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As reproduced from the WTNH news story

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - Alternative energy is a hot political issue, and one New Haven company is trying to get ahead of the curve by harnessing the power of the wind.

An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held in New Haven on Thursday for a wind turbine that will help provide power to 'Phoenix Press.' It stands 156-feet tall, with the New Haven Harbor as it's back-drop.

The company says it's a 'perfect spot' with all that wind blowing in off the water and they are excited about using clean energy to help fuel it's operations.

"We're saving money, cutting down on fossil fuels, we're helping our customers cut down on fossil fuels by using us...so it's a win 'wind' situation everywhere," said Brian Driscoll of Phoenix Press Inc.

That turbine, with it's big spinning blades, provides about one third of the company's annual power usage.

As reprinted from HartfordBusiness.com

You have constructed a 150-foot wind turbine, the largest wind turbine project ever in the state, for your company, Phoenix Press. What was the inspiration?

I have been thinking about ways to make our company more environmentally friendly for the past several years. I had looked into solar panels, but they were not feasible because of their weight on our roof. One day as I took a walk down to the end of the street, I looked out across the harbor and was surprised to feel the wind blowing my hair around. A short walk got me to think there might be something to utilizing that wind for power. That very same day, I noticed an anemometer nearby being used by the DEP. Just by chance on that fateful day, I bumped into a worker in the area that told me all about what an anemometer does. I was able eventually to show Alteris Renewables the wind data collected from that anemometer, and it helped us determine if a wind turbine was right for Phoenix Press.

Is there something about your location that is particularly advantageous for wind power?

Phoenix Press is in an excellent location for wind power. Our property ends at the tributary created by two rivers, the Quinnipiac and the Mill. There is little obstruction and the turbine is up high enough to capture plenty of wind. Our turbine tower is 121 feet tall to the center of the hub. The hub is mounted on the Nacell, which sits on top of the tower. The three blades are approximately 35 feet long each. The actual height of the structure is about 156 feet high. This height is necessary to capture as much available wind as possible. This is standard on most Northern Power 100 turbines.

The turbine will provide Phoenix Press with about one-third of its annual energy needs, saving the company around $35,000 a year in utility costs. How much did the turbine cost to build? How long will it take to recoup that investment based on current energy prices?

Our energy savings will be determined by how much wind we actually obtain over a period of time. The figures that I use are based on a best-case scenario, as well as data received from Northern Power on how much power we can expect to generate. The cost of the project is approximately $500,000. With grants from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund and the federal government, I hope to have a pay back in about four years, based on today’s energy costs.

Is this a project you would have pursued without a grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund?

Truthfully, I don’t think we would have been able to afford this project if grants were unavailable to us. Even though this has been a passion of mine, to have clean, renewable power, I don’t think that in these economic times I would have been willing to risk the total cost ourselves. Are turbines economically feasible without grants? In my opinion, in any industry people who buy expensive equipment are paying up front for research development. As more and more businesses become involved in renewable energy equipment, hopefully, the price for this development will become less, or, at least, more economically feasible, allowing for a price structure that is affordable without the use of grant money.

How does Phoenix Press remain competitive while embarking on green measures like wind power, recycling and toxic-free inks?

Over the years, we have continually upgraded our equipment to include the latest technology in the printing industry, from our pre-press department to our digital printing department. These investments allow us to remain competitive, as well as to cut out waste. Our wind turbine will bring us into yet another new age of exciting technology and, hopefully, make us lead the way for others to follow suit.