Editors Blog

Peter Powell is Refrigeration Editor. E-mail him at peterpowell@achrnews.com.


Powell's Ponderings: Running RAC on Wind?

December 11, 2008

You know about all those wind turbines you see in many parts of this country. Their primary purpose is to generate electricity - as least when the wind is blowing.

Now it appears there is a company that has installed a couple of such turbines to address their power needs including the running of RAC.

At least that is how the press release seems to read. “Pioneering control and monitoring company RDM (Resource Data Management) has installed two energy-saving wind turbines at its Glasgow (Scotland) headquarters.

“The two turbines, mounted on either side of its premises, are part of a program of sustainable and low carbon technology being rolled out by the company. RDM is believed to be the first mainstream supplier to the refrigeration, air conditioning, and building services industry to harness cutting edge wind turbine technology to reduce carbon emissions.”

Seeing how this is a commercial building, that’s quite a bit of power generation. The company said the turbines cover all nighttime load as well as up to 70 percent of daytime load.

Turbines do have their critics. The clacking noise bothers some folks. In Texas there has been concern about wind turbines going up in ideal wind locations only to discover those turbines were in the migratory pattern of birds. That caused a split among environmentalists/conservationists. Wind power is good - unless it hurts birds.

The initial problem RDM faced with its turbines was the possibility of it interfering with radar service at the nearby Glasgow Airport. That concern was apparently overcome, because RDM officials describe the turbines as “an unqualified success.”

The wonders of wind power remain an ongoing, work in progress - but certainly worth watching.

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