KINGFIELD – Once again SAD 58 directors are exploring more energy options to become more environmentally friendly.

The district already has a furnace that burns corn to heat the bus garage, but this year, it is burning wood pellets because they’re more cost-efficient. There are three options to provide heat at the garage: oil, corn and wood pellets, depending on pricing, Superintendent Quenten Clark said.

At 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Kingfield Elementary School, school directors will hear a presentation on wind power from Roger Lambert of Strong. He is a sales representative for All Seasons Home Improvement, a dealer for turbines created by Southwest Wind Power of Arizona.

The Farmington Sewer Department recently installed a turbine at the wastewater treatment plant to save money.

SAD 58 Chairman Mike Pond is interested in wind power turbines, Clark said, and the board wants to hear the pros, cons, and wind and cost feasibility to have a windmill at Mt. Abram High School in Salem Township to help reduce electricity bills. He added that the process of studying the issue could be educational for both students and adults.

It is a goal of Clark’s to have the school district be environmentally friendly, the superintendent said.

The turbine being explored would be smaller than those proposed atop the mountains of northern Franklin County, Clark said.

He doesn’t expect it would power the whole school, he said, but it may be able to provide electricity for a portion of it and the district could build on that.

The district is also looking at heating schools with a furnace that burns wood chips, pellets or corn.

Clark said he will meet with state leaders Thursday morning to explore the option.