Help Rock Port, MO Celebrate being 100% Wind Powered!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ann Schlueter, Director
Atchison County Development Corporation
405 S. Main Street
Rock Port, MO 64482
660-744-6562

Rock Port, MO 2/6/08. Rock Port Missouri is the first 100% wind powered community in the United States. To celebrate this tremendous achievement, a Green Switch Celebration will be held on Friday, April 18, 2008.

Rock Port’s 100% wind power status is due to four wind turbines located on agricultural lands within the city limits of Rock Port. The city of Rock Port uses approximately 13 million kilowatt hours of electricity each year. It is predicted that these four turbines will produce 16 million kilowatt hours each year. Excess wind generated electricity not used by Rock Port homes and businesses will move onto the transmission lines to be purchased by the Missouri Joint Municipal Utilities for use in other areas. This makes Rock Port, Missouri the first community in America capable of meeting its entire annual electricity demands from wind power!

The public is invited to join Rock Port in celebration of its “first in the nation” status at the Memorial Building in Rock Port from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m on April 18.

At the celebration, the public is welcomed to visit exhibits relating to the wind industry as well as other renewable energy sources and special exhibit tours for school groups can also be arranged.

The Switch Throwing Ceremony is set for 11:30 a.m. on Main Street in Rock Port, and lunch will be served following the ceremony at the Fire Department Building.

The ceremony’s featured speaker is Soren Hermansen. Hermansen is a resident of Denmark’s 100% Renewable Energy Island, Samso. As Director of Samso Energy Academy and widely-known as an energy consultant and adviser, Hermansen is well-positioned to discuss the reality of renewable energy and sustainability. He will offer insight into how Samso Island accepted a government challenge 10 years ago to become self-sufficient in a carbon-neutral way.

Rock Port’s Green Switch Celebration is being organized by a committee of local and county-wide business people. Atchison County Development Corporation (ACDC) serves as a sponsor, and Ann Schlueter, Director of ACDC, can be contacted for additional information.

For Information: www.rockportwind.com
Contact: www.atchisoncounty.org
Phone: 660-744-6562

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