17 months ago
PRESQUE ISLE (
The physical structure of the turbine is complete and now everyone on campus and in the city is trying to find the best place to catch a look at it.
"It's fun we're all figuring out where the best views of it are," said President Don Zillman.
"We could have charged admission and made a few bucks because people were walking across the athletic field just to see what was going on. We're excited about this. We think the community is excited about this," said David St. Peter, Director of Facilities for the University.
The 215 foot turbine will generate around 650 KW of power. It could provide anywhere from 25 to 60% of the university's power and officials say it could save the school $100,000 a year.
"It's primarily for educational purposes. It's tied to our programs and tied to our community college and it's also an economic benefit to us," said VP of Administration and Finance, Charles Bonin.
The university is also using the turbine in classroom curriculum. Junior Lacey O'Donnell says she's reconsidered her career aspirations because of the turbine.
"Since this project has been something I've been interested in I may actually pursue something more along the lines of alternative energy and working with a company who specializes in windmill production," she said.
