Jul. 13--T. Boone Pickens has got nothing on Connecticut's municipal utilities.

While financier Pickens' plans to build the world's biggest wind farm recently blew away like leaves in a windstorm, Norwich Public Utilities has completed a solar installation and has three other renewable projects, including small but viable wind turbines, in the works.

At Groton Utilities, managers decided to build a 2 1/2 -kilowatt wind turbine at the Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School -- not to produce energy but as a demonstration project that helps students studying green technology learn how to build and operate one. And Groton Utilities is exploring whether or not to pursue wind-energy production here in the region.

"To the extent renewable energy can avoid building fossil-fuel plants or reduce the need for these plants to operate, the environment will be better off," said Don Connor, Groton Utilities' general manager, explaining the motivation. "There's an absolute benefit to putting those types of resources in our generation mix, without question."

Renewable energy sources have "a place going forward," added Jeff Brining, a Norwich Public Utilities engineer and energy efficiency program director. "We recognize that the problem is the economics aren't there yet, but we want the community to be ready to go when there is a breakthrough in technology. There really is no better way to learn than by doing."

Wind, solar and other types of renewable energy are on all seven Connecticut municipal utilities' radar, said Maurice Scully, chief executive officer of Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative. The Norwich-based cooperative oversees the municipally held utilities, which are owned by customers instead of shareholders.

"It goes back to a holistic approach to energy and environmental stewardship," said Scully, "that broad mandate providing reliable power at the lowest possible cost. It's what all of the municipals are trying to do."

Seeking efficiencies Renewable projects, coupled with energy-efficiency efforts, can really make a dent in energy use, cost and the avoidance of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions, Scully said.

Energy efficiency is doing the same service, like lighting, with less, while conservation is just using less energy, Brining said.

In June, the state's seven municipal utilities won a national Energy Innovator Award for energy efficiency and environmental stewardship from the American Public Power Association.