Landowners learn about wind turbines

EcoEnergy is confident a proposed 100 megawatt wind turbine project in Hancock County will attract enough interest to be built.

Representatives from the company held a dinner meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the University of Illinois- Extension Center in Carthage. Landowners were invited along with members of the Hancock County Board, Hancock County State's Attorney Jim Drozdz, and area media.

EcoEnergy's project in the county, called EcoRock, began last year. Nicholas Rigas, PhD, vice president of project development, gave the majority of the presentation, covering basic facts of wind turbines, the construction process, and safe guards in the lease agreements for wind turbines.

“I thought it went well. There were a lot of good questions,” said Rigas. “I hope I was able to guide them through how the process works.”

EcoEnergy hopes to build 67 1.5-megawatt turbines in the Nauvoo, Dallas City, Adrian area. The area was chosen based on wind velocities and access to a transmission line that runs across the county. The company asked to be able to deliver up to 200 megawatts. Ameren decides how much power the transmission line can take. EcoEnergy is also willing to work with electrical co-ops.

The majority of time on these projects is spent on research of wind velocity and developing a site plan. Two meteorological towers, with the third one being set up now, measure the rate of wind speeds at different altitudes. They want data for two or three years to have a good average per year. They want to see six or seven meters per second.

The tower near Dallas City is giving average readings of 5.6 meters per second. The tower near Adrian is showing a 6.1 meters per second average. Each tower showed higher wind speeds at 80 meters in altitude, which is the hub height or center height, of the turbines.

The wind turbines in this project are 362 feet high at the apex of the blades. The blades are geared to spin at 12 revolutions per minute. If winds exceed 70 mph, the turbine shuts down. Blades can be shut down by choice. This is a feature useful for crop dusters who do not want to fly close to moving parts.

Rigas said the only noise produced by the turbines is the compression of air as the blade comes down to the bottom of its path and crosses in front of the turbine body, producing a “whoosh” sound.

Once wind research is done, the company has to conduct a number of studies on the effects to local animals, including bats and bald eagles.

Landowners who expressed an interest have signed a co-op agreement, which Rigas described as “kind of a handshake agreement.” Once these are completed, a microsite plan is developed. The plan shows the exact location of each turbine. This plan is shown to and must receive approval from each landowner. The county board must also approve it.

The plan typically shows access roads to and from the construction site and underground collection systems between turbines. A transportation map is developed to show how equipment is moved in and out of the construction site. This plan is developed with the county since it may involve the widening of roads.

Construction begins with cutting access roads to the wind turbine area. The wind turbines sit on 50-foot by 50-foot concrete bases that are mostly buried. Collection lines are usually placed underground along fence rows or county easements along roads.

Eight truck loads of turbine components are delivered to each turbine site.

“Local contractors are used if they are capable of doing the work,” said Rigas of the project.

Some of the landowners who already have co-op agreements have asked for the wind turbines to be located in rows along north-south roads so they are not in their fields and have a minimal impact on GPS signals. They've also asked that collection lines be above ground instead of buried to avoid any tile damage at installation or in later work to take care of a problem.

EcoEnergy plans to work with the county board on setbacks for the turbines.

Final lease agreements are for 20 years, with two five-year options. If the property is sold, the lease transfers to the new landowner. A new wind turbine is installed if the lease is renewed to take advantage of new wind technologies. Each landowner receives the same payment for the wind turbines.

Illinois has decommissioning laws that protect landowners should the company go bankrupt or abandon the project, including the landowner gaining control of the turbine on their land.

Illinois has the highest tax rate on turbines in the Midwest. Turbines are assessed at the state's rate. They have a separate tax ID for each turbine. The company pays the property tax for the turbines.

A microsite plan could be done by spring. The 67 turbines should bring in an estimated $800,000 to $1 million in taxes per year to the county. The initial proposal said that 50 to 60 people would be employed during the project, with 10 to 12 full-time jobs once installation is complete.

The project does depend on federal subsidies, which are up for renewal by Congress this year.

The county board has taken no official action on this project. The next step for them is to look over the microsite plan developed by EcoEnergy. That could happen this spring.