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| The wind turbine at North Kingstown Green will be fully operational in December. It's also the tallest in Rhode Island. (Tim Faulkner/ecoRI News) |
By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI
News staff
NORTH KINGSTOWN — Wind
energy is alive and at least spinning for one Rhode Island developer.
Construction company
owner Mark DePasquale recently erected the state’s tallest wind turbine in the
subdivision he built and lives with his family. The 411-foot-high turbine will
begin delivering electricity to the power grid by the end of the year.
The project was the
first to use the state’s new fixed-energy pricing, known as distributed
generation standard contracts. DePasquale expects the turbine to be the first
of many built by his company, Wind Energy Development LLC.
Two, possibly taller,
turbines are in the works for Picillo Farm, a Superfund site in Coventry. A
third wind project is moving ahead in North Smithfield.
DePasquale and Eric
Offenberg, a consultant for Wind Energy Development, say the projects aim to
reverse the anti-wind sentiment that has halted construction of wind turbines
in Westerly, Middletown and Jamestown and led to several bans on wind
development across the state.
“This is hopefully
setting the wind standard for Rhode Island, if Rhode Island wants wind,”
Offenberg said.
DePasquale and
Offenberg were finalizing the agreement for two turbines in Westerly when the
Town Council halted the project in July after receiving complaints from
neighbors. They blame the sudden reversal on a small, misinformed group of
residents. DePasquale said the the project would have saved the town millions
over the 20-year price agreement.
The duo intend to
dispel the fear and risks associated with wind turbines by showing they are
safe and quiet.
Until the North
Kingstown Green turbine was built, they had little to show for the tens of
thousands of hours and several millions invested in utility-scale wind
turbines.
Development can take
at least two years, to complete siting, conduct wind studies, sign
power-purchase agreements, connect to the grid and hold public hearings. The
state has offered incentives by passing the distributed generation contract
laws in 2011. Forthcoming guidelines on wind turbine siting are also expected
to assist cities and towns with establishing wind development standards.
Offenberg said the
threat of an expiring federal tax credit has slowed the wind energy sector.
“The entire wind industry nationally has been hurt significantly because they
don’t know what’s going to happen with that credit," he said.
Wind Energy
Development, however, is staying committed to the wind-energy business.
The Coventry turbines
were approved by the Town Council in June. Unlike North Kingstown Green, the
electricity will be sold directly to the town. Wind Energy Development must
first complete a wind study and finalize terms with the recently elected Town
Council. A connection agreement also is needed. Construction could begin next
summer.
DePasquale intends to
avoid the state’s new distributed generation contract program and negotiate a
price directly with Coventry officials for a 20-year contract. “The savings in
the long term will go to the municipality,” he said.
The North Smithfield
turbine is on a tract of land, behind a Walmart Supercenter, slated for open space. If all goes as planned, the turbines will
supplant a condominium development using a grant provided to the North
Smithfield Land Trust by the state Department of Environmental Management.
A lease payment for
use of the land will repay the lending costs. A wind study on the property is
scheduled to begin Dec. 3. Construction of the turbine is at least a year off.
Wind Energy
Development was one of two developers who offered to restore the broken turbine
at Portsmouth High School. DePasquale suggested replacing the entire turbine,
tower and all, on the existing foundation. “We feel there’s too much risk
repairing that turbine,” Offenberg said.
After the turbine’s
gearbox broke in June, Wind Energy Development proposed replacing the entire
336-foot-high turbine with a model that uses a direct-drive system.
Portsmouth is still
soliciting bids for the project, but has expressed support for a public-private
ownership model.
DePasquale said it’s
important for Rhode Island’s wind industry to see the Portsmouth turbine
succeed. “With their turbine down, it puts a lot of stress on my
business," he said.
Initially, there was considerable
public opposition to wind turbines in North Kingstown, causing the Town Council
to enact a wind moratorium. DePasquale’s North Kingstown Green project was
approved before that ban took effect. To gain support from residents, he
visited the Portsmouth High School turbine with several neighbors. “They were
relieved they weren’t loud viscous machines,” he said.
He also arranged for
each of the 30 homeowners to receive $150 per household for 20 years — a
payment similar to leasing fees that are typically paid to the land owner where
a turbine is erected.
Traditional
construction, specifically large highway projects, remains his main business.
DePasquale entered the wind business on the urging of his daughters and their
concern about the environment. He’s able to save some costs by using his
construction equipment and expertise, but the payback on a wind project doesn’t
typically start until 12 years into the project.
But he’s content to wait for wind energy to
gain support. “I think it’s going to be little step right now,” he said. “I’d
like to this to be my main company. We’ll make it go.”