FAIRGROUNDS  WIND  TURBINE  PROJECT
STATUS  REPORT 
(10-22-08)

Project Description
The Cuyahoga County Agricultural Society, operator of the County Fairgrounds in Berea/Middleburg Heights, Ohio is aggressively pursuing the installation of a wind turbine and solar arrays at the Fairgrounds.  The turbine size is targeted at 600 kw, to be installed at the end of the main parking lot.  The solar array will be 20kw erected on the low roof of the International Pavilion, with high visibility to Fairgrounds visitors.

Purpose
The wind turbine and the solar array would be installed to demonstrate the Society’s commitment to renewable energy, to educate the community on this subject by actual demonstration, to provide wind industry jobs training through collaboration with Polaris Career Center and to reduce the Society’s single largest expense, its electricity bills of about $100,000 per year.   

Site Rationale
The Fairgrounds is a clear, open, urban site of 115 acres.  Preliminary wind data obtained through AWS Truewind indicates a year-round average wind speed of 12.4 mph.  Actual 12-month wind monitoring is in progress, under a grant from Green Energy Ohio, funded by ODOD.   FAA approval has been obtained.  Middleburg Heights zoning variance and Planning Commission approvals have been obtained. 

Benefits
An educational kiosk will be constructed to present the benefits of renewable energy, to explain the process and to house streaming wind/electricity data displays.  Tens of thousand of visitors attending the annual Fair plus weekend events will visit the display.  Outreach programs with colleges will be developed.  The installation will aid Cuyahoga County’s efforts to identify the area as a wind energy center, leading to manufacturing and service jobs creation. 

Funding
As a non-profit organization with a very limited budget, project advancement is dependent on obtaining funds from outside sources.  Beginning with the ODOD Renewable Energy Grant program, the project team will seek funding from outside sources committed to supporting renewable energy projects.

Timetable
The Society’s goal is to begin fundraising in October 2008 and to complete the project by July 2010.