Wind

Hundreds Pack Meetings On Proposed BPA Power Lines

October 29, 2009
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The Bonneville Power Administration is getting an earful from Southwest Washington residents who aren’t happy with the idea of a new high voltage power line near their homes. Hundreds of people have attended the first two public meetings on the proposal.

KATU and the Columbian posted stories this morning about last night’s meeting at Clark College in Vancouver.

What are folks saying? Some think BPA should do more to encourage conservation instead of building new power lines, or expand the capacity of the current system. Others worry about the landowners who’ll be uprooted from their homes and businesses.

As I reported earlier this week, BPA is considering a 500 kilovolt transmission line that would run about 70 miles from Castle Rock, Wash. to Troutdale, Ore. A power line of this size typically requires a 150 foot right of way, and towers about 80 to 150 feet tall. Some of the proposed routes cut through the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

A BPA spokesperson says the new line is needed to move power from Eastern Oregon and Washington into the population centers west of the Cascades. He says this includes the Willamette Valley, Portland-Vancouver metro, and as far north as the Seattle metro region.

Keep in mind we are very early in the process, so this may be the best time to make your voice heard.

Here’s the schedule for the final four meetings.

Tonight
4 to 7 p.m.
Mark Morris High School
Longview, WA 98632

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.
Liberty Middle School
Camas, WA 98607

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.
Gresham Holiday Inn
Gresham, OR 97030

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
1 to 4 p.m.
Hazel Dell Grange
Vancouver, WA 98665

BPA Looking At New High Voltage Power Line for SW Washington

October 26, 2009
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Saying it has to do something to meet the area’s growing demand for electricity, the Bonneville Power Administration is considering a new 500-kilovolt power line in Clark and Cowlitz counties of Washington.

The new line, roughly 70 miles long, would run from Castle Rock, Wash. to Troutdale, Ore. The actual length would depend on which route was chosen.  One of the options follows an existing BPA transmission line.  But the agency is also looking at several possible new routes, most of which cut through parts of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

BPA’s Michael Milstein says the area has become a bottleneck to moving power into the Portland-Vancouver region and along the I-5 corridor. He says BPA has taken several steps to increase capacity without a new power line, but adds, “The pipes are full.”  He says building the line would also make it easier to integrate renewable energy from the massive wind farms of Eastern Oregon and Washington.

A BPA Fact Sheet on the project says that if the line isn’t built, increasing demand for electricity could tax the system and possibly lead to blackouts.

Without a specific proposal before us, it’s hard to say what kind of impact this new line could have on the region.  Milstein says these kinds of transmission lines generally have a right-of-way about 150 feet wide.  The towers are generally 80 to 150 feet tall.  BPA has notified landowners in the area, but it’s still working on more detailed maps.

It’s important to note that we’re very early in the process.  Starting Tuesday, BPA is holding a series of public meetings in the area.  The meetings are part of what’s called the scoping process.  This is where BPA figures out what issues need to be studied in an environmental review.  Milstein says the earliest construction would start is 2012.

For more information, see the BPA’s I-5 Corridor Reinforcement Project website.  Meanwhile, here’s the public meeting schedule for this week and next.

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.
Amboy Middle School
Amboy, WA

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.
Clark College, Gaiser Student Hall
Vancouver, WA 98663

Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009
4 to 7 p.m.
Mark Morris High School
Longview, WA 98632

Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009 4 to 7 p.m.
Liberty Middle School
Camas, WA 98607

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 4 to 7 p.m.
Gresham Holiday Inn
Gresham, OR 97030

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
1 to 4 p.m.
Hazel Dell Grange
Vancouver, WA 98665

One Man’s Battle To Control The Growth Of Wind Farms

April 24, 2009
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As large trucks loaded with wind turbines roll eastward on I-84, they’re not getting quite the warm welcome they once received.

The newest sign of frustration over the growing size, and numbers, of wind farms in Eastern Oregon is this article in the East Oregonian newspaper.  Richard Jolly of Milton-Freewater wants Umatilla County to adopt new planning rules so that wind turbines can be kept out areas, or limited in size, if they interfere with the beauty of the Blue Mountains.  The Planning Commission will take up his proposal June 25.

It reminds us of an earlier story where the Milton-Freewater city council went on record saying they’re also concerned about wind farms ruining views of the Blue Mountains.

See: Wind Farm Backlash In Umatilla County

Wind Power Grows In 2008, Oregon Joins Top 7 Club

April 13, 2009
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The amount of electricity generated by wind power in the United States grew more than 50% last year to more than 25,000 megwatts. Oregon didn’t do so badly either. The state now generates more than 1000 megawatts of wind energy, putting it in the top seven of wind producing states.

Those are some of interesting info-nuggets from the 2008 report by the American Wind Energy Association.

Here are some others to chew on.

Read more »

Tuesday Read: Green Remodeling Comes To Clark County

March 10, 2009
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Green remodeling comes to Clark County. Habitat for Humanity has opened the area’s first ReStore. That’s where you can buy used and leftover building materials. The money goes to support Habitat’s operations in the Portland-Vancouver metro area, and for building homes in El Salvador. From The Columbian.

Wind energy is driving business at the Port Of Longview to record highs. The Port says it took in a record $23.5 million in revenue in 2008. Wind technology imports makes up about 40% of that. Port officials think 2009 will be off some, but hope that tax credits for renewable energy will give a boost to the wind business they do. From the Longview Daily News.

Are destination resorts good for Central Oregon? Local officials and others debate the pros and cons in a new article from the Bend Bulletin. Business owners talk about how the resorts have boosted the area’s economy, while others complain that they’re damaging the quality of life in Central Oregon.

Big Tax Break For Small Wind Projects

February 17, 2009
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One of the winners in the new stimulus bill is small wind energy projects.

The bill, signed into law today, expands a 30% tax credit for wind projects that produce 100 kilowatts or less of electricity. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), a 10 kilowatt project costs about $40,000 to install, so this credit saves you $12,000.

Under the old law, the tax break was limited to $4,000. The stimulus bill removes the cap. It also allows you to apply for cash grants from the Treasury Department, if you prefer to get your money that way.

Add on the tax breaks from the State of Oregon and the savings start to add up. Homeowners can get state tax credits up to $6,000, and business tax credits cover 50% of the cost.

There’s even more savings for customers of Portland General Electric and Pacific Power. The utilities offer rebates through the Oregon Energy Trust that can reach $35,000 for homeowners and $60,000 for businesses.

Lou Torres, spokesman for the Oregon Energy Department, says when you add up all the tax breaks and rebates, they can cover 75% of the cost for a small wind project.  He says this may be the “best time ever” to install one.

What’s a “small” wind project? It’s bigger than you think. The AWEA says wind energy doesn’t really make sense unless you have an acre of land. And even a 3 kilowatt turbine sits on a tower that can be 60 to 80 feet high.

For more information:

Wind Farm Backlash In Umatilla County

November 8, 2008
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Seems like not everyone is crazy about the new crop of wind turbines that are growing like crazy in eastern Oregon.

According to the East Oregonian, the city council of Milton-Freewater went on the record to voice its concerns that too many wind mills will ruin the town’s view of the Blue Mountains. The article says those scenic views are one of the town’s selling points for attracting new business.

The council is also worried about all the money its spent to develop an area of town known as the South Hill. The plan is to put new homes in the South Hill area instead of taking up valuable farm land on the valley floor. South Hill is also a potential wind farm site.

There’s no question in our minds that huge wind farms have a dramatic impact on the landscape. We recently drove through northern Wasco County. It’d been several years since our last visit, and we were surprised by how much larger the wind farms in the area had grown. The sight of wind turbines, one next to another, for miles and miles, was a little bit eerie. It’ll be interesting to see if other areas of eastern Oregon start to say, “we’ve had enough.”