Large wind projects in Vermont
Here is a list of the current industrial-scale wind projects targeted for Vermont. Note the huge leap in size from the existing Searsburg facility to the new very much larger facilities being planned. If you have information to add to or amend this list, please contact AWEO.
Last updated May 10, 2012.
Visit Vermonters With Vision for more information about industrial wind energy.
Click here for FAA obstruction evaluation submissions.
Click here for NEPOOL interconnection requests.
Click here for Vermont's Sustainably Priced Energy Development program applications
size data provided [click here for a guide to units]:
- number of towers × rated capacity of each turbine = capacity of facility (cow-e)
(average annual output would be 20-30% of capacity; effective capacity would be 7-10% or even less)
(cow-e: At 25% of capacity, the theoretical CO2 savings from 1 MW of wind in Vermont is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions of 0.25-0.5, or 0.4, of a cow.)
- height = hub height + blade radius (diam./2); area swept by blades of each turbine (πr2) = x acre(s)
Existing:
Searsburg (1996) ~~ Enxco [Électricité de France] & Green Mountain Power [Vt.]
- 11 × 550 KW = 6.05 MW
- 198′ = 132′ tower + 66′ blade radius; 12,868 ft2 = 0.30 acre blade area (Zond)
- 2008 production: 19.2% of capacity
Sheffield (Granby Mtn. & Libby Hill)
~~ First Wind (a.k.a. UPC Wind Partners) (Matthew Kearns, Tim & Brian Caffyn, Peter Gish; UPC Group [Italy]) (Madison Dearborn Partners [Chicago] and D.E. Shaw [N.Y.])
- 16 × 2.5 MW = 40 MW (16 cows); applied for permit February 22, 2006 (docket 7156); revised application September 25, 2006; revised again January 16, 2007; approved August 8, 2007; halted by Army Corps of Engineers August 23, 2007; appealed to Vt. Environmental Court January 2008, approved August 2010; clearing work begun September 2010; under construction summer 2011
- 418′ = 256′ tower + 162′ blade radius; 7,698 m2 = 1.90 acres rotor area (Clipper Liberty)
- 3 × 131′ (40 m) measurement towers erected, including on Hardscrabble Mtn.
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Aug. 29. 2006, updated Apr. 29, 2010, for 40 MW operational Oct. 31, 2010; 40 MW in commercial operation Oct. 19, 2011
- Ridge Protectors
Lowell Mountain ~~ Kingdom Community Wind (Trip Wileman), Vermont Electric Cooperative, Green Mountain Power (owned by Gaz Métro [Québec]) (original developer Enxco, rights bought by PPM Energy [dba Atlantic Wind], subsidiary of Scottish Power, owned by Iberdrola [Spain])
- 21 × 3 MW = 63 MW (25 cows); applied for permit May 21, 2010 (docket 7628); approved May 31, 2011; construction begun September 2011
- 459′ = 276′ tower + 184′ blade radius; 9,852 m2 = 2.43 acres blade area (Vestas V112)
- 2 50-m measurement towers erected, permit expired; request submitted Jan. 29, 2008, to replace with 2 60-m towers, add 2 more 60-m towers, and extend permit for 5 years; towers removed May 2008; fined Aug. 13, 2008; Green Mountain Power applied for 3 measurement towers Aug. 10, 2009
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Sept. 15, 2009, updated Dec. 15, 2009, for 63 MW operational Oct. 1, 2011; updated Nov. 1, 2011, for 61.5 MW (updated Dec. 27, 2011, to 64.575 MW) operational Oct. 1, 2012
- Craftsbury Conservation Commission
Lowell Mountain Group
Planned:
Readsboro (Searsburg expansion) ~~ bought from Enxco by PPM Energy [Scottish Power (Iberdrola [Spain])]; dba Deerfield Wind
- 15 × 2.0 MW = 30 MW (12 cows); applied for permit January 6, 2007; rejected March 9 as inadequately specific; reapplied Oct. 2007 (docket 7250); Vt. approved April 16, 2009; U.S.D.A. Forest Service Supplemental DEIS published Dec. 23, 2010, Final Dec. 2011 (click here); Forest Service approved Jan. 3, 2012, denied appeals April 9, 2012
- 387-399′ = 256′ tower + 131-143′ blade radius; 5,027-5,945 m2 = 1.24-1.47 acres blade area (5 × Gamesa G80, 10 × G87)
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Sept. 2, 2008, updated June 16, 2010, for 30 MW operational June 1, 2012; updated June 7, 2011, for 30 MW operational Dec. 31, 2012; FAA obstruction evaluations submitted November 19, 2007, for 9 × 410′ in Searsburg and 6 × 410′ in Readsboro
- Save Vermont Ridgelines
Georgia Mountain (Milton) ~~ Georgia Mountain Community Wind: David Blittersdorf [purchased from H.W. Ventures (Jim Harrison, Harrison Concrete Const. and Redi-Mix Corp.), Cross Consulting Engineers (Peter Cross), & Addison Consulting (Steve Terry), Strategic Initiatives for Business (Steven Bourgeois), Vermont Environmental Research Associates (John Zimmerman & Martha Staskus); sale agent: Dinse Knapp & McAndrew, Burlington (Vt. Speaker of the House Shap Smith's firm)]
- 3-5 × 1.5-3 MW = 7.5-12 MW (3-5 cows); applied for permit March 26, 2009 (docket 7508); approved June 11, 2010
- 330′-443′
- NEPOOL interconnection requested May 7, 2010, updated July 28, 2010, for 12 MW operational Nov. 30, 2011; updated Aug. 31, 2011, for 11 MW (updated Apr. 24, 2012, to 10 MW) operational Nov. 30, 2012
- Citizens for the Preservation of Georgia Mountain
Grandpa's Knob (West Rutland, Castleton, Hubbardton, Pittsford) ~~ Reunion Power (Manchester, Vt., Steve Eisenberg)
- 15-20 × 2-2.5 MW = 40-60 MW (16-24 cows); planning to apply for permit in 2012
- 2 197′ measurement towers (in Castleton and Hubbardton) erected Jan. 2008
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Sep. 21, 2006, updated Dec. 31, 2008, for 60 MW operational Oct. 30, 2010; updated Mar. 21, 2012, for 50 MW operational Dec. 31, 2013
- Ira Wind
Planned, Talked About, Rumored
East Mountain (East Haven) ~~ Vermont Public Power Supply Authority (original developer EMDC [Mathew Rubin & Dave Rapaport]: permit denied July 17, 2006, for 4 × 1.5 MW = 6 MW "demonstration" project)
- 3 × 2-3 MW = 6-9 MW
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Nov. 10, 2003, updated Sept. 28, 2009, for 6 MW operational Oct. 30, 2012
- Kingdom Commons Group
Ferdinand, Brighton, Newark ~~ Seneca Mountain Wind (Eolian Renewable Energy [Portsmouth, N.H.]; Jack and Drew Kensworthy), Nordex [Germany], and landowner Dan Ouimette [Colebrook, N.H.]
- 12-25 × ?
- 4 185′ measurement towers applied for April 12, 2012
- Newark Neighbors United
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Mar. 28, 2008, updated Mar. 31, 2010, for 85 MW operational Sept. 1, 2011 -- withdrawn; new request Jan. 6, 2012, updated Mar. 28, 2012, for 91.5 MW operational Dec. 1, 2014
Northfield Ridge (Waitsfield) ~~ Citizens Energy (Randy Male)
Ira, West Rutland, Poultney (Mt. Herrick [Susie's Peak and sites in Tinmouth, Clarendon, and Middletown Springs abandoned due to local opposition]) ~~ Vermont Community Wind Farm (Per White-Hansen & Joan Warshaw, Charlotte; Jeff Wennberg, Rutland; investor/operator Enel [Italy]); Noble office in Rutland closed Jan. 2009; Vtcomwind.com registered Jan. 10, 2009
- 32-54 × 1.5-2.5 MW = 80-81 MW
- 400-500′
- 3 199′ measurement towers for Herrick Mountain (Ira) and Suzie's Peak (Clarendon) approved Aug. 28, 2009; Suzie's Peak tower ordered removed Jan. 6, 2010, for erection far from approved site
- Ira Wind
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Oct. 6, 2008, updated Mar. 31, 2010, for 85 MW operational Sept. 1, 2011 -- withdrawn
Northfield Ridge (Moretown) ~~ Citizens Energy (Randy Male)
- 15-24 × 1.5 MW = 22.5-36 MW
- 400-500′
Ricker Mountain (Bolton) ~~ Green Mountain Clean Energy (Ed Flanagan)
- 6-7 × ?
- 350′
- FAA obstruction evaluations submitted June 10, 2010; 180′ measurement tower approved Oct. 2010
Little Equinox Mountain (Manchester) ~~ Manchester Community Wind Farm (Endless Energy [Me.] (Harley Lee))
- 8 × 3 MW = 24 MW
- 410′ = 262′ tower + 148′ blade radius; 63,480 ft2 = 1.57 acres blade area (Vestas V90)
- 3 measurement towers currently erected, permit expired; facility permit planned to be submitted late 2009
Dutch Hill (Heartwellville) ~~ Noble Environmental Power [J.P Morgan] (John Zimmerman, Vermont Environmental Research Associates)
- 20 × 2.5 MW = 45 MW
- 418′ = 256′ tower + 162′ blade radius; 7,698 m2 = 1.90 acres blade area (Clipper)
- NEPOOL interconnection requested Aug. 3, 2005, updated Feb. 18, 2008, for 45 MW operational Dec. 30, 2010 -- withdrawn
Washington ~~ Horizon [Energias de Portugal] (with Tetra Tech? Outland Renewable Energy?)
- 15 × ? MW
- 419′
- FAA obstruction evaluations submitted February 12, 2008
East Haven, Ferdinand, Brighton ~~ EMDC [Vt.] (Mathew Rubin & Dave Rapaport)
- 3 × 197′ measurement towers approved
- Kingdom Commons Group
- NEPOOL interconnection requested May 24, 2005, for 53 MW operational Sep. 1, 2007 -- withdrawn
Cold Hollow Mountains (Belvidere, Bakersfield)~~ Disgen [Colo.] (Dale Osborn), Vt. consultant Christine Donovan
Windham, Townshend, Grafton ~~ UPC Wind Partners (a.k.a. First Wind) (Timothy & Brian Caffyn, Peter Gish)
Sustainably Priced Energy Development (SPEED) "Standard Offer" (feed-in tariff) program
Grandview Farm (Derby Line, Bryan and Susan Davis) ~~ Encore Redevelopment (Burlington, Vt., Chad Farrell) , Bluewave Capital (Boston, Mass., John DeVillars), Alteris Renewables (Wilton, Conn., Nils Behn)
- 2.0-2.3 MW; 45-day comment notice filed Sept. 13, 2011; applied for permit Dec. 12, 2011
- 415′-427′ = 262′ tower + 153′-164′ blade radius; 6,793-7,854 m2 = 1.68-1.94 acres blade area (Hyundai or Northern Power)
Smugglers Hill Farm (Holland, Jonathan and Jayne Chase) ~~ Encore Redevelopment (Burlington, Vt., Chad Farrell) , Bluewave Capital (Boston, Mass., John DeVillars), Alteris Renewables (Wilton, Conn., Nils Behn)
- 2.0-2.3 MW; 45-day comment notice filed Sept. 13, 2011; applied for permit Dec. 12, 2011
- 415′-427′ = 262′ tower + 153′-164′ blade radius; 6,793-7,854 m2 = 1.68-1.94 acres blade area (Hyundai or Northern Power)
Bolton Valley Ski Resort ~~ Mountain Operations & Development (Larry Williams) - Catamount/Bolton Wind 2
Chimney Hill (Wilmington) ~~ Chimney Hill Homeowners Association, Alteris Renewables (Wilton, Conn., Nils Behn) - Chimney Hill Wind
- 1.5 MW
- 475′
- FAA obstruction evaluation submitted August 27, 2010
Coventry ~~ New England Waste Services of Vermont (Larry Lackey) - Casella Coventry Wind
- 2.2 MW
- 326′
- FAA obstruction evaluations submitted July 15, 2010
Dynapower (South Burlington)
Gilman ~~ Ampersand Gilman Energy [Ampersand Energy Partners (Boston, Mass., Lutz Loegter)]
Hillcrest Farm (Coventry) ~~ Windcrest Power (Michael Rogers)
Hurricane Hill (White River Junction)
- 1 × ? MW
- 410′
- FAA obstruction evaluation submitted November 16, 2007
Jacksonville ~~ Southport Power (Joseph McLean) - New Boston Wind Farm
Lemington Solar Farm ~~ Craig Kieny
LeTourneau Wind ~~ Encore Redevelopment (Burlington, Vt., Chad Farrell) , Bluewave Capital (Boston, Mass., John DeVillars), Alteris Renewables (Wilton, Conn., Nils Behn)
Lowell Mountain, Eden ~~ BNE Energy (West Hartford, Conn., Paul Corey)
- 2 MW
- Permit for measurement tower submitted late 2009
- Lowell Mountain Group
Northeast Mountain (Wells) ~~ Sergei Kniazev, Olga Julinska
Poultney ~~ Southport Power (Joseph McLean) - Poultney State Line Wind
Stratton Mountain ~~ Stratton Planning Commission
Smugglers Hill Farm (Derby Line) ~~ Encore Redevelopment (Burlington, Vt., Chad Farrell), Bluewave Capital (Boston, Mass.), Alteris Renewables (Wilton, Conn., Nils Behn)
Mt. Snow (Dover)
- 1 × ? MW
- 394′
- FAA obstruction evaluation submitted Jan. 3, 2011
Stamford ~~ Jacksonville Energy Park (Gabe Selig)
In the wings:
Glebe Mountain (Londonderry and Windham) ~~ Volkswind (Germany; Michael Easton) [original developer (47.5 MW) Catamount Energy (Bob Charlebois) (Diamond Castle Holdings [N.Y.] & Marubeni Power International [Japan]; purchased by Duke Energy June 2008)]
"From my point of view it is simply a matter of time. We are just relaxing and paying our taxes."
--Mathew Rubin (Times-Argus, Feb. 25, 2007)
Kirby Mountain ~~ Enxco [Électricité de France] (John Zimmerman, Vermont Environmental Research Associates)
Umpire Mountain (Victory) ~~ Enxco [Électricité de France] (John Zimmerman, Vermont Environmental Research Associates)
More pages on this site about wind power in Vermont:
• letter to The Caledonian-Record (St. Johnsbury), by Bill Eddy
• letter to The Caledonian-Record, by Bill Klein
• editorial by the Burlington Free Press
• notes on some surveys about wind farms
• comments about proposed East Haven wind project and projects in Vermont in general
• letter to the Manchester Journal, by Hugh Kemper, and response by Andrew Perchlik, with commentary
• letter to the Burlington Free Press, by Eric Rosenbloom
Also: Vermonters with Vision
back to "A Problem With Wind Power"
[www.aweo.org]