Real estate operators Roland Patenaude and Karen Charette received the go ahead to install a communication tower and two large wind turbines - all three of which can be up to 300 feet high - on the 4.5 acre property to help the proposed facility generate its own renewable electricity.

According to reports in Computer World, Patenaude estimates that the data center will produce an electric bill of over $1 million a month but believes that the two wind turbines could reduce that amount by 20 percent or more. Patenaude says another incentive for using wind is that state grant programs will pay 40 percent of the cost of the wind turbines.

The new "green" facility, named Granite Block Global Data Center (graniteblockglobaldatacenter.com), will offer raised-floor data center space to commercial customers and will employ 50 to 60 people, ranging from custodial staffers to engineers, says Patenaude.

Despite concerns, like noise pollution, with building wind turbines near a residential area, The Herald News reports that many locals spoke positively about the project and the board was presented with a petition signed by 110 neighbors, in favor of the development. Fall River is about 50 miles south of Boston and has a population of approximately 91,000 people.

Patenaude says that he is proud of the fact that the wind turbines will be visible for miles around and that this will show the world that Fall River is "making a statement and is doing something about the energy crisis."

According to Computer World, if the effort to build the 120,000 square foot data center goes ahead as planned, the facility will be one of the largest "wind-utilizing installations" in an urban area in the United States.

The project is estimated to be completed within two years.