Former President George H.W. Bush is harnessing wind to help keep the lights on in his coastal home at Walker's Point.
A 33-foot-tall windmill that can produce 400 kilowatts a month at a wind speed of 12 mph was installed last week at the home of Bush and his wife, Barbara.
An average household uses about 600 kilowatts a month, said Bob Greig, president of All Season Home Improvement Co. in Augusta, which installed the windmill.
The Bushes had the windmill installed after being approached by Southwest Windpower, a nationwide company that manufactures wind turbines, said Jim Appleby, personal aide to the former president. The turbine is connected to the electric power grid.
If the turbine is not producing all of the power needs in the Bush home, it will draw electricity from the power company. But when it produces excess energy, that power goes to the grid and the homeowner will get credits from the power company.
That will probably be the case with the Bushes, said Greig, because the Bushes' summer home needs little power during the winter.
"When he comes up, he should have a substantial credit on his bill to start off the summer," Greig told the Portland Press Herald.
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This COULD be a Christmas picture, but it's from Valentine's Day this year. I think it's just precious.
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ALL CLEAR for posting or re-posting photos or appropriate graphics in keeping with the spirit of this thread.
