A ski resort powered by wind sounds unusual. Yes it is a first for a tourist destination to meet all its energy requirements through a wind turbine. The New England ski resort has set up an 84 meter tall wind turbine and will generate 2.2 million kWh of electricity every year. They plan to sell the excess power to the nearby town of Charlemont.
To put the whole project in perspective the manager of the resort said that the generation will result in saving 1,400 tons of green house gases which is equal to a cars emission over 2 million miles. For a similar impact on the environment you would have to plant 85,000 trees annually. The turbine that cost the resort $3 million was being planned for the last three years. Power Wind, the German makers of the turbine are excited about the future prospect of their business.
The affluent luxury traveller wants to be able to holiday with a conscience. The high end resorts and hotels are trying to green up their act in different ways. Michael Jantzen, who is considered a ‘green’ artist, has designed high-profile sun- and wind-powered desert hotels and ski resorts to showcase how alternative energy could be used in luxury facilities. Crown Plaza, in Copenhagen, Denmark claims to be the greenest hotel in the world with groundwater-based cooling and heating system, solar panels and even gym bikes connected to generators.
Via: independent, berkshireeast
