- April 23, 2024
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Floating windmills could be destined for Town Center or U.S. 1.
Representatives from Enterprise Flagler, Enterprise Florida, Flagler County and Palm Coast met with alternative energy company Keuka Wind last week about the possibility of testing Keuka’s unique brand of wind-harnessing technology in Palm Coast.
Keuka Wind, a Palatka/Interlachen-based research-and-development company, specializes in hydroelectric and turbine systems. Palm Coast officials remain hopeful the company will select Palm Coast for its test area, which could potentially bring cleaner energy and ultimately 100 jobs to the area.
A Palm Coast resident and Keuka Wind official, Brad Dailey, would like to see Keuka set anchor in his hometown, as well.
“I’d like to see a site here, because it would mean job creation here,” he said.
Enterprise Flagler Director Greg Rawls said he had dealth with Dailey in the past, but the relationship developed further when Dailey attended a recent Enteprise Flagler luncheon.
Keuka is also considering international sites.
“He seemed very enthusiastic about our sites in Palm Coast and the county, and we’d be very eager to have (the prototypes) here,” Rawls said. “It fits our image of an environmentally friendly community.”
He added that, if successful, the venture could lead to a manufacturing opportunity here, too.
Keuka’s windmills are floating systems, ideally meant for open ocean use. The trial structures that could be brought to Palm Coast, however, would be scale prototypes. They would be set in ponds.
One location under discussion is a pond off U.S. 1, which would not be visible in town; another is on Town Center grounds, facing Interstate 95.
“It’s a system we’re designing to get the idea out to new customers,” Dailey said.
The location in Town Center is appealing to City Manager Jim Landon because of its proximity to a pump station, which could access the power generated by the windmill.
Each windmill system is built on an octagonal floating structure, “like a pontoon boat,” London said.
Although Keuka’s prototypes would only be 25 feet in diameter, full-size systems are closer to 70 feet, Dailey said. He compared the windmills with engine turbines, a series of five wind machines encased in a vessel mainframe.
Daily hopes to close a deal and begin installation on a Kueka system in 30 to 60 days. Although negotiations with Palm Coast are far from complete, Dailey remains hopeful.
“The closer we are to home,” he said, “the better.”
— Brian McMillan contributed to this story.
