The process of developing
a wind farm
Every wind farm is different, depending on where it is, how
big it is, when it is built, and numerous other factors. That
said, there is a general framework we can look at to understand
the different steps that it takes to get from wanting to
generate clean, domestic, renewable energy to actually
delivering those electrons to end users. The earliest stage of
developing a utility scale wind farm includes four key
pieces of groundwork:
1. Identifying the wind
resource
2. Gauging landowners's interest in partnering
a potential project
3. Assessing the proximity to the existing
grid
4. Gauging landowners' interest in partnering
on a potential project
It is important for project developers like Global Winds
Harvest to have enough land owners committed to a project to
justify investing the tremendous resources that a full scale
wind farm requires. The contract agreement between the
developer and a landowner provides this assurance. In the early
stages of a project, GWH compensates landowners for their
willingness to commit to a project, whether or not it is
eventually built. When the project does get built, the
landowner receives annual payments for the leased portion of
their land (approximately three quarters of an acre per
turbine) that is used to site turbines, access roads, cabling
and other project components.
5. Identify the wind
resource
Data is collected on site by mounting wind sensors, called
anemometers and vanes, on a meteorological tower that is
generally about 200 feet tall. The data taken over a period of
about one full year will confirm whether the site has a
suitable resource for wind farming. Each project usually
requires two or more meteorological towers while the wind
resource is being evaluated.
6. A GWH staff member examines a
meteorological tower.
7. Assessing the proximity to the existing
grid
Because high voltage transmission lines are extremely expensive
to build, it makes sense to look for sites in close proximity
to existing lines rather than having to create new ones. This
helps to keep the price of transmission reasonable and to make
the overall cost of the project's power competitive.
Once these three steps have been accomplished, the project can
move forward. All power projects require extensive
environmental impact studies before they are built, and wind
farms are no exception. Other important considerations are
financing and the selling of the electricity generated. Below
are further steps in the process:
8. Environment Assessment
9. Permitting
10. Financing
11. Power Purchase Agreement
12. Construction
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