Green Energy in Ocean City

Everyone is talking about green energy these days. It is an important part of President Barack Obama's economic recovery program.

But developing and implementing new technology is rarely easy. Even when the basic research has been done and the technology is available, the devil is still in the details.

In Ocean City, Maryland, the Mayor and Council have been working for months on a proposed zoning amendment to provide for small wind energy systems in residential zones. A small wind energy system, to be mounted on the roof of the house, or possibly on a 40-foot-high pole, would generate electricity to meet some or all or the power needs in the house. It would involve a significant initial investment in the wind energy turbine, but it would save money on the electric bill every month.

The discussion has raised as many questions as it has answered. A zoning amendment was passed by the Council, and then vetoed by Mayor Rick Meehan as being too restrictive. A revised amendment, which would make small wind energy systems a conditional use in residential areas, is pending.

The conditional use status means that every request to put a wind energy system in a residential area will require approval by the Ocean City Planning and Zoning Commission and the Mayor and Council. It's a safeguard to allow the council to review the first few proposals and decide if the wind energy system seems reasonable on specific residential lots. If the approvals become routine, the zoning ordinance could be amended again to streamline the process.

Thanks to Council President Joseph Mitrecic for providing an address for the American Wind Energy Association Web site, which contains a wealth of information about wind energy.