Bright ideas (municipal renewable energy, Maine)

[jpak]

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/070207greentowns.html

SACO - A new wind turbine catches the breeze coming down the Saco River, powering the energy-efficient lights in a nearby office building.

Solar panels catch the sunlight on the roof of another building, producing enough heat to keep the equipment inside from freezing up.

Welcome to Saco's wastewater treatment plant, where the city treats its sewage and showcases alternative energy. Next up, officials hope to heat part of the facility using the 2.4 million gallons of effluent that flows through each day and into the Saco River.

Saco and its sewage treatment plant are leaders of a new trend among Maine's local governments to reduce energy use and environmental damage. The efforts appear to be gaining momentum as citizens mobilize to fight global warming and as municipal officials calculate the tax dollars that can be saved by using less oil, diesel fuel and electricity.

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[kestrel91316]

1. Any whining about damaged views from the rich, spoiled

Repubic faction in town yet??