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Written by John Egan for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--The U.S. Congress' inability to extend the federal Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind power is only one of several reasons why three large windfarms scheduled to be built in North Carolina have yet to turn dirt. Other reasons include unsigned purchase power agreements (PPAs), migratory birds, and the Coast Guard's desire to reactivate a dormant airstrip that passed over one of the planned windfarm sites. The windfarms have a total investment value (TIV) of about $1 billion.
The three stalled windfarms are:
Copelman said the project is in a "relatively advanced stage of development," but he declined to discuss a potential construction schedule, except to say, "the clock is ticking."
He said that it's "pretty unlikely" the 150-turbine project would be operating by year-end 2012, the deadline for wind projects to be eligible for the federal PTC. He also declined to speculate on how failure to extend the PTC would affect the project's financial viability. "Operating without a PTC would change the project's economics," he said. But he added Iberdrola believes a PTC extension will pass, and that the project will be operating in a PTC environment.
Industrial Info's PECWeb database shows the Iberdrola project as going "on hold" at the end of 2011. No new kick-off date is available.
Invenergy expects to take about one year to construct its 80-MW Pantego windfarm. But the start of construction has been delayed because "additional studies are needed to learn more about bird populations" at its Beaufort County site, David Groberg, Invenergy's vice president of development, told Industrial Info in a statement. The developer "is confident that a full, fair and factual study will demonstrate that the Pantego windfarm will protect and conserve the region's wildlife, bird population and natural resources."
Groberg said Invenergy has spent more than 18 months conducting detailed, on-site studies of the Pantego project site. The developer has shared that data with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Washington, D.C.), a bureau in the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), and has worked closely with it to analyze preliminary results. "We look forward to continuing to work with the USFWS, and other stakeholders, to gather all relevant scientific data needed to evaluate potential impacts to wildlife," Groberg said in the statement.
"Our commitment is to avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts to wildlife and natural resources while developing a new source of homegrown, renewable energy," Groberg said. "The Pantego project is a unique opportunity for North Carolina and this region to take a leadership position in the development of clean, renewable wind energy. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with our host community."
Groberg had less to say about Invenergy's other stalled North Carolina windfarm, the 125-MW Hales Lake project, scheduled to be built in Camden and Currituck counties. "We currently are completing a range of field studies in anticipation of applying for local, state and federal permits this fall. We look forward to working closely with our host community, contributing to its economic development, and providing a new supply of clean, renewable energy in North Carolina."
In his statement to Industrial Info, Groberg praised Hales Lake's "excellent wind resource and strong community support," concluding the site "has all the attributes needed for a successful wind project." But the company declined to provide any additional details on the Hales Lake or Pantego project.
The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, reported that one of the issues holding up Hales Lake is a nearby Coast Guard air station, which plans to reactivate a runway that has a flight path directly over the proposed windfarm. The paper quoted Groberg as saying, "We're working with the Coast Guard to avoid impacts."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
The three stalled windfarms are:
- Desert Windfarm, a 300-megawatt (MW) project being developed by a unit of Iberdrola Renewables (Portland, Oregon). The project, located near Elizabeth City in Pasquotank County, has a TIV of about $600 million.
- Pantego, under development by Invenergy LLC (Chicago, Illinois), will miss its scheduled construction start date of 2013, while additional studies are conducted on the project's potential impact on migrating birds. This 80-MW project, valued at $160 million, is scheduled to be built in Beaufort County.
- Hales Lake, a 125-MW project being developed by Invenergy LLC. This project is scheduled to be built in Camden and Currituck counties.
Copelman said the project is in a "relatively advanced stage of development," but he declined to discuss a potential construction schedule, except to say, "the clock is ticking."
He said that it's "pretty unlikely" the 150-turbine project would be operating by year-end 2012, the deadline for wind projects to be eligible for the federal PTC. He also declined to speculate on how failure to extend the PTC would affect the project's financial viability. "Operating without a PTC would change the project's economics," he said. But he added Iberdrola believes a PTC extension will pass, and that the project will be operating in a PTC environment.
Industrial Info's PECWeb database shows the Iberdrola project as going "on hold" at the end of 2011. No new kick-off date is available.
Invenergy expects to take about one year to construct its 80-MW Pantego windfarm. But the start of construction has been delayed because "additional studies are needed to learn more about bird populations" at its Beaufort County site, David Groberg, Invenergy's vice president of development, told Industrial Info in a statement. The developer "is confident that a full, fair and factual study will demonstrate that the Pantego windfarm will protect and conserve the region's wildlife, bird population and natural resources."
Groberg said Invenergy has spent more than 18 months conducting detailed, on-site studies of the Pantego project site. The developer has shared that data with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) (Washington, D.C.), a bureau in the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), and has worked closely with it to analyze preliminary results. "We look forward to continuing to work with the USFWS, and other stakeholders, to gather all relevant scientific data needed to evaluate potential impacts to wildlife," Groberg said in the statement.
"Our commitment is to avoid, minimize and mitigate potential impacts to wildlife and natural resources while developing a new source of homegrown, renewable energy," Groberg said. "The Pantego project is a unique opportunity for North Carolina and this region to take a leadership position in the development of clean, renewable wind energy. We look forward to a long and successful relationship with our host community."
Groberg had less to say about Invenergy's other stalled North Carolina windfarm, the 125-MW Hales Lake project, scheduled to be built in Camden and Currituck counties. "We currently are completing a range of field studies in anticipation of applying for local, state and federal permits this fall. We look forward to working closely with our host community, contributing to its economic development, and providing a new supply of clean, renewable energy in North Carolina."
In his statement to Industrial Info, Groberg praised Hales Lake's "excellent wind resource and strong community support," concluding the site "has all the attributes needed for a successful wind project." But the company declined to provide any additional details on the Hales Lake or Pantego project.
The Virginian-Pilot in Norfolk, Virginia, reported that one of the issues holding up Hales Lake is a nearby Coast Guard air station, which plans to reactivate a runway that has a flight path directly over the proposed windfarm. The paper quoted Groberg as saying, "We're working with the Coast Guard to avoid impacts."
Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, and eight offices outside of North America, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.
