What Could We Make In Youngstown?

[jay]

On the NBC news this evening, the final story was about a woman in China who is one of the world's richest women.  She is the owner of many companies which take waste cardboard and waste paper from landfill operations, ship it to China, and convert it into recycled cardboard used by China's industries.  About 50% of the waste material comes for the United States.

We collect thousands of tons of recyclables in the Mahoning Valley.  Are any of these recyclables used by local industries?  If so, which ones?

[irishbobcat]

There is a group of Mahoning and Trumbull County residents trying to start up an active Green Energy Ohio group here in the valley.

Here is their latest information and future meeting dates:

November 7, 2007


Last August you attended an Energy Program Mahoning County Farm Bureau sponsored which was an update of energy history and energy trends plus a brief review of basic ways to cut energy expenses.

There was great interest in having Rich Lonardo, of Greenspace Energy,  present a more in depth  series of seminars focusing on what you,  as a homeowner,  can do to reduce your utility expenses using  very basic techniques.   

Winter is here, and it is not too late to start making some decisions and having the opportunity to ask the experts.  The free seminars have been scheduled and there will be an energy savings door prize given at each seminar and a grand prize of $200 gift certificate for a basic energy audit of your home (by the Energy Detectives) will be given at the final seminar.  Participants attending each seminar will receive a ticket to put in the "hat" for the grand prize drawing.  The more seminars you attend the better your chances of winning the grand prize.   

Reservations are requested by contacting our office @ (330)533-5553 or   mahfb@cboss.com.

All Seminars Held:
7:00 p.m.– 9:00 p.m.
at
Mill Creek MetroParks Experimental & Educational Farm
7574 Columbiana Canfield Rd., Canfield

November 14 – Conduct your own energy audit; access your energy loss room by room and building by building.
December 10 – Smart energy tips on how to reduce your utility expenses; energy demands and ways to control your homeowner's insurance premium.
January 16 – Understanding your utility bill and energy rates; how to read your meter and why you should know how.
February 20 – The most energy efficient insulation, windows and mechanicals.
March 19 – Efficient new design and remodeling tips to be cost effective.

[Towntalk]

Now that would be an ideal location.

[jay]

Would it be practical for wind turbines to be placed on the crest of the hills along the Mahoning River just south of the downtown?  Most of that land is sparsely populated at this time.

[Towntalk]

There is one problem with wind turbines on downtown buildings, and that is the size of the blades. They must be really large to generate the amount of energy that a building would need. In that there is heavy air traffic the towers holding the blades could only be so high and have lights on them as is the case with broadcasting towers. Again, could a downtown building support a windmill? Remember that there would be no real foundation, and there would also be the problem with vibration on the building. If you will look up at the radio tower on the WFMJ building, you'll note that it is only so high, and the building was designed to factor it in.

Aesthetically, would you really want to see a maze of windmills on top of downtown buildings.

The downtown area is really suited for solar panels that could no be seen from street level.

Again, wind turbines would pose a safety hazard in a serious storm. Since they couldn't be properly anchored to meet code, high wind or lightning strikes could send them tumbling down.

As to the wind turbine pictured, while it could power a home, could it power a downtown office building, or such venues as the Chevy Center or DeYor, both of whichuse larger amounts of electricity, or The Vindicator or WFMJ which also use huge amounts of electricity?

Given all of the electrical equipment that goes with wind turbines there would also be a weight problem for the roofs.

Finally, in the basements of the buildings, would there be sufficient room for the interior electrical components ... generators ... battery racks ... control panels and the like.

Solar panels do not require the bulky equipment that wind turbines require.

If they were erected at ground level, where could they be placed in the immediate downtown area?

[irishbobcat]

Here is a video clip of a new type of wind turbine developed down under......

They say this new type could provide energy to power a home.....

Could you imagine how much energy we could save on some of the houses out in the western part of the county as well as on the
roof-tops of downtown Youngstown?

http://www.greenenergytv.com/Browse/Wind.aspx

[jay]

It has been very windy in Youngstown for the last two days.  Maybe we should form and industry to capture energy from the wind.

[jay]

I like Irishbob's idea for Youngstown to become a leader in alternative energy such as solar. 

Are there any other products me can make in Youngstown for sale to our residents or to this area of Ohio?  We need to create more jobs for city residents.