Selectmen mull over wind energy in Wellfleet
WELLFLEET — With the vision of three industrial wind turbines bringing in more than $26 million in revenue to the town over the next 20 years, the selectmen Tuesday took the first steps to make this vision presented to them by the alternative energy committee a reality.
The committee has several deadlines approaching to apply to qualify the town under the Green Community Act to produce power from renewable energy sources and be reimbursed on a net metering basis at full retail value.
The selectmen, at the committee’s request, declared their intent to use the proceeds in part of Clean Renewable Energy Bonds to reimburse the wind turbine project’s expenses. They also heard, but did not vote, on the committee’s request to schedule a fall town meeting so that $40,000, which they need to move forward with the project, can be obtained.
Paul Sieloff, town administrator, assured the selectmen that there is no way the town can come up with $40,000 at this time without holding a special town meeting.
Peter Stewart and Jeff Karlson, committee members, said the zoning required for the turbines already has been approved by town meeting, and they have a site, Wellfleet by the Sea, and an estimate of $13 million to get three turbines up and running which would bring in half a million to a million in revenue within three years of their installation.
There are some risks with moving forward with this project, but committee members said if the town decided not to pursue it on its own, but to join the Cape and Vineyard Electrical Cooperative, then the town would get perhaps two-thirds less revenue than if it pursued it on its own.
The board agreed to schedule a meeting with Maggie Downey of the Cape and Vineyard Cooperative before deciding whether to join the cooperative or move ahead on their own with the project.
Selectman Dale Donovan, board chair, said he could not recall ever being on the board “where … we had to worry about gross revenues versus net revenues. Usually, we are always worried about out-going revenues.”
But the committee talked of gross revenue of $54 million over 20 years, with almost $25 million in net revenue to the town.
“We have a brand new $3 million pier for which the taxpayers paid nothing,” he noted. “I think it is sometimes wise to move on these things and do it.”
He said he has read that with the economy in the condition it is now, “the people who come out ahead down the road are the ones who take risks. My sense is that this is enough to justify a fall town meeting.”
Selectman Jerry Houk said he would probably vote to move forward with this project, but pointed out, “People are starting to get taxed to death in town. They are starting to hurt. They are not going to see any of this money for three years.”
Committee members agreed there would be a period of time when taxpayers “carry” the costs of bonding for the project, but within three years, the turbines will pay it back and the end result will be revenue to the town.
It could also translate into a tax reduction, said Karlson.
Bob Kelly of the finance committee, after listening to the presentation and the selectmen’s questions, said, “Three months ago we sat in a meeting and you were not in any manner hesitant about $200,000 for solar panels on top of the fire station, with a return that is considerably less than this one. I don’t understand where the hesitation is coming from.”
Donovan said, the selectmen wanted “to make the public clearly aware that we are keeping the options open. To me, there is nothing on the horizon that could produce this kind of revenue for the town except things that we don’t want to see happen, such as more big homes, more people on our beaches, and more taxes.”
By Marilyn Miller
18 July 2009
Tags: Wind power, Wind energy
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