As the turbine turns
Our story so far:
With Byron voters rejecting Independence Wind’s proposal for wind power, plans for 20 turbines in Roxbury are moving ahead, despite efforts from some townspeople to reverse approval of that project.
Meanwhile, another company — First Wind — plans turbines for nearby Black Mountain and will hold a meeting Thursday night to provide information and, probably, to quell the inevitable protest.
And, in a plot twist, Independence Wind has announced a “Power to the People” campaign. If the zoning needed for their turbines is approved and the turbines are built, they promise free electricity to all Roxbury residents.
This ups the ante. First Wind, a company with a development record in Maine, suddenly has a new landscape to negotiate beyond just the alpine terrain it desires. Will it match their competitor’s powerful offer?
Will the Roxbury gambit put the proverbial wind to Independence’s back?
Tune in tomorrow for our next dramatic installment of “As the Turbine Turns.”
The soap opera analogy is a little bit mocking, we admit, but accurate. Wind power in Western Maine has all the makings of daytime drama: conflict, suspense, celebrity and no clear end in sight.
Even with First Wind’s plans and the unprecedented offer by Independence Wind, it still remains murky whether turbines will ever be built. Community apprehension has delayed matters considerably.
This is why Independence Wind and its principals, Angus King and Rob Gardiner, started their populist power campaign. It is a direct guarantee to Roxbury residents that their household will receive a local energy benefit from the project, namely free electricity.
(In fiscal terms, Independence Wind is offering $2,000 per Roxbury resident, a figure derived from the estimated electricity and property tax payments. The total is $800,000. “It’s a big benefit,” says King.)
This offer is dramatic because it’s unique and carries the aroma of “last ditch” around it. Roxbury is divided by this project. Opponents are principled and have been worthy adversaries to the polished overtures from one of Maine’s most popular ex-governors, King.
Yet even the most diehard opponents should consider this offer. Most wind projects, to date, have offered tax and economic development incentives, plus the social benefit of going green and reducing oil dependence.
Free electricity is a new and altogether attractive wrinkle.
First Wind must be watching this deal carefully. If it works, “Power to the People” becomes the new price floor for turbine projects in Western Maine. Why would another town settle for less than Roxbury?
If it doesn’t, what it would take to build turbines out there is truly a wonder.
9 October 2008
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Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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