Winding up: Other World Computing flips switch to 100% green power

An Illinois maker of PC and Macintosh enhancement products, Other World Computing, is claiming to be the first U.S.-based tech manufacturer to run its operations completely on renewable energy. That is, ACTUALLY running on wind power for ALL of its operations, rather than claiming the 100 percent figure by virtue of buying renewable energy credits.

Other World activated a 131-foot-high Vestas V39-500kW wind turbine in late October 2009; the turbine is expected to produce up to 1,250,000 kilowatt hours per year. The installation for a turbine of this capacity is typically around $1.25 million, with a return on investment period of 10 to 14 years. Here's a photo gallery of the turbine's construction in progress.

The capacity of the turbine in its peak conditions is actually twice the electricity requirements of the current Other World operations, which means the company will be able to sell the sustainable energy that it doesn't use back to McHenry, Illinois. What's this? A new revenue source? The project was self-funded and actually has been in the works for close to four years now.

Aside from being an EPA Green Power Partner, Other World's data center has been certified to the Platinum level under the rating system established for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program run by the U.S. Green Building Council.