Public facility demonstrates viability of wind power to thousands of visitors and drivers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Oct. 12, 2012 – Five small wind turbines are among energy-conscious features of the new Southeast Wyoming Welcome Center dedicated today. Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, along with other state officials, hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 27,000 square foot, $12 million project, which houses a visitor welcome center, rest area facilities and Wyoming Office of Tourism offices.

The Skystream 3.7 wind turbines, manufactured by Southwest Windpower, are mounted on 45-foot-high towers and are highly visible to motorists on Interstate 25. The turbines, combined with solar panels on the roof and south facing wall, will offset a portion of the facility's energy use. The highway carries about 17,000 cars past the Colorado-Wyoming border daily. The location is close to the utility-scale Happy Jack wind farm and experiences higher than average winds.

"The building and site design fully encompass a sustainable design ethic in which the wind and solar energy systems are prominent features." said Suzanne Norton, AIA, Project Coordinator, State of Wyoming Office of Construction Management.

"This five wind turbine project is an excellent showcase for renewable energy with an excellent educational benefit to the public as they enter the state of Wyoming. Additionally, it is a great example of balancing energy production across five separate units instead of one to produce reliable power where it is needed." said Greg Erdmann, Southwest Windpower's VP of Sales and Marketing.

The new facility also includes a ground source heat pump, daylight harvesting and other energy conserving features.

About Southwest Windpower

Southwest Windpower has been designing and distributing small wind turbines since 1987 and is the recognized global leader in the design, manufacturing and distribution of small wind systems. A pioneer in wind technology development, Southwest Windpower has built and shipped more than 180,000 wind turbines to over 120 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., the company manufactures in Flagstaff, Ariz. and has operations in Cologne, Germany. Southwest Windpower systems can be applied at residential homes, commercial properties, micro-grids, remote cabins, telecom transmitters, offshore platforms, waterpumping and desalination projects. www.windenergy.com