Contractors discuss Fort Drum renewable energy RFP in Watertown

By GORDON BLOCK
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 2013

A group of assembled contractors and engineers on Thursday was able to get details and ask questions about a request for proposals to supply Fort Drum with millions of dollars in renewable power.

“We do believe we have a good project, and one that will be profitable,” said Erich Kurre, director of the post’s project for the U.S. Army’s Energy Initiatives Task Force.

About 30 people attended the pre-proposal conference held Thursday at the Dulles State Office Building.[Warertown Times]

RFP calls for renewable sources of energy for Fort Drum

By GORDON BLOCK
TIMES STAFF WRITER

SATURDAY, JANUARY 19, 2013

FORT DRUM — The military is seeking bids for millions of dollars’ worth of renewable electricity to be generated by a biomass facility located on or neighboring the post.

According to the government’s listing, the facility would have generation capacity of 15 to 28 megawatts, with overall annual production of 100 million to 147 million kilowatt-hours. At the maximum price listed in the contract, 5.6 cents per kilowatt-hour, the winning contractor could receive from $5.6 million to $8.23 million in its first year, with the price compounded annually at 4.88 percent for future years. The potential contract would be for a period of either 10 years or up to 25 years. [Watertown Times]

Wolfe Island provides look into the life of wind farms

 Windfarm. When the blades of 86 wind turbines started turning on Wolfe Island three years ago, they did more than generate green energy and alter the rural island's landscape -- they severed some lifelong relationships between those opposed to the turbines and those in support.

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Jennifer O'Meara 

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“It’s a great divide and it’s a chasm that doesn’t close quickly. It’s one of the greatest losses. My husband has been here all his life … People who have been lifelong friends of my husband don’t speak and cross the road if they see you coming. That silly stuff that happens in a small town,” said Gail Kenney, who has lived on Wolfe Island for more than 40 years.

She’s been called a radical, wire-cutter, and NIMBY (not-in-my-backyard) for her anti-turbine stance.

[North Umberland News]

Lowville officials considering ban on commercial manure digesters

By STEVE VIRKLER
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2013

LOWVILLE — Several months after rejecting a large-scale manure digester project here, town officials are considering a ban on any such projects.

The Town Council voted 5-0 Thursday to send a draft anaerobic digester law to the Lewis County Planning Board for a second review, given that the new version would disallow large digesters from being erected in the town. [Watertown Times]

Wind development

SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2013

The exit of Spanish wind developer Iberdrola Renewables from the town of Hammond will create a feeling of relief for the majority of residents who have always felt the intrusion of this foreign conglomerate into the affairs of this small rural community was unwelcome. As a group brought together by a common cause over four years ago, the Concerned Residents of Hammond have been guided by their original mission statement concerned with the preservation of public health and safety, property values, economic viability, environmental integrity, and quality of life in our town and surrounding area. We provided factual information and education about all aspects of industrial wind energy installations and the impacts they would have on our community. We were dedicated to seeing that all levels of the governmental processes concerning this type of project were handled in a manner that was ethical, legal, honest, open and fair to all residents of Hammond. The long term objective has remained the same — to promote sustainable growth and future development of our community.

We thank everyone who supported our efforts along the way. We especially want to thank the members of the 2010 Hammond Wind Committee who came together for over a year to educate themselves on wind development and its implications. Their effort to provide the town board with critical information to make informed decisions was invaluable, as the revised law withstood legal challenges and was upheld by the state Supreme Court.

[Watertown Times]

Wind power company not pulling back from Parishville-Hopkinton plans, despite pulling out of Hammond

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Iberdrola Renewables might have retreated from its wind power development in Hammond, but its industrial-scale plan for Parishville and Hopkinton remains in place.

“We continue to study the data and maintain the leases we have signed, and we continue to evaluate the grid interconnection,” said Paul Copleman, spokesman in the Northeast U.S. for the Bilbao, Spain-based company.

“But there won’t be much added activity there this year, at least as of now,” he said.

Iberdrola’s wind turbine electric generation proposal for Parishville and Hopkinton came up after the company reportedly shelved its project in Hammond, citing market conditions and questions about where regulation might be headed.

 [NCNow news]

Cape officials want BP Wind to “get out” of town

By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 2013

CAPE VINCENT — Town officials got together Thursday afternoon to identify issues that need to be addressed during the state Article X siting process for the proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm.

Town Councilman Clifford P. Schneider said developer BP Wind Energy, in its correspondence with the town government, talks about its proposed project almost as if a wind farm in Cape Vincent is “inevitable.”

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Iberdrola Renewables nixes wind leases, halting Hammond project

THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 2013

HAMMOND — Spanish energy company Iberdrola Renewables is saying “Adios!” to its proposed Stone Church wind project.

The company has withdrawn from its leases with landowners and will remove test towers it has in the town.

 [Watertown Times]

Iberdrola still on the fence about Horse Creek Wind Farm

By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER

TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

CLAYTON — The extension of the federal wind production tax credit is “good news” for Iberdrola Renewables, but the Spanish energy giant hasn’t decided whether to move forward with the proposed Horse Creek Wind Farm.

“The PTC’s extension is unquestionably good news for us, the U.S. clean energy sector and the thousands of people working in this field,” Iberdrola spokesman Paul N. Copleman said. “But it is not the only factor affecting our ability to move any individual project forward.” [Watertown Times]

Denmark Planning Board approves wind test tower

By STEVE VIRKLER
TIMES STAFF WRITER

TUESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2013

DEER RIVER — The Denmark town Planning Board has signed off on a second test tower for the proposed Copenhagen Wind Farm.

Following clarification of the location, board members on Monday voted 6-0 to approve a special use permit for OwnEnergy Inc., Brooklyn, under the auspices of Copenhagen Wind Farm LLC, to install a 197-foot-tall meteorological tower on the south side of Roberts Road on a parcel owned by Gene Bolton, Timothy Sullivan, Harold Sullivan and Bruce Stephenson.

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Ogdensburg short line in the midst of $2.8 million track project

By CHRISTOPHER ROBBINS
TIMES STAFF WRITER

SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2013

OGDENSBURG — The New York and Ogdensburg Railway is on the right track — thanks to a rail rehabilitation project that recently halted for the season.

The $2.8 million project is replacing ties, ballast and rail along the 30-mile line between Ogdensburg and Norwood.

More than 200 of those cars carried wind turbine components into the port, which were eventually taken by truck to the Marble River Wind Farm in Churbusco. In July, five 200-ton locomotives were shipped to a Quebec mining firm, a project the railway orchestrated.

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Wind power

SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 2013

Moribund wind power projects in the north country and across the country received a one-year lifeline with $12 billion worth of taxpayer subsidized credits in the just-enacted legislation to avoid the fiscal cliff this week.

Developers managed to not only hold onto their expiring 2.2-cents per kilowatt hour credit but saw it broadened to their advantage and that of other alternative energy producers.

 [ Watertown Times]

Wind turbine project lifted OBPA in 2012, outlook for this year positive

By CHRISTOPHER ROBBINS
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2013

OGDENSBURG — By most measures, 2012 was a great year for the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority.

Even without considering its marquee project, the transit of 70 wind turbines to the Marble River Wind Farm in Churubusco, the authority enjoyed a number of successes.

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BP “pleased” with federal wind tax credit extension

BP’s proposed $300 million project, however, is unlikely to begin in time to be eligible for the tax credit unless Congress extends it once more.

By JAEGUN LEE
TIMES STAFF WRITER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2013

The extension of the federal wind energy production tax credit will allow developers to move forward with their renewable energy projects, including the proposed Cape Vincent Wind Farm, according to BP Wind Energy.

“We are pleased that Congress passed the common sense extension of the PTC (production tax credit). This will allow wind energy developers to move forward with plans for new projects in 2013, while providing an opportunity to discuss ideas on the proper role of the PTC moving forward,” BP spokeswoman Amanda Abbott said in an email to the Times.

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Copenhagen Wind Farm developers seeking second test tower

  By STEVE VIRKLER

TIMES STAFF WRITER

THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013

DEER RIVER — Developers of the proposed Copenhagen Wind Farm are seeking permission to erect a second test tower in the town of Denmark.

OwnEnergy Inc., Brooklyn, under the auspices of Copenhagen Wind Farm LLC, plans to install a 197-foot-tall meteorological tower on the south side of Roberts Road on a parcel owned by Gene Bolton, Timothy Sullivan, Harold Sullivan and Bruce Stephenson. 

Continue reading via this link