LOCH SHELDRAKE – College and Environmental Technologies LLC officials Wednesday broke ground for a 1.25 megawatt, vertical shaft wind turbine to be constructed on the campus of Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake.

Company President Sam Ikeda had approached college officials about building the turbine, the first grid-scale, vertical shaft wind turbine in the world. It is expected to be installed by next January and be in full operation by early next spring.

College President Dr. Mamie Howard Golladay said the project is trailblazing.

“To be able to have the first vertical shaft wind turbine on this campus, it’s going to put Sullivan County on the map, it’s going to put the college on the map and we expect we will have people coming from all over just to take a look at this,” she said.

Ikeda explains how the turbine will work (Right) Image, from ETLLC website, shows the lower profile vertical turbine, compared to the more familiar windmills

The device, which will stand just over 111 feet, about one-third the height of traditional propeller-style wind turbines, is estimated to produce twice the output.

The turbine will be used to power part of the campus as well as provide a learning tool for students as the college develops its green technologies campus.