Staff Writer
Staff photo/Kathy McCartyTHE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE at Presque Isle officially signed a contract with Lumus Construction Inc., of Woburn, Mass., on Monday to begin work on a $2 million wind turbine project. The windmill will be erected at the southern side of the campus property and will save the University an estimated $100,000 annually. The project is expected to be completed by April 2009. Present for the signing ceremony, from left: Jim Wilson, vice president, Woodard & Curran; Sumul Shah, president, Lumus Construction, Inc.; President Don Zillman, UMPI; Charlie Bonin, vice president of administration and finance, UMPI; and Dave St. Peter, UMPI’s manager of physical facilities.
contract with Lumus Construction Inc., of Woburn, Mass., to begin the next $2 million project – the construction of a 600 kW wind turbine on the northern Maine campus.
During a press conference on Monday, Nov. 24, officials gathered to formally sign a document sealing the deal.
“We are so very pleased to be announcing the details of this historic project, which will help to meet the campus’s energy needs, significantly reduce our energy costs and help us to leave a much smaller carbon footprint,” said UMPI President Don Zillman. “This is the most significant renewable energy project we, as a campus, have ever undertaken. We are both proud and humbled to be stepping forward as a statewide leader in the utilization of wind as a renewable energy resource.”
The project establishes UMPI as the first university in the state and one of only a handful in New England to install a mid-size wind turbine. Zillman said the turbine will produce about one million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and is expected to save the institution more than $100,000 annually in electricity charges.
“It also will save an estimated 572 tons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere each year or the equivalent of removing 123 cars from the road,” Zillman said.
Joining Zillman for the ceremony were: Jim Wilson, vice president, Woodard & Curran; Sumul Shah, president, Lumus Construction, Inc.; Charlie Bonin, vice president for administration and finance at UMPI; and Dave St. Peter, UMPI’s manager of physical facilities.
Zillman noted the many benefits and advantages created by the campus wind project.
With renewable energy, Zillman said, will come, “financial benefits, educational opportunities, environmental stewardship and community leadership.”
Zillman said this makes UMPI a trailblazer of sorts, setting an example that he hopes others will follow in time.
The predicted annual savings of $100,000 may be even more, said Bonin, noting current energy market fluctuations and the probability that energy will continue to increase in cost, rather than decrease, in years to come.
“We could see closer to $125,000 or more in savings annually,” said Bonin, “depending on the market.”
Wilson said UMPI’s goal was to, “offset energy costs and explore educational opportunities.”
“It (the project) fosters the idea of green energy and gives them (UMPI) a competitive advantage. This is a home-grown project, benefiting campus and community, that gives them a home advantage,” said Wilson, as he made reference to Gov. King’s comment about Maine’s renewable energy sources, primarily wind projects, turning the state into a new Saudi Arabia.
“That’s no exaggeration,” said Wilson. “This is an exciting time for the campus and the city of Presque Isle.”
Groundwork and a road to the site was completed over the summer, courtesy of the Maine National Guard.
Shah said construction work began on Nov. 19, the same day Lumus and UMPI formally announced their wind project agreement. He explained that crews are working to build a strong foundation at the wind turbine site, located near the athletic fields at the southern end of the campus. Most recently, workers have been drilling 40-foot-deep holes in order to install anchors into the bedrock underneath the site. Once that is completed, more than 100 cubic yards of concrete will be poured, interlaced with steel, to create the turbine base.
Turbines are currently being assembled in India.
“On this project, we will be using a 600 kilowatt turbine from RRB Energy, a wind energy company based in Chennai, India. The turbine blames are 154 feet in diameter, weighing approximately 8 tons. The blades are mounted to the 20-ton nacelle, which houses the gearbox and generator. The blades and nacelle will be mounted on a tower that is over 200 feet tall,” said Shah, who recently visited the factory in India.
“Lumus Construction has a long history of work on projects that serve the greater good. From the Statue of Liberty to Bunker Hill, to five presidential homes and libraries, we have a strong track record in preserving our national heritage,” said Shah, noting additional projects, including experience on border stations, homeland security facilities, Coast Guard and Navy facilities and more. “But we have taken on no cause greater than our work in renewable energy.”
Shah said at times like these, “we believe that wind energy is an important part of our future in creating good jobs. Our firm is doing its part.”
“We have over 600 MW of wind energy projects that we are developing around the world. In addition to wind, our firm is also actively involved with the installation of solar panels, fuel cells and geothermal HVAC. Our focus in renewable energy has not been to invent new products. Rather, our mission has been to find innovative and more efficient ways to bring existing technologies to fruition,” said Shah. “We applaud the University’s enthusiasm for producing on-site green energy and thank University officials for allowing us to be a part of this exciting project.”
Zillman said he looks forward to sharing the experience with others.
“We are committed to sharing all aspects of our experience with students, the campus and the community, as well as people in Maine and beyond interested in exploring wind power options of their own,” said Zillman. “Part of the University’s reason for serving a leadership role in this realm is to fill the classic public university role of being the bold experimenter for projects that can help its community benefit from new knowledge. For this project, that includes providing information about everything from conducting initial wind measurement surveys and feasibility studies to completing contract negotiations and permitting processes to overseeing turbine installation and actual energy generation.”
Shah said on Dec. 5 one of his company’s IBEW electricians will be sent to the factory to witness the commissioning and final testing of the turbine before it is shipped.
“We expect it to be shipped in January for delivery to the site sometime in March. Although the shipping process can be unpredictable, we hope to be erecting the turbine in early April, ready to produce electricity by the end of April 2009,” said Shah.
Zillman said the project coincides nicely with the recent announcement that NMCC will be offering courses now designed to train technicians on how to maintain wind turbines.
Initial discussions on ways to save energy at UMPI began in 2004 and included the installation of wind monitoring equipment, with the University announcing its intentions to move forward on a wind turbine project 18 months ago, in May 2007. During Monday’s press conference, Bonin and St. Peter offered an overview of the project’s history.
With concerns about the next generation’s energy future, Shah noted even his 6-year-old daughter has an understanding of global warming and the importance of using ‘green’ energy.
“My daughter says it best when she tells everyone that, ‘Daddy is going to stop Santa’s house from falling into the water because he’s building windmills,’” said Shah.
Monday’s event ending with the formal contract-signing ceremony between the University and Lumus, lead by Zillman and Shah, signifying the agreement they have reached and celebrating the site work that already has begun.
For more information on the project, visit www.umpi.edu/wind or contact UMPI’s Media Relations Office at 768-9452.
