Wind powers amusement park game at Santa Monica pier

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It takes sheer strength to ring the bell on the High Striker game at Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park.

But it takes wind power to electrify the more than 100 bulbs, spotlights and a sound system that bring the game to life.

Pacific Park officials say they believe the game is the world’s first wind-powered amusement park game.

The 600-watt wind turbine is fixed to the top of a building adjacent to the High Striker game and rises 45 feet in the air.

The power generated from the wind turbine is captured, converted into usable power and stored in a specially designed, self-contained power storage unit adjacent to the game.

But the game is not the only attraction powered by renewable energy. The park’s Ferris wheel is solar powered. Panels installed on nearby roofs generate more than 71,000-kilowatt hours of photovoltaic power annually to run the 130-foot-tall ride. On cloudy days, the Ferris wheel operates on conventional energy sources.

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-- Hugo Martin