The weather vane on the anemometer tower indicated wind from all directions with only a small prevailing wind from the southeast. As recorded, the strongest winds occur between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. with the lowest wind speeds in the early morning. Since early morning irrigation is recommended to help avoid the wind blowing water away from the targeted area and increasing evaporation, the peak wind times of the day and the most efficient irrigation times will never correspond. However, this could be resolved with net metering by selling the power produced by the wind turbine to the utility in the afternoon and buying it back in the morning for irrigation, the report noted. They also noted that the strongest winds occur between the peak irrigation months of April and August.
The average wind speed for the site at 66 feet was found to be approximately 6.7 miles per hour. The average wind speeds during the peak irrigation months range from 7.4 to 8.5 mph. The report states however the average wind speed of nine mph is generally considered to be the bottom limit for generating power in remote applications while 12 mph is the bottom limit for offsetting utility generation. Thus, the report concludes, the Castle Valley site receives a Battelle class rating of one, or poor, for its available wind resources. These wind resources could be affected by several factors including the wind shear at the site, the chosen turbine, and the height of the turbine tower. However, even with careful consideration of these features, the report concludes it is unlikely that wind will be a satisfactorily cost-effective alternative energy source for Anderson and Webster.
The results suggest that the Castle Valley site has poor wind resources for electrical generation. After 20 years, it is unlikely that they would have made a profit from the investment unless they were awarded a grant. However, installation of a wind turbine would provide valuable environmental benefits and satisfy any personal interest they may have. They might wish to explore further the possibility of a hybrid system using both wind and solar power, relocating the anemometer or an energy audit to still achieve environmental and economical benefits, the report states.
I’m sure we all thought the wind blew a lot more and with more gusto than that but apparently not. I sure have a lot of fruit on the ground caused by the wind however. Jeff Anderson said the report is available to anyone wishing to examine it.
* * *
It was with much sadness that we learned of the untimely death of Steve Cannistraci who lived with his parents at the Sorrel River Ranch. He excelled in the wrestling program at Grand County High School and was a member of the Castle Valley Boy Scout troop and encountered every endeavor with enthusiasm.
One of my favorite memories of him was when he helped his troop construct a 35-foot lodge pole tower last April by just lashing ropes together. He was the first one to hoist himself up the tower and place a flag on the top, a daring feat I thought at the time. As a polite and respectful young man, his fellow passengers will miss him on the school bus during the daily round trips and he will also be missed by those who knew him at the Grand County High School campus.
A viewing is scheduled Wednesday evening at the Moab Memorial Mortuary from 7 to 9 p.m. and services will be held at the Sorrel River Ranch at 11 a.m. Thursday. Another viewing will be held Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. at Mitchell Mortuary in Price with a graveside service Friday at Valley View Cemetery in East Carbon. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation in his name to the Youth Garden Project.