Green light for Ohio’s first major wind projects

March 24, 2010

Officials in Ohio have granted consent to three of the first large wind projects in the state, totalling 483 megawatts of additional capacity.

The Ohio Power Siting Board made decisions on Monday regarding projects filed for consent last year following a number of public hearings.

The wind developers were granted permission to build wind farms of 200MW, 135MW and 48MW in scale – subject to a number of conditions such as to minimize impacts on the local environment.

The Board said that the wind projects would help towards Ohio’s alternative energy portfolio standard, which requires 25% of electricity to come from alternative sources by 2025, including half from renewable sources.

Ohio’s first and only utility-scale wind farm was completed by Green Mountain Energy at Bowling Green in 2004, but comprised just 7.2MW of generating capacity.

Hardin Wind

The Board gave the green light for Hardin Wind Energy to build up to 200 wind turbines in Hardin County, a project that will have a generating capacity of up to 300MW.

Hardin Wind, an affiliate of Chicago-based developer Invenergy, filed its application for the project back in July 2009.

With consent in place, construction is expected to begin mid-2010, with two phases planned.

“The Hardin Wind Energy wind farm will become the largest of its kind in Ohio,” said OPSB Chairman Alan R. Schriber. “The wind farm will play an integral role in assuring Ohio meets new alternative energy portfolio standards.”

Buckeye Wind Farm

The Board approved New York firm EverPower’s plans for a wind farm in eastern Champaign County, although it modified the original proposal for 70 turbines across 9,000 acres of privately leased land.

The Board denied permission for 16 turbines near the County’s airports. Two turbines will also have to be moved, since they do not meet Ohio’s minimum setback rules.

The project will still comprise up to 54 turbines, generating up to 135MW of power.

EverPower subsidiary Buckeye Wind filed for permission to build the wind farm back in April 2009.

With consent in place, the firm plans to begin construction later this year, starting operations by the end of 2011.

JW Great Lakes Wind

The board also granted permission for German-owned developer Juwi – through its Cleveland-based subsidiary JW Great Lakes Wind – to build up to 27 wind turbines in Hardin County.

The project is proposed for a site close to the existing Bowling Green wind farm.

The 48-megawatt wind farm should begin construction in 2010, starting operations mid-2011, connecting up to American Electric Power’s substation in Dunkirk.

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http://newworldsolarpower.com/ Renewable Ray
The real problem is obvious, us letting the government have “any” say so in deals done on private land. these projects should have been up and running years ago. Better late then never though.
http://newworldsolarpower.com Renewable Ray
The real problem is obvious, us letting the government have “any” say so in deals done on private land. these projects should have been up and running years ago. Better late then never though.