Welding product manufacturer Lincoln Electric has constructed a 443-foot-tall wind tower at its main plant in Euclid, Ohio, near Cleveland. The tower, which is nearly as tall as a 45-story building and is one of the largest urban wind towers in North America, is expected to generate as much as 10 percent of the plant’s energy and save as much as $500,000 a year in energy costs, the company says.
The structure evolved from a strategic partnership between the company and the Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force, a private/public collaboration that aims to create a viable market for renewable energy in Northeast Ohio. The company credits the assistance of local, state and federal governments for making the project a reality.
“The tower represents important cost savings as well as our commitment to integrating renewable energy sources, among other ongoing green initiatives, into our manufacturing processes,” says George Blankenship, company president.
