Original, sun with green energy additions Oyster House to harness Causeway breeze

The Original Oyster House bought the turbine and solar water heaters from Robert Harris at Gulf Coast Green Power in Fairhope, the same company that installed a 45-foot windmill at LuLu's at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores and Windmill Market in Fairhope. The turbines are manufactured in Flagstaff, Ariz., while the water heaters are made in Turkey.

Harris has sold six wind turbines in Baldwin County and 15 across Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. He said the Deep Water Horizon oil spill really put a dent on the sale of green energy equipment, but business has begun to pick back up in recent months.

Roszkowski said the Original Oyster House is partnering with the Gulf Coast Exploreum to help educate children on the positive effects of green energy. The restaurant will begin hosting field trips for area schools in early 2013 to allow students to see the wind turbine and solar water panels in effect.

Justin Roode of Gulf Coast Green Power pulls on a rope during the installation of a wind turbine Thursday, Dec. 13, 2012, at the Original Oyster House restaurant on the Causeway in Spanish Fort, Ala. The wind turbine will sit on a 45-foot-high tower and will work 24 hours a day generating power whenever winds reach 8 miles per hour or greater. Power generated by the wind turbine will light the restaurant’s playground and Christmas lights, and any surplus energy will be put back on the grid tie inverter.

SPANISH FORT, Alabama -- The Original Oyster House this morning became the latest Baldwin County business to cash in on green energy with the installation of a wind turbine and solar water heater at the restaurant's Causeway location.

Restaurant staff and Mobile and Baldwin county officials and chamber members gathered as the turbine propeller was attached and the 45-foot tower it was affixed to was raised. Students from the Green Club at McGill-Toolen Catholic High School were on hand to pass out pin wheels to observers and help attach the propeller.

Joe Roszkowski, president of the Original Oyster House, said he got the idea to use a wind turbine and solar panel  water heater after Original Oyster House began producing biodiesel out of used cooking oil from its two restaurants in Gulf Shores and the Causeway two years ago. The fuel runs the company's delivery trucks and four other company vehicles.

"We saw that there was savings in that and green is the right thing to do," he said of his decision to install the turbine. "We're celebrating our 30th year in business here on the Causeway and we figured we'd take advantage of the Causeway breezes and generate some power with this."

The wind turbine generates power inverter whenever winds reach eight miles per hour or greater. Power generated by the turbine will light the restaurant's playground and holiday lights and any surplus energy will be put back on the grid.

The two panel, 80 gallon solar water heater, installed at the restaurant's Causeway and Gulf Shores locations, uses energy from the sun's rays to generate hot water to be used for cleaning or cooking.

Roszkowski said the turbine cost about $42,000 once installed and the solar water heaters cost about $3,000 each. Though he's not sure how much money he will save with the new additions, he hopes it's a lot.

"We plan to put a computer up in the restaurant that will monitor the output of the wind turbine," he said. "We'll know more about the cost savings then."