Step 1: Finding the wind

The wind blows everywhere, but there are only a few places where it’s strong and steady enough to make electricity generation feasible. The first step to finding that perfect spot is to examine computer models that combine weather patterns, geography, and a host of other variables to generate wind resource maps. Much of the information is available to the public online. You can see for yourself at www.windexplorer.com.

Step 2: Partnering with landowners

Once we get an idea of where the wind is, we talk to the people who own the land to see if wind turbines fit in with their land use plans. Farmers in particular have found benefits in adding wind as another crop, since turbines can be placed on tillable land with low impact and provide a predictable annual income as protection against fluctuating crop prices. At this point, we negotiate a lease that will provide steady income for the life of the project (at least 25 years). To learn more about how we work with landowners, please visit www.firstwind.com/landowners.

Step 3: Connecting to the grid

Once there is wind and land for a wind farm, we need to figure out how to get the power to the people. This is where the first big study comes in. It can cost us over $100,000 to do a New York Independent System Operator analysis, but it’s the only way to know whether the energy generated by the wind can move into the electrical grid in a way that makes good economic sense. To learn more about the grid and how it works, you can visit www.nyiso.com.

Step 4: Working with local government

Wind energy is a relatively new type of development in New York, and each township has a major part to play in determining how and where it will happen. As each community looks at how it wants to shape its future, planning boards and other officials develop laws and ordinances that will ensure public health and safety as well as economic agreements that can provide lasting community benefits. The State of New York provides a wealth of valuable tools and training. You can learn more about it at www.powernaturally.org.

Step 5: Gathering data

All the computer models in the world are no substitute for real data gathered at the site. That’s why we put up meteorological towers with sensors that measure wind speed and direction along with other environmental factors. We call them MET towers because it’s a lot easier than saying anemometer. It can take more than a year to get a real sense of what the wind is like in any one spot. That’s why you’ll often see them in a few different places. To learn more about how they work, you can visit www.nrgsystems.com/flash/anatomy.html.

Step 6: Studies and permits

An incredible amount of time and work goes into examining and documenting every phase of a wind project. A combination of regulations and business sensibilities help determine if a proposed project will actually work. We do detailed studies of birds, bats, bears, microscopic organisms, soil, stormwater, traffic, economics, and aesthetics, using tools ranging from electronics to economists. To see just a small part of it, you can read our Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Cohocton Wind project at www.cohoctonwind.com.

Step 7: Public input

Public participation in the process comes in many forms, from formal public hearings and forums to tailgate conversations and office walk-ins. We get letters, we get calls, we sit in people’s kitchens and hear their concerns and their ideas. We take folks to see existing NY wind farms and to talk with the residents of those communities. Input from members of the public is an important guide to us in the process of developing our final project. We hope that you will take the time to stop by our office in Attica or visit our website at www.genwywind.com.

Step 8: Construction

Only after years of monitoring, permitting, research, and public input does the first shovel hit the ground. It’s very much like any other construction project at first, with roads and foundations being built, but then come the turbine parts. A single, specialized crane helps hoist the turbines and then raises the blades into position. You can see the whole process in living color as it happened with our Kaheawa project on the island of Maui at http://www.kaheawa.com/kwp/gallery.cfm.

Step 9: Generating power

For the next 25 years, the turbines will turn to generate clean energy, and First Wind remains an active part of the community. Tax payments continue to help municipalities, lease payments help keep farmers farming, and maintenance is performed by a team based in the local GenWy office. At the end of the operational life of the current turbines, they can be upgraded with the latest technology or taken down and recycled. You can see a live shot of our Mars Hill Wind project at http://www.mainewind.org.