Fun story over at Face the State:
DNC Boondoggle: Carbon Credits Fund Broken TurbineAnd we hear about this from the mainstream media? . . . . . . crickets
The eastern Colorado wind turbine tapped for the Democratic National Convention's carbon-offset program has one problem: It doesn't generate any electricity. Convention organizers are now being questioned for their eagerness to market those credits to delegates.
The DNC has contracted with Vermont-based NativeEnergy to offer delegates "Green challenge" carbon offsets to soften the environmental impact of convention travel. That money is then invested in carbon-free "green" energy sources around the country, including a wind turbine installed this year by the Wray School District RD-2. But a Face The State investigation reveals the district's turbine has never produced marketable energy due to massive equipment malfunctions.
The school district held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the wind turbine February 15th. Officials soon discovered, however, that the turbine was incapable of producing its intended output. "We flipped it back off and on about 10 times since then," said Superintendent Ron Howard. "It has run, it will run, but it won't ramp itself up to full capacity."
In the meantime, the project has been touted by Gov. Bill Ritter's administration as an example of government innovation in clean energy, with district officials still attempting to reassure residents of the technology's long-term potential. Area residents tell Face The State the blades do turn some days, even though the turbine is not producing electricity. The district Web site reads, "As you note the blades turning evenly in the wind...this 'dream turned into reality' is providing an environmentally safe source of power to our community."
