Kudos go out to the Lac qui Parle Valley School District for its pioneering utilization of a 225-kilowatt wind turbine.
Lac qui Parle Valley invested nearly $249,000 in 1997 in erecting the turbine on the district's campus. Today, not only is the project paid off, but the wind turbine generates almost 25 percent of the electricity the district consumes.
The district has also utilized the turbine as a classroom tool.
As an early adopter, the district did reap the benefit of a zero-interest loan to help pay off the project.
The many challenges of school finances can make wind turbines a risky investment for most school districts today.
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However, Lac qui Parle Valley deserves credit for its pioneering effort in wind energy.
