Seven wind turbines proposed for Bourne 

CAPE COD – Plans have been filed with the Cape Cod Commission for installation of seven 100-meter wind turbines on land proposed for a green technology campus off Route 6 in Bourne near the Cape Cod Canal, extending west to Route 25. The turbines will produce 17 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, enough to supply power to 5,000 to 6,000 homes annually.

Boune Panhandle Trust, owners of undeveloped land abutting Route 25 in Bourne, and the Lorusso family, owner of the adjacent Cape Cod Aggregates (CCA) sand and gravel operation in Bourne, are proposing the wind turbine installation on their respective properties in a joint venture called New Generation Wind. The non-profit Bourne Financial Development Corporation (BFDC) plans to establish a green technology research and development park in coordination with the turbine installation to create more high-paying, year-round jobs in Bourne.

An Environmental Notification Form under the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act has been issued for the project. No further comprehensive state review is required. Upon successful completion of Cape Cod Commission evaluation, the Bourne Planning Board, under the town’s recently revised Wind Energy Conversion System bylaw, will review the project, along with the Bourne Conservation Commission.

As noted in plans filed with the Cape Cod Commission, three turbines are proposed for the 150-acre CCA gravel pit parcel. A fourth turbine is proposed on land near the recently-signalized road off Route 6 that CCA made available to the Town of Bourne to provide access for the new Bournedale Elementary School. An application for interconnection with the N-STAR distribution system has been filed.

The other three turbines are proposed for the Panhandle Trust parcels that straddle the high noise-level Route 25 corridor. This siting, close to an existing N-STAR powerline easement, ensures that maximum space on the Panhandle parcel east of Route 25 is available for the proposed clustered building and road layout of the Bourne Development Campus green technology research and development park, sponsored by the BFDC.

The proposed sites for the turbines typically are about 1800 to 2000 feet apart and generally a thousand feet or more from existing homes.

The coastal areas of Cape Cod and Plymouth have the best and most predictable wind resource in the state, and data collected since 2006 confirms the site’s suitability.
The turbines selected will optimize power production at the given average wind speed, each producing more than 2-to-3 times the output of the Maritime Academy turbine familiar to Bourne residents. The project also will create local jobs during construction and operation and will generate valuable revenue for the Town of Bourne.

New Generation Wind plans to work closely with the community and town officials on project details and benefits. Typically, wind turbine projects are financed based on 25 years of operation, and require ten years or more to pay down the substantial financial investment.

“ We are in this effort with the BFDC and our CCA partners for the long-term,” said Jerry Ingersoll, the Panhandle Trustee. “And we’re pleased to be joining national, regional and Town of Bourne-endorsed efforts to reduce our complete reliance on fossil fuel-produced power, while supporting the growth of investment and jobs here on the Cape in clean alternative energy. “