Wind Energy Offers Powerful Benefits for Indiana Education and Economic Development

Imagine education taking a role in renewable energy resource planning and development, along with reaping financial rewards, science curriculum, and sustainable development.  Believe it.

Northern Indiana is prime land for generating wind power with its’ abundant wind natural resources, and the design-build firm, Performance Services, Inc., is positioned to make the best use of it with minimal environmental impact.  Furthermore, the power of collaborative partners in planning and development of this alternative energy project has produced impressive results for the areas education, city, public utility provider, and economic development.   

Although wind power projects, in general, pose challenges in size and scope, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates wind energy may provide 20% of U.S. electricity needs by 2030. The recently announced Performance Park Wind Farm will be the home of 25 wind turbines, 2MW each, measuring over 200 feet wide and over 330 feet tall, but are expected to be absorbed into the landscape of 2,500 acres of land in northwest Tippecanoe County, Indiana.

Nestled on the farmland of Booher Farms, owners Amy and A.J. Booher are delighted.  As A.J. offered in the recent Performance Services news release, “My wife Amy and I hope to be part of the solution by producing wind energy along with corn and soybeans on our land.  I think taking that step forward is one of the best gifts we can give our three children, ages 2, 5, and 7. They are counting on us to solve our nation’s energy crisis.”

In a recent community wind project performed by Performance Services for Randolph Eastern School Corporation and Union City, the project has been a rewarding opportunity as a revenue generating stream for the school system and the city, which is expected to generate $170,000 each year.  With educational cutbacks, this project has not only brought new meaning to this opportunity of power generated revenue but has also added a renewal energy curriculum component, offering a stimulating real world science lesson that students can actually view from the classroom and in the community.  Tim Thoman, President, Performance Services, estimates the school will essentially eliminate its utility bill and put money back into the school.

Alternative energy began with a teacher’s desire, John Zakelj to provide solar and wind models for classroom use, which then led the Randolph Eastern School Corporation to consider the possibility of wind energy to power the school. 

According to retired superintendant, Cathy Stephan, the real lesson learned is that their school is not only going to teach alternative energy in the classroom, but they are also going to use it. Randolph Eastern School is offering to provide the applicable questions and answers that represented the building blocks of their own project to help others with similar project needs. Education has indeed taken on a new role. This example may very well be a model for other schools to harness the power of this teachable moment.