JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – If you've been driving recently on Atlantic Boulevard on the Southside, you might have noticed some objects along the road and asked what are they and why are they there.
The mystery objects are actually a way for a local business to save a lot of money.
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Some drivers ventured guesses that the objects are antennas, but they're called wind spires.
The wind spires are powering, sending energy directly into every light and outlet at Auto Body Speed Shop.
"Everybody just stops, and they think it's some sort of sign," said Peter Samman, the auto shop's owner. "Or we'll put banners out there. They have no clue what it is. ... They are generators. They produce 1200 watts at 120 volts."
The wind spires will eventually power the entire strip mall.
"They are tied directly into the grid and work off solar panels that produce energy," Samman said.
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So far, the auto shop has the luxury of a power bill that's zero.
"Because it can be very expensive," Samman said. "You can run around $2,000 on a quarter. So far it's around $6- or $700 a month.
Eventually the wind spires will make so much power that JEA may be paying for them.
"There will be no bill," Samman said. "Eventually the goal is to sell the power back to JEA.
Erickson Energy put the wind spires up on Atlantic Boulevard, which the energy company said are the only ones in Jacksonville. Although the idea might soon spread.
"They're not cool to look at, they're pretty ugly," Samman said. "But if we can get away from fossil fuels and stuff that's killing our environment, then more power to it."
