Renewable Energy Center
Manor Drive
814-472-2872
renewable@francis.edu Mailing Address
Saint Francis University
117 Evergreen Drive
P.O. Box 600
Loretto, PA
15940-0600
Click for map
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Community Wind Project
| Wind Resource Reports: The lift on the electricity cap has left farmers and rural small businesses with rapid increases in electricity costs. Wind turbines in areas with good resource will help to reduce that cost, increase revenue streams, and lower overhead. Identification of a site’s wind resource is critical in determining feasibility of a potential wind project. The REC will use their systems and data to prepare wind resource assessment reports for your specific site with detailed information. Those with sufficient wind resources will be provided with information on choosing reputable wind installers. Those without sufficient wind resource will be advised on other possible renewable energy sources to utilize. | Anemometer Loan Program:
The Renewable Energy Center runs Pennsylvania’s anemometer loan program. This wind assessment service allows landowners to learn if their site has commercial wind potential. If our pre-feasibility analysis indicates that there is commercial wind potential at the site we will measure the resource for a minimum of 12 months, analyze the data, extrapolate the data to different heights, and report the amount of power that would have been generated over that period with a variety of wind turbines. The cost of this service is $30,000 and includes the installation and decommissioning of the meteorological tower and other equipment.
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| | | Process: | | 1. Contact us at renewable@francis.edu or 814-472-2872
REC provides a preliminary wind analysis and environmental review. What we look for
2. Fill out a Community Wind Project Application
Upon receipt the REC will set up a site visit. 3. Secure Permitting and Approvals
If required, submit building and environmental permits to your local township offices for the installation of the meteorological tower. 4. Community Meeting
REC provides a public presentation and facilitates an open discussion. 5. Participation Agreement
You and REC sign an agreement and you provide $30,000 payment for the analysis.
6. Meteorological Tower Installation
REC installs the met tower and performs data collection and analysis. REC sends you monthly reports. Our equipment 7. Decide Whether to Install a Turbine
The Renewable Energy Center will provide energy estimates for different turbines at different heights. With our community wind investment analysis tool we can assist you in deciding whether or not to install a turbine. Community Wind Project FAQs | The Renewable Energy Center's Community Wind Project was established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection in 2005 to support community wind development by offering technical assistance, feasibility analysis, and project development consulting. In a word, we help jumpstart your community wind project.
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Anemometer: a device for measuring wind speed. They are installed on meteorological towers. | |
| | What is Community Wind?
Community wind is large-scale wind power typically owned by public or private entities for on-site usage or sale to the grid. Projects can consist of one to several turbines and produce 100 kilowatts – 10 megawatts (enough power for 10 – 2,500 homes respectively). The key feature of community wind is local ownership which maximizes local benefit. Project costs are typically $300,000 - $3 million plus dollars and can take 5 – 7 years to put together. The long-term benefits to the community, measured in energy security, increased revenue, and solidarity, however, last a lot longer. Here are lots of examples of successful community wind projects. | There are two basic ways community wind projects can be structured.
1) For Sale to the Grid or a Consortium of End Users
Electricity can be sold to the utility or to a consortium of end users.. Here is an example of a “for sale to the grid” project. Here is an example of a sale to a consortium. The owners and investors receive revenue from the sale of the electricity and possibly from federal incentives and Renewable Energy Credits.
2) On-Site Usage and Net Metered
Large energy users, such as a water treatment facility, prison, university, municipal utility or business, can generate some or all of their electricity and sell their excess to the utility. This kind of arrangement is referred to as net metering. Here is an example of a net metered project.
| Community Owned means the community makes the money. |
|  | What are the benefits of Community Wind?
Consider the Benefits to Rural Pennsylvania
Just 100 megawatts of locally-owned wind power could mean $14 million in annual revenues and many environmental benefits (see Table below). See how many megawatts have been installed in Pennsylvania: US Dept. of Energy: Installed Wind Capacity. This is a significant source of sustainable economic development benefits as clean electricity pours thousands of dollars into rural communities while not using any water or emitting any pollution. However, none of these projects is locally-owned and so community-based wind power is still a mostly untapped resource. This means there are great wind resource areas that larger corporations might not be interested in because they can't do a large enough project--but a smaller project would benefit the community! | Economic and Environmental Impact of 100 MW
of Community Wind in Pennsylvania [1] Economic
| Benefits | 100MW
| Kwh production
| 260,100,000 | Number of US homes equivalent
| 30,000 | | Revenue | $14 million
| Capital investment
| $170 million
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| Environmental
| Carbon Dioxide (lbs) reduction
| 147 million
| Nitrous Oxide reduction
| 676,000 | Sulfur Dioxide reduction
| 1.6 million
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Of course they are smiling, the Hull Wind Project in Hull, Massachusetts helps that town save over $150,000 a year and the municipal utility owns the two turbines themselves. Learn more about the Hull Wind Project. . . | | [1] Source: Economic Calculations: use a 30% capacity factor, typical of Pennsylvania, assume a Class 3+ wind resource and a $1.7 million per installed megawatt estimation for capital costs and $0.06/kwh for wholesale revenue (an average PPA rate in Pennsylvania according to Tom Tuffey); Note: many of these projects may be net metered resulting in much higher revenue/cost savings; Offset Calculations: uses figures from EPA Power Profiler—eGRID and NC Greenpower
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