Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The state of Pennsylvania is working toward green power initiatives with the development of windmill farms. In southwestern Pennsylvania, a number of windmills have been built to capture the power of the wind and channel it as a renewable source of energy. While the windmills provide significant energy output, tourists also reportedly enjoy traveling to see the huge machines just off the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
In Somerset, a former coal mine has been turned into a windmill farm. Eight towering windmills cover the area and provide clean energy to 10,000 homes. The wind is the fuel for this project, and therefore no fossil fuels are used to create the energy. There are no by-products from windmill energy, so it is good for the environment. Because Pennsylvania receives natural rainfall with some of the highest acidity levels in the U.S., this state was prime choice for clean energy technology.
The Mill Run Wind Farm is the sister project of the Somerset development. When motorists travel on Route 711, they can view the high windmill structures. According to an article in the Tribune Review, the windmills are "close to the height of a ten-story building." When the windmills are operative at their maximum performance level, they are expected to produce 1.5 milliwatts of electricity. The wind blowing in this area has been described as an east wind, and it is an ideal location for wind energy development.
The windmills in Somerset and Mill Run are massive machines. The tower of each windmill measures 210 feet, while the rotor diameter is measured at 231 feet. The speeds of the rotor vary from 11 to 20 rpm. If the wind speed becomes too strong, the windmills will shut down (they are set to shut down at 55 miles per hour).