Two wind turbines rise over Santos Farm

Renewable energy is on the rise here in Westport. Two wind turbines went up at Santos Farm on Tuesday, March 4. One is at the farm's original location on Main Road and one is on a dairy farm the Santos brothers bought from Charles Costa on Adamsville Road.

Santos Farm took advantage of two grants, one from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and one from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The grants pay about 100 percent of the cost of the turbines but the farm is paying for the electricians.

"I put them up to cut our utility costs and because it's good for the environment. It's renewable energy," Karl Santos said at the Main Road farm last Thursday.

The turbines are expected to cut utility costs by "as much as a third," Mr. Santos said, although he won't know for sure until they've been running for awhile. The calculations are based on wind maps.

Mr. Santos's farm is at one of the highest points in Westport and wide open. "It's probably one of the best wind areas there is," he said. "To get any better, you'd have to be on the water."

Scott Fryer of Northeast Windpower Corp. of Westport, which installed them, said, "The average wind speed at both farms is the same. They are on the same high ridge just a few miles apart. It is 14 miles per hour."

Mr. Fryer said if you climb the wind turbine on Main Road, you can see the ocean from half way up. "Adamsville is an ocean view farm," he said, adding that you get a glimpse of the ocean from land elevation and a clearer view as you climb the wind turbine.

Mr. Fryer said Westport seems to be at the forefront of installing wind turbines as a way to cut energy costs and use renewable energy. The transformation has been happening despite problems with a wind turbine installer several years ago. Some farmers were discouraged by the negative experience.

Others, like Mr. Santos, have found ways to proceed. Obviously, the state and federal grants are making it easier. Mr. Fryer said he is also working on the wind turbine for Lee Tripp's farm on Horseneck Road.

Also smoothing the way here is Westport's wind turbine bylaw. Mr. Fryer said the town bylaw "is very conducive to make it easy," compared with other communities.

He called the bylaw, which was based on one written by Paul Gay of Westport, "one of the best in the state." In fact, the state wind turbine bylaw looks like Mr. Gay's and it is being used as a model bylaw, Mr. Fryer said.

Mr. Fryer praised the former building inspector in Westport, John McNally, for getting "on board quickly" and seeing the need.

In Westport, someone just needs to go to the building department and pull a permit, Mr. Fryer said. He said the building inspector inspects the installation on a schedule, based on a code, as with building a house or garage.

Mr. Fryer praised the Santos brothers for going with renewable energy.

"A family farm that's still up and running nowadays is really rare," he said. "They are willing to try to make a go of it and make it cost effective.

"And give us local milk," Mr. Fryer said. "It's great to see them leading the way."

Barbara Hanley, who joined with the five Santos brothers to make cheese as a value-added product, said, " I think Karl and his brothers are an inspiration."

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