Outagamie County is considering a number of ways to become more energy independent and save money in the long run. County Executive Toby Paltzer says the county's nursing home could see some improvements. He references a brief study that showed Brewster Village could save $300,000 on utility costs by installing solar panels.
County employees are even interested in participating; Paltzer says workers have volunteered to be on a committee to figure out ways to be more energy efficient.
Outagamie County Regional Airport Director Marty Lenss says he eventually wants to produce all of the power they need for the airport terminal. He says plans are still in the very early stages, but they are looking at the possibility of using solar, wind, geothermal and other green power sources, with solar power being the least expensive option. If the airport generates its own power, Lenss says the facility will save about half of a million dollars a year in utility costs.