View Northwest from Cleveland’s City Hall towards the Great Lakes Science Center and North Coast Harbor.  The Vestas 225 Wind turbine stands in front of the Science Center adjacent to the Jacobs Field Stadium.  Docked at the harbor is the retired Mather ore boat.  Just beyond that on the horizon and 3.5 miles from shore is the Cleveland water intake crib, and the Green Energy Ohio wind monitoring tower. (Telephoto view on the right)

Photos taken May 5 and June 4, 2006 following turbine erection.      © Robert Weinberg, all rights reserved.

View Southeast towards City Hall and  the Federal Building.  At right, the front of the Science center along I90 and the North Marginal drive looking Northeast.  Below, the turbine peaks up beyond the parking garage.  Part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Science Center are seen at the on the left rear.

The downwind anemometer is mounted at the rear of the turbine nacelle.

The approach from East 9th St. towards North Coast Harbor and looking West.  At right, the turbine base on its small concrete pad.  Note the man door access to the internal ladder.

Wind Enthusiast Bob Weinberg:  I’ve been learning about renewable energy and concentrating on wind power since late 2004.  As a retired engineer and business owner, the technical aspects of this developing technology excite me, as much as the need for energy conservation and new energy sources being brought forward again to the public attention.  Growing up, working, caring for, living in this region makes me even more interested in seeing wind power “take root”.

 

The Science center’s new turbine installation represents a high profile symbol along Cleveland's highly visible lakefront.  Sleek, graceful, white and high-tech. While this refurbished turbine brought from out West

looks just like the latest technology we could be using or manufacturing here (and exists in far larger capacity at Bowling Green Ohio) - it is not at all positioned where wind scientists would recommend it to be.  Because of the highly turbulent wind conditions and blockage from the Stadium and Downtown structures higher and to the South it just can’t capture the usable prevailing winds.  This is more a small scale physical model and not a pilot plant.  So we can’t consider this a project about economic viability of wind power at Lake Erie or in Ohio in general.

 

Rather, we should celebrate and be inspired to take action integrating all that we know about worldwide wind technology successes and specifically the geography, needs, economics and public opinion of our own residents and businesses.  We should turn to our brownfields, open areas, farms and yes, out on to the Lake past the “Crib” to tap wind resources and pass the power into our grid.

 

I’m contributing by doing the wind research out on the lake at the Crib as a volunteer; reading all I can, and gathering with others who can provide the knowledge, talents and resources.  How will you be involved?

Wide angle from City Hall parking lot, and (below) from the water near the shore. Look carefully between the stadium and the red crane to locate the top of the turbine blades.