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Bolton Valley Resort is in the process of building the first wind turbine at a Vermont ski resort. The windmill is slated to begin producing power this fall, and help offset increasing power costs, a huge portion of any resort's operating expenses.

The 100-kilowatt turbine is engineered to produce about 300,000 kilowatts of electricity each year, enough to power up to 45 homes.

"This is a great day for Bolton Valley and our loyal family of skiers and riders," Larry Williams, who owns the resort with Doug Nedde, said in a release. "Since acquiring the ski area three years ago we've been committed to a program of environmental stewardship in our operations. Adding wind power is a significant investment but will yield tremendous returns for our ski area and Vermont."

The turbine, a Northwind 100 manufactured by Northern Power Systems of Barre, Vt., measures 121 feet in height from the ground to the top of the tower. The distance from ground to the top of the blade is 156 feet. Each blade is coated with Teflon to protect against icing. It is the same process used on turbines in the Bering Sea.

The turbine will be set up to feed excess power that is not consumed by Bolton Valley into the grid. It is the first turbine at a Vermont ski area, the second at a New England area, and just third at a ski area in the United States.

More information.