A 100 kW wind turbine manufactured by Northern Power Systems was officially dedicated during a ceremony at the Sunset Park Material Recovery Facility (MRF), located on the Brooklyn, N.Y., waterfront.
Sims Metal Management, which owns the recycling center, says the wind turbine is expected to generate up to 4% of the energy required to run the facility. The capital cost was approximately $750,000, and the turbine will pay for itself in about 5 years, depending on wind and electricity costs.
The 120-foot tower was installed last fall, and permitting for the project began in 2011. The pier's naturally windy location is an ideal spot for the turbine, which overlooks the MRF and its Recycling Education Center.
No stranger to renewable energy, Sims Metal Management already uses rooftop solar. Together, wind and solar energy will make up to 20% of the electricity needed to power the operation, the company notes.
The Sunset Park MRF serves as the principal sorting and separation center for New York City's residential curbside metal, glass and plastic recyclables. The recycling facility is part of a long-term contract between Simms and the New York City Department of Sanitation.
