Brief by Allen Best
Energy – December 2008 – Colorado Central Magazine
As homeowners begin to study wind, solar and other renewable energy sources located literally in their backyards, local governments are increasingly confronting the balance between private property rights and neighborhood aesthetic tastes.
That question of balance has come up frequently in the matter of solar collectors. To some people, the collectors are unsightly. The issue is also arising in regard to wind turbines.
Consider Grand County, home to Winter Park, Grand Lake and other communities. Wind turbines are currently restricted to a maximum height of 35 feet. But the higher the better, says Guy Larson, who operates a Granby-based alternative energy firm called Simply Efficient.
“Every 10 percent increase in wind speed, you get 30 to 40 percent more production out of the turbine,” he told the Sky-Hi Daily News.
To accommodate that, Grand County officials are considering revised regulations to allow turbines of up to 65 feet, or a maximum of 20 feet above the tops of trees. This would be applicable on lots of 5 to 35 acres. Taller towers of 80 feet would be allowed on larger properties.
Though taller, is this still too low for wind turbines? Larson suggests so. When it comes to harnessing wind power, he says “the taller the better.”
