Staten Island Developer is NYC’s Wind Power Pioneer

Wind turbine at the Tides development at Charleston in Charleston, Staten Island (image: Raymond Masucci via nyt.com)

On the Southwestern coast of Staten Island, there stands a 45-foot-tall pole that supports a 13-foot-wide wind turbine.   According to Con Edison, this turbine is the only freestanding wind power generator in all of New York City, the New York Times reported last week.

The turbine is the property of developer Ray Masucci, who is currently building the Tides at Charleston, a complex of townhouses for retirees.  The turbine powers the complex’s streetlights and sewer system.  Mr. Masucci saw the financial sense in installing a $25,000 turbine that generates about $3,000 worth of electricity a year, and would like to see more turbines go up around the island.  He so believes in the potential of wind power, that he became an official distributor for the turbine’s manufacturer, Southwestern Power.  He now sells and installs turbines under the name R.P.M. Energy Solutions, and has already found interested parties in other parts of Staten Island.

New York’s dense development and dozens of high-rises make it a tough place to find and take advantage of clear wind lanes.  But with forward-thinkers like Mr. Masucci finding the right spots now, it seems inevitable that wind power will play at least a small role in New York’s energy future.