At a study session set to begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the city council chambers, 102 N. Neil St., C, the city planning staff will discuss wind energy conservation systems, particularly small wind turbines within city limits and how to regulate wind farms near city boundaries.
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City Planner Bruce Knight said state law requires cities to regulate wind turbines within 1½ miles of their city limits. The Champaign County Board has adopted a wind farm ordinance, he said.

Knight said there has also been growing interest in small wind turbines on property within the city to reduce electricity costs. "Certainly, as the technology improves and the price comes down, we expect there will be more and more interest," Knight said.

The Meijer store chain has installed them on rooftops of some of their buildings, he said.

In a memo to the city council, the planning staff said there are many types of wind turbines, ranging in size and shape. They have the potential to affect land use with noise, aesthetics, shadow flicker and electro-magnetic interference.The staff is asking the council whether to develop a city ordinance that would regulate them within the city limits and prohibit large wind turbines and wind farms within 1½ miles of city boundaries.

A small wind turbine works in concert with solar panels at the Drew and Rena Wilson Jones residence in rural Urbana. The Jones' power bill in April was $7.50 for their 3,000-square-foot home. By Vanda Bidwell

"We need to prohibit the big ones from being within a mile-and-a-half," Knight said. "As we grow over time, we would be impacted."

There are wind turbines, generally called "small wind," that generate less than 100 kilowatts of power. They can be mounted on roofs or towers, according to the staff memo.

Most cities that have ordinances on wind turbines require them to be set back from a property line by the height of the tower, the memo said. For example, a wind turbine on a 50-foot tower would have to be set back by 50 feet from all property lines. Some communities restrict taller towers by requiring them to be at least 1,000 feet from other residential land uses.

According to the staff memo, wind turbines over 175 feet tall would be prohibited within 1½ miles. "This would eliminate any large wind turbines that would typically be used in a wind farm from locating near urban uses or in a future city growth area," the memo said.

Rena Wilson Jones and her husband, Drew Jones, have a hybrid energy system involving both solar power and a small wind turbine. Nearly three years ago, they installed a 55-foot wind turbine tower in the backyard of their home at 2002 Barnes St., east of Urbana. They also have solar panels and a geothermal heating system, she said.

Due to the unpredictable Illinois climate, the solar panels and wind system work well in tandem, Jones said. "It can be very windy and sunny or very cloudy and calm," Jones said. "Whenever the wind is blowing, (the wind turbine) is going to be turning." Jones said their power bill in April was $7.50 for a 3,000-square-foot house.

There is a growing interest in small wind, but small turbines may not yet be practical in the city, according to Chad Braden, wind turbine manager in Ashmore for Arends Brothers.

Small wind turbines can have an economic payback, if they are sited and installed correctly, Braden said. Rural areas have better potential to capture the winds, he said.

In order to be effective in capturing the wind, a minimum tower height of 100 feet should be considered, Braden said. An urban environment may have a lot of trees and tall buildings that cut the wind, he said.

For Arends, the customer base is primarily farmers, who generally have enough space to get and use the wind energy. Farmers, with large grain-drying bins, sheds and other equipment, have more energy usage than the average city household.