Printer looks to wind to power plant

New Haven (WTNH) - In response to the growing pressure to go green, a New Haven company is looking to harness the power of the wind to help power its business.

Phoenix Press formally broke ground today on a 100-kilowatt wind turbine next to its plant on the banks of the Quinnipiac River. The actual work is already underway. Crews are prepping the site for the turbine installation.

The company has been around for more than 25 years. It's a traditional commercial printer, but co-owner Brian Driscoll says he and his brother have always tried to think and operate progressively.

"We will become the first printing company of our size to have an on-site wind turbine powering a good portion of our plant," Driscoll said.

The goal is to be more green, and ultimately save more green. Driscoll has been told the turbine could cut the company's energy costs by as much as $30,000 a year. He's been working with United Illuminating to integrate the system into the plant's operations.

Phoenix is also getting a $263,000 grant from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund to pay about half the cost of installation. Wilton-based Alteris Renewables is doing the work.

"Projects like this are what allow us to hire those green collar workers everybody's so interested in putting to work and trying to get this economy back on track again," Bob Chew from Alteris said.

An analysis of wind along the Connecticut shoreline finds marginal opportunity for power-generation. In other words, the location is not perfect, but it's enough. The hope is that once this turbine is up, people will notice, and be willing to give wind power a shot.

"Hopefully it'll be spinning every day they go by and see it," Driscoll said, "and it couldn't be in a better place for awareness for New Haven and Connecticut."