School Committee Approves McGlynn School Wind Turbine
The School Committee approved plans for wind turbine similar to this one at the McGlynn School.
– Allison Goldsberry
After three years of planning, Medford’s first wind turbine will be constructed at the McGlynn School.
The School Committee gave the green light to the wind turbine at their Monday night meeting.
The turbine will stand 131 feet tall with 33-foot blades that will spin around 12 miles per hour. The project is expected to generate 170,000 Kilowatt hours per year, or about 10% of the school’s electricity. That’s a savings of $25,000 to the city and an estimated 76 tons of carbon dioxide to the environment.
Mayor Michael McGlynn, School Committee Chairman, said he supports the project because it is environmentally-sound, saves tax-payers money, and gives students the opportunity to learn about renewable energy sources.
“This is a very exciting project,†said McGlynn.
According to Medford Environmental Agent Patty Barry, “SMARTVIEW†computer software will collect data from the wind turbine so students can see exactly how much electricity it’s generating.
The turbine will be located behind the McGlynn School, about 150 feet from the playground and 200 feet from the river. According to project consultant Sustainable Energy Development, Inc. the turbine will be no louder than a normal conversation even if it reaches speeds of thirty miles per hour.
Construction of the turbine is planned for the summer of 2008. It’s currently in the permitting phase and will be designed during the winter.
Medford has received $250,000 from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and is hoping to cover the rest of the cost of the project with public and private grants. The total project cost is $473,000.
Barry said the maintenance costs of the turbine will also be covered by grants, such as the Clean Energy Choice Grant the city receives every year.
More on the wind turbine…
Medford Clean Energy Committee project overview
Superintendent Belson Represents Medford at the State House
School Superintendent Roy Belson will spend some time on Beacon Hill hashing out charter school funding and early childhood education.
The Superintendent will testify tomorrow at a State House hearing on charter school funding. Supt. Belson said the administration is not against charter schools or school choice, but rather is looking for a more equitable way to fund them to reduce the money drain on public schools.
According to Belson, 280 Medford students are educated at charter schools, representing an estimated $3 million loss in education funding.
Belson will also play an active role at the state level in studying early education and care. Governor Deval Patrick appointed Belson to a subcommittee to study the issue and take part in drafting a ten-year plan as part of the Governor’s education initiatives. Belson said Medford’s early childhood programs are outstanding and that early childhood education is essential in preparing students for later academic success.
More on Medford’s public schools…