January 11, 2008
Wind farm developer sees high hurdles
The project manager for the recently approved Stetson Mountain wind power project says the permitting process for clean energy proposals in New England is prohibitive enough to deter most developers.
"Regardless of the fact that we have had a success here," UPC Wind's Matt Kearns told Xconomy.com, a technology blog based in Boston, "we find that the hurdles are so high, and New England is such a complicated place to do business, that it takes a full-time, highly skilled and coordinated group to make it to the finish line."
UPC's plan for the 38-turbine wind farm was approved Jan. 2, about five years after the company first identified the Washington County site as a likely candidate for the project, according to the website. Kearns told Xconomy the Stetson Mountain project "took twice as long and many multiples of the cost to permit" as its other Maine wind power project, the 28-turbine Mars Hill project.
In related news, Maine Audubon yesterday released siting guidelines designed to streamline the wind power permitting process. The result of meetings with 30 wind power stakeholders -- including developers, consultants and environmentalists -- the guidelines are intended to help developers avoid sites where wind power may threaten valued wildlife habitats, according to a press release. An overview of the guidelines will be posted at www.maineaudubon.org, on Monday, Jan. 14.
"Regardless of the fact that we have had a success here," UPC Wind's Matt Kearns told Xconomy.com, a technology blog based in Boston, "we find that the hurdles are so high, and New England is such a complicated place to do business, that it takes a full-time, highly skilled and coordinated group to make it to the finish line."
UPC's plan for the 38-turbine wind farm was approved Jan. 2, about five years after the company first identified the Washington County site as a likely candidate for the project, according to the website. Kearns told Xconomy the Stetson Mountain project "took twice as long and many multiples of the cost to permit" as its other Maine wind power project, the 28-turbine Mars Hill project.
In related news, Maine Audubon yesterday released siting guidelines designed to streamline the wind power permitting process. The result of meetings with 30 wind power stakeholders -- including developers, consultants and environmentalists -- the guidelines are intended to help developers avoid sites where wind power may threaten valued wildlife habitats, according to a press release. An overview of the guidelines will be posted at www.maineaudubon.org, on Monday, Jan. 14.
Mainebiz web partners
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments