Wind turbines in Helder Park
in Holland Township, Michigan
are being torn down.
The city of Zeeland
built the turbines in 2009
to use more sustainable energy.
“It started as a state mandate,”
said Zeeland Mayor Kevin Klynstra.
“The BPW (Zeeland Board
of Public Works) has to be
15% renewable energy
and that was pretty much
the reason for the wind turbines."
"It’s too bad those didn’t work out.”
“It’s the future. Everybody wants
green power. We’re trying to get
as much as we can and
continuing to look at different
ways we can get it,”
Klynstra said.
“But it’s not easy.”
The turbines were placed outside
the city limits due to zoning issues.
The park was chosen by engineers
as the best place for wind.
It cost the city about $457,000.
Problems began
soon after
the installation.
The turbine manufacturer
went out of business.
Finding parts to repair
the turbines became
nearly impossible, and
very expensive.
In 2014, there was
a significant period
of no operation.
Break tips fell off
one of the turbines
and landed in
a nearby field --
a safety hazard.
Even worse, the turbines
were barely generating
any energy.
Over a 20-year period,
the turbines were expected
to create enough energy
to pay off the installed cost.
At the halfway mark,
it’s not even close
to that goal.