@Katie: Thanks for the comment, I kept thinking about the grace of the turbine as well. Also, it sounds like your experience may not be all that uncommon. Apparently getting all the permits and financing for a single turbine can be quite difficult. In fact, the folks up at Jiminy Peak started a company called EOS Ventures after they went through the process of getting their single turbine. They help with financing, procurement and lots of the other stuff around green energy for small organization and communities.

The building of the turbines had been a huge cause of contention in the tiny up-up-state NY community where my family’s from. People were worried that they would ruin the landscape and take away from the natural flow of beauty that this quiet area of the Adirondacks had always worked to maintain.

I remembered driving over the hill and seeing in the distance the calm, soft spinning of the wind turbines and it took my breath away. I had no idea how big and graceful these things are. Apparently the power was flowing to Montreal and NYC which are 1 hr. and 6 hrs. away, respectively.

This story doesn’t have the happiest of endings, however. Despite the hard work that had gone into making the turbines, the company that put them up ran out of money. The turbines were turned off and many people lost their jobs.

I’m still hopeful that they will be bought, turned back on and continue supplying a cleaner source of energy.