McKeever center to add windmill

SANDY LAKE, Pa. -- McKeever Environmental Learning Center will soon add a new member to its family of buildings, trails and learning labs: a windmill.
The center, using a $34,154 state grant, will build the windmill as well as an exhibit explaining alternative energy to visitors, including students from the Western Pennsylvania region.
"The wind turbine will act as a demonstration project, a visual and functional exhibit that will explain wind power and how energy can be produced from sustainable sources," said Kelly Burch, northwest regional director for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
The windmill's turbine will provide enough energy to supply the center's maintenance building and a second structure.
McKeever received the Energy Harvest Grant from the Pennsylvania DEP to build the 10-kilowatt windmill.
Burch said the grant program was started two years ago by Gov. Edward G. Rendell to finance clean and renewable energy projects built from sources such as wind, solar, small-scale hydroelectric, landfill methane and coal-bed methane.
Slippery Rock University oversees the 205-acre McKeever complex, which also functions as a business retreat and student teaching center.