Wind turbine idea gets Saugus’ attention

SAUGUS – Even as little as a few years ago, wind power seemed like a throwback idea to the hippie era but with utility rates climbing and environmentally minded residents working hard, it is moving ever closer to becoming a reality.Wind Committee Chairman John Truesdale said the alternative energy committee has filed two applications looking to erect wind turbines in two different areas in town.”One site looks promising,” Truesdale said. “The second site might not be strong enough for wind be we have some other alternatives.”While the committee meets under its original moniker, “Wind Committee,” Truesdale said it is truly an Alternative Energy Committee. Along with exploring wind turbines, a recent report shows the group is also investigating solar panels and other alternative energy sources.After a lot of research, Truesdale said the committee narrowed its choices down to two possible sites for wind turbines, got Town Manager Andrew Bisignani to sign off on the plan and submitted applications to Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC).Truesdale said once MTC signs off on the project it goes to yet another committee, the University of Massachusetts’ Renewable Energy Resource Laboratory or RERL.If RERL believes the projects are viable Truesdale said, it will come out and do a site visit.”If they think it might work they will put a test measure up for a year to measure the wind,” he explained.Truesdale said the area he believes is the most viable is the old Route 95 corridor that was never developed.Truesdale said many years ago there was a plan to run Route 95 through Revere and Saugus. The state took land from both communities and even went as far as to create a roadbed but Truesdale said the plan was subsequently scrapped.”If you’re traveling down (Route) 107 from Lynn to Revere and you look to your right you’ll see a big mound of dirt,” he said. “It looks promising. We think it might work but we don’t know yet.”A study showed that wind power in the Northeast is not an extremely viable plan anywhere, but there are communities that make it work. The Wind Committee is hoping Saugus will be one of those communities.”We’re hopeful,” Truesdale said. “You can’t raise taxes anymore. If we can get this to work, this would be great.”Truesdale said he should learn in about 45 days whether RERL will send up a wind measure tester. In the meantime, his committee will keep researching other ideas.”My one regret is I can’t do this full time,” he said. “We’re moving along though, slowly but surely. We’re trying.”