sustainability operations for Johnson Controls. Any power that isn’t used at the wastewater plant can be sold to the utility, he told the City Council.

The wind turbine will be slightly smaller than the turbine located at the Marine Corp Logistics Base, which is about 1.5 megawatts, Spiker said. When the wind isn’t blowing, the wastewater plant can go back onto Edison’s power grid.

Johnson Controls submitted a preliminary energy analysis to the city last year, which included installing a wind turbine at the wastewater plant. The city also considered a proposal from Siemens Building Technolgoies for an energy analysis.

In March, the city awarded a contract to Johnson Controls for a $2.9 million energy savings program. Johnson Controls guaranteed that the savings from the energy upgrades would cover the cost of the program or they would make up the difference. If the city decided not to move forward with the program, it would pay Johnson Controls $45,000 for the analysis.

As part of its audit, Johnson Controls recommended upgrades to interior and exterior lighting at city-owned buildings. Other recommendations include installing solar panels and solar film at City Hall and other buildings.

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(760) 256-4123 or jcejnar@desertdispatch.com