logo
Article

Companies pitch wind energy across state; Garrett County, Ocean City eyed for turbine projects

Gazette.net|Kevin James Shay|August 7, 2008
MarylandEnergy PolicyZoning/Planning

A Maryland company and another in New Jersey hope to build wind farms at opposite ends of Maryland.


A Maryland company and another in New Jersey hope to build wind farms at opposite ends of Maryland.

Synergics Wind Energy of Annapolis has already gotten Delmarva Power to agree to purchase up to 100 megawatts of land-based wind energy and renewable energy credits over 20 years. Service is expected to start in 2009. Delmarva is a Delaware subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, with customers in Maryland and Delaware.

Synergics wants to construct two wind farms on private land in Garrett County in Western Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) this year rejected an effort by a Pennsylvania company to erect a 100-turbine wind farm in two state forests in Garrett County.

But that project was proposed on public land, and O'Malley said in a speech …

... more [truncated due to possible copyright]

A Maryland company and another in New Jersey hope to build wind farms at opposite ends of Maryland.

Synergics Wind Energy of Annapolis has already gotten Delmarva Power to agree to purchase up to 100 megawatts of land-based wind energy and renewable energy credits over 20 years. Service is expected to start in 2009. Delmarva is a Delaware subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, with customers in Maryland and Delaware.

Synergics wants to construct two wind farms on private land in Garrett County in Western Maryland. Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) this year rejected an effort by a Pennsylvania company to erect a 100-turbine wind farm in two state forests in Garrett County.

But that project was proposed on public land, and O'Malley said in a speech that he supported "exploring a variety of options for commercial-scale on-shore and off-shore wind power."

"As we move forward and continue to find ways to harness the potential of various forms of renewable energy, we're going to be sure to do so in a way that doesn't threaten or cause us to lose forever precious open spaces and public lands," O'Malley said in a public speech in April.

Wayne Rogers, president of Synergics and a former chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party, could not be reached for comment. He has said in published reports that he expects to get government approval for the Garrett County wind farm this year and complete one project by next year and another by 2010.

Since the 1980s, Synergics has financed and constructed more than 20 private power projects, including some wind farms in the U.S. and other nations, according to its Internet site.

Ocean City targeted by Hoboken company

The other potential project involves Bluewater Wind LLC of Hoboken, N.J. Executives with the wind power development company are talking with Ocean City officials about building a wind farm with more than 100 turbines spinning some 13 miles off the coast.

Bluewater executives made a presentation before the Ocean City council in July about a wind farm with some 150 turbines, said Donna Abbott, a city spokeswoman. Officials would like more information about the project and its environmental impact, and they plan to meet again with Bluewater executives in the near future, she said.

"The visual issue is one aspect," Abbott said. "The council is also concerned about the impact to the coastal environment. There have been some members of the sport fishing industry who expressed concern about how they will navigate around the turbines."

With the turbines more than 13 miles off the coast, they would appear "as faint lines on the horizon, less than half as tall as a thumb nail," a report on the project on Bluewater's Internet site says. "On many days, especially a typical hazy summer day, the turbines will not be visible at all. Placing the turbines this far from shore also increases the turbines' distance from the fly zones of Delaware's bird populations and takes advantage of strong offshore wind speeds."

The Delaware Public Service Commission recently approved an offshore wind farm to be built by Bluewater in that state not far from the Maryland border. Delmarva Power agreed to a 25-year deal to purchase up to 200 megawatts from that project. Bluewater could begin delivering electricity to Delmarva Power's Delaware customers as soon as 2012, according to the agreement.

The Delaware project would have about 60 turbines initially. The site is just south of Cape Henlopen near Rehoboth Beach to just south of the Indian River Inlet.

There are no wind parks off U.S. shores. Bluewater is also pursuing potential offshore wind farms in New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island.

The efforts in Delaware are fueled by a state goal to have Delmarva Power supply at least 20 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2019. Maryland has a similar goal to have at least 20 percent of the state's electricity come from renewable sources by 2022.


Source:http://www.gazette.net/storie…

Share this post
Follow Us
RSS:XMLAtomJSON
Donate
Donate
Stay Updated

We respect your privacy and never share your contact information. | LEGAL NOTICES

Contact Us

WindAction.org
Lisa Linowes, Executive Director
phone: 603.838.6588

Email contact

General Copyright Statement: Most of the sourced material posted to WindAction.org is posted according to the Fair Use doctrine of copyright law for non-commercial news reporting, education and discussion purposes. Some articles we only show excerpts, and provide links to the original published material. Any article will be removed by request from copyright owner, please send takedown requests to: info@windaction.org

© 2024 INDUSTRIAL WIND ACTION GROUP CORP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WEBSITE GENEROUSLY DONATED BY PARKERHILL TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION