Three wind turbines from small-wind provider Southwest Windpower now power a two-year-old water treatment facility owned by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium.
According to Southwest Windpower, the wind turbines are projected to supply approximately 75% of the roughly 18 MWh consumed annually by the facility, which is located in Goodnews Bay, Alaska, a coastal village located about 500 miles west of Anchorage.
In high wind conditions, excess energy produced by the wind turbines will be distributed amongst the village through a micro-grid, the company notes.
Until the wind turbines became operational last month, the remote Alaskan village was reliant on diesel generators to supply its electricity, notes Southwest Windpower, which adds that because of the remote location, diesel fuel had to be imported by boat or aircraft, further adding to costs.
