Local News

Blowin' In The Wind: Bloomberg's Green Energy Plan

Billionaire Mayor Proposes Energy Initiative That Could Drastically Change New York City Skyline

Windmills On City Bridges & Skyscrapers; Turbines On Rivers' Shores; Solar Panels On Buildings

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to change the face of the New York City skyline.

It's a power play that has the mayor tilting at windmills.

The cookies and other treats at the City Bakery in Union Square are made with 100 percent wind power.

"The wind power that we use is the equivalent of actually planting 450 acres of trees per year," said Sara Weeks Dima, general manager of City Bakery.

If Bloomberg gets his way wind mills will generate a lot more of the city's electricity.

"If you could get 2 or 3 percent from wind, and from solar -- and the potential's greater than that -- you really could make a difference," Bloomberg said.

Speaking at a major conference on alternative energy Tuesday night in Las Vegas, Bloomberg proposed putting windmills on top of city bridges, and skyscrapers, and turbines in the Hudson and East Rivers.

In terms of offshore locations, aides to the mayor told CBS 2 HD's Magee Hickey, the city is looking at the generally windy coast off of Queens, Brooklyn and Long Island for the turbines, which could provide 10 percent of the city's electricity in just 10 years.

The plan also includes the use of solar panels, possibly on the roofs of public and private buildings.

"When it takes to producing clean power, we're determined to make New York the No. 1 city in the nation," said Bloomberg.

To show how serious he is, the mayor had lunch with T. Boone Pickens -- the oil baron trying to build the world's largest wind farm in Texas -- to talk about possibilities for such technology in New York City. Bloomberg gave companies until Sept. 19 to submit innovative proposals to make the city "greener" by 2030.

"It would be a thing of beauty if when 'Lady Liberty' looks out on the horizon, she not only welcomes new immigrants to our shores but lights their way with a torch powered by an ocean wind farm," the mayor said.

It might not save you money just yet, but experts say it's sure to have an impact on the environment. Will city residents like it?

"That's a question New Yorkers are going to have to decide, where they want windmills, where they don't want windmills," said Dale Jamieson, director of the NYU environmental studies program. "Personally, I'd rather have a windmill towering over SoHo than another building by Donald Trump."

How does it work?

"The wind turns a generator. The generator produces the electricity and then it gets transmitted on a line, through a grid where we use it," Jamieson explained.

Building owners have yet to weigh in.

"It's at the very beginning of the project, so I don't think you'll find people expressing their disappointment, disgust, outrage or anything else yet," Bloomberg said.

Not true. CBS 2 HD spoke to several New Yorkers and the reaction seemed mixed.

"Eh … I think he's a little crazy on that because it's going to make the place look ugly," said Arnold Weinberger of the Lower East Side.

"It will be great. That's what we need," said Michelle Deegan of Huntington.

"You could try it. I don't know whether it will work but it's worth a shot," added Leah Silverman of Brighton Beach.

If Mayor Bloomberg gets his way and puts a windmill on the top of city buildings it may cost more in the beginning, but he says in the end it will be worth it.

Right now wind power is more expensive than regular power -- an extra 2 and a half cents per kilowatt hour.

CBS 2 HD's Magee Hickey contributed to this report

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

---