National Wind Watch: Wind Energy News » Wind farm proponent faces fierce opposition

Martin Ince aptly named his planned wind farm near Bethany Stoneboat, after the agricultural instrument used to remove large stones from fields.

Ince explains that the area was known for its large stones that were usually carted to the sides of the fields and stacked to create walls. Farmers cleared the obstacles to work their fields.

To get the five large wind turbines built, Ince will have to clear several large obstacles, including a well-organized opposition that vehemently opposed the earlier version of the plan, Whispering Woods Wind Park.

Ince, president of M.K. Ince and Associates Ltd., is quick to argue this is a different project.

The Whispering Woods wind farm would have been built just east of Millbrook. Now the plan has shifted the farm to the west side of Cavan Monaghan Township, north of Bethany near Devil’s Elbow Ski Area.

Ince took over the project from the former proponent. The wind farm would be built under the same feed-in-tariff contract that the former proponent had to sell energy to the provincial power grid.

Beyond the different location and ownership, Ince plans to share some of the revenue – $100,000 a year – with residents who live within a kilometre of the wind farm.

Ince estimates that fewer than 100 residents would get a share of that annual fund.

“We’re incorporating the community in this, not just in the name but in the way we’re treating the community too,” he said.

The fund would be in addition to the land leases for the wind turbine locations.

Residents will also be able to invest in the project to get a share of the revenue.

“We’re hoping to have the community invest in the project in a way that suits their needs and at the same time get a suitable return for them also,” he said. “Different people can invest in different ways – it could be as an individual or as a co-op.”

The company will be hosting workshops and has setup a toll free phone number for resident to call with any questions or comments.

Ince said the project will cost roughly $30 million to build.

He’s presenting the plan to Cavan Monaghan council at its meeting Tuesday.

The township council has previously passed a motion stating that the community doesn’t want to host industrial-size wind farms.

Manvers Wind Concern, a group opposed to wind farms in the area, is encouraging residents to attend the meeting to protest the plan.

“Unless you are happy with the continue invasion of our area by industrial wind turbines, please save this information and take action,” the group stated in an email. “Some more of your neighbours have decided to steal your property value and carpet-bomb your countryside for a few pieces of silver from a wind company.”