Dec 28 2010
The amendment bill passed by the state Senate of New jersey recently will make the Steel Pier of Atlantic City to wear a different look.
The place once known for diving bells, bigger sized bill boards and diving horses will host three giant wind turbines to produce electricity from the sea breeze due to the amendment bill that allowed the installation of wind turbines inside the 500 feet limit of the coast line. The bill has been forwarded to Gov. Chris Christie for his signature.
According to Senator Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, the introducer of the amendment bill, the amendment will allow the installation of wind turbines on any of the existing piers along the coast line of New Jersey. Whelan while cautioned about the installation of wind mills at piers that lay close to residential areas has called the present legislation that allows the installation of wind generation at the Steel Pier as a right step in right direction.
Earlier the operators of the Atlantic Pier Amusements, which operate the amusement park at Steel Pier, have conveyed their request to erect and operate five wind turbines at the pier. Now, they anticipate to erect and operate at least one of the wind turbines by spring or early summer after receiving the required permissions from the Environmental Protection Department. Each of the wind turbines proposed for the project will stand 121 feet tall with 35 feet wide rotors and will produce around 190,000 kWh of clean energy every year. The park plans to utilize the power generated from the wind turbines to electrify the lightings inside the park and trade the unused power with the utility companies.
Source: http://www.steelpier.com/