Windmill Energy Making Waves in Pennsylvania

Danielle Jackson

Somerset, Pa. -- The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has joined with Exelon-Community Energy and local schoolchildren to "flip the switch" on giant windmills, which will provide energy to more than 8,200 Pennsylvania homes.

The turbines at the two new state wind farms will help to nearly triple the amount of wind energy in the Eastern United States, supplying as much as 63,000 megawatt hours of emission-free electricity annually, according to the DEP. Wind turbines generate electricity with no emissions or fuel and slightly higher generation costs.

Participating customers in the wind-to-energy program include the Univeristy of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University, Philadelphia Suburban Water Corp. and Giant Eagle Inc.