Pitch
Somerville is the 21st windiest city in America yet utilizes none of that free energy.
Description
Summary
Somerville has one of the highest average wind speeds of any city in the United States[1]. Somerville used to take advantage of this free energy with windmills. For example, the Old Powder House was built as a windmill in 1703[2]. Yet today we are letting this free energy pass over our heads while we burn coal and gas.
There are a few large wind turbines on the coast, but due to their size and other issues these are best installed in industrial or sparsely populated areas. Those large turbines are the most economical, so it is unlikely a utility would be interested in installing smaller turbines in residential neighborhoods. This is where Somerville could bridge the gap.
What actions do you propose?
Somerville could install small or medium sized turbines in parks or other properties located on hills (Town Hall perhaps, and the high school), and provide information and assistance for residents to install small, silent, wind turbines on their roofs.
I wish I could fill in more details, but I am no expert in wind energy. I will fill in more info as I learn it myself. It just seems crazy that we live in an incredibly windy northern city yet we keep talking about solar and not wind energy.