Wind turbine powers business

The long sought-after answer to Chuck Hausladen’s search for a way to reduce his machine shop’s electric bill was blowing in wind. As a result, he ended up thinking green in more ways than one.

Hausladen’s long hobby of studying wind turbines bore fruit about a month ago when his 100-foot tall, 20-kilowatt turbine was energized for the first time at his Acoma Township home, three miles north of Hutchinson. Since then, he has learned a lot more about the vagarious wind.

Having the wind turbine benefits the environment, Hausladen said, but the real benefit to him personally is being able to provide power to his machine shop, C & C Machine, and his neighboring home, while having the potential to sell back any excess power generate to his regular provider, McLeod Cooperative Power Association.

“It is a hobby I’ve had for many years, but the bottom line is for the resale (of excess power,)” he said. “It is actually doing better than we anticipated. We are pretty happy.”

“We use almost all of the electricity here depending upon the wind,” Hausladen said. “The monthly bill used to be $350 to $850 depending upon the weather.”

Excess electricity is sold back onto the electric grid through McLeod Cooperative Power Association.

Hausladen plans to have a twin turbine erected by next summer. The design he uses, with two legs of the tower hinged, allows him to lower the entire structure to the ground for maintenance using a winch. He said he didn’t want to be climbing it.

For more about businesses doing things to help the environment, read the Sept. 25 print edition of the Hutchinson Leader.

(Terry Davis is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at davis@hutchinsonleader.com.)