Power of SUNY

Wind Turbine Coming to Genesee CC

Genesee Community College’s Board of Trustees agreed in June 2011 to locate an educational wind turbine on campus in cooperation with Batavia, Alexander, and Pavilion high schools. The three area high schools received a Title I federal grant to purchase the wind turbine, which will be used by the high schools and Genesee Community College for science and engineering instruction.

The turbine will generate a variety of wind and meteorological data that will be transmitted to a computer housed at the Batavia Campus. Students will use and analyze the data as part of their educational programs. The College has identified at least nine engineering, chemistry, and physics courses that would use the turbine and turbine-related data. Eight Genesee Accelerated College Enrollment (ACE) Physics courses offered in area high schools are also expected to use turbine data. And at least two of the high schools are developing courses that would specifically include use of the wind turbine.

The turbine will be much smaller than many windmills, standing at only 70 feet. In addition to its small size, the wind turbine is very quiet, rated with a noise level of 35 decibels, which is softer than a typical conversation. One side benefit of the wind turbine is that will generate about 1,500 kilowatt hours of electricity a year, which will slightly decrease the College’s electricity bill.