12/18/2008
USA - Reno Co. could be site of new wind farm
A major wind energy company is looking into building a wind farm northeast of Cheney Reservoir in Reno County. Horizon Wind Energy of Houston has met with landowners in the area and is in the process of mailing out initial offers for land leases, according to landowners.
The company has said the proposed wind farm would be in the range of about 200 megawatts, said James Schlickau, a member of the county's wind energy task force and an incoming Reno County commissioner. Horizon in October completed the 201-megawatt Meridian Way Wind Farm in Cloud County, north of Salina.
The company said it was too early to discuss the specifics on the Reno County project.
"We have been in contact with local personnel about this prospect," project manager Josh Bohach wrote in an e-mail. "However, it is too early in the due diligence process to provide project plans or details."
The company met privately with about 50 landowners at Haven High School before Thanksgiving. The responses ranged from enthusiastic to skeptical, said one landowner who attended the meeting but asked not to be named.
"It's in the early enough stages that people are still trying to decide."
Another landowner, who also attended the meeting and asked to not be named, said land in the area is valued higher than typical farm ground because of its housing development prospects. Any offer from Horizon will have to recognize that, he said.
"I'm concerned about locking it up for 30 to 40 years," he said.
Reno County has spent the past 18 months courting wind energy companies to generate clean economic development.
Members of the Reno County Wind Energy Task Force appeared at several wind energy conferences to make their interest known.
"We want to be the model for other counties and other states to show that we have a natural resource that can be harnessed and not see any bad effects," Schlickau said.
Horizon has developed more than 2,000 megawatts of wind farms and operates more than 1,500 megawatts. It has more than 11,000 megawatts in its development pipeline.
Horizon is owned by EDP Renovaveis, the world's fourth-largest wind energy company, according to its Web site.
For mor information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net
The company has said the proposed wind farm would be in the range of about 200 megawatts, said James Schlickau, a member of the county's wind energy task force and an incoming Reno County commissioner. Horizon in October completed the 201-megawatt Meridian Way Wind Farm in Cloud County, north of Salina.
The company said it was too early to discuss the specifics on the Reno County project.
"We have been in contact with local personnel about this prospect," project manager Josh Bohach wrote in an e-mail. "However, it is too early in the due diligence process to provide project plans or details."
The company met privately with about 50 landowners at Haven High School before Thanksgiving. The responses ranged from enthusiastic to skeptical, said one landowner who attended the meeting but asked not to be named.
"It's in the early enough stages that people are still trying to decide."
Another landowner, who also attended the meeting and asked to not be named, said land in the area is valued higher than typical farm ground because of its housing development prospects. Any offer from Horizon will have to recognize that, he said.
"I'm concerned about locking it up for 30 to 40 years," he said.
Reno County has spent the past 18 months courting wind energy companies to generate clean economic development.
Members of the Reno County Wind Energy Task Force appeared at several wind energy conferences to make their interest known.
"We want to be the model for other counties and other states to show that we have a natural resource that can be harnessed and not see any bad effects," Schlickau said.
Horizon has developed more than 2,000 megawatts of wind farms and operates more than 1,500 megawatts. It has more than 11,000 megawatts in its development pipeline.
Horizon is owned by EDP Renovaveis, the world's fourth-largest wind energy company, according to its Web site.
For mor information, please contact Trevor Sievert at ts@windfair.net
- Source:
- Online editorial www.windfair.net
- Author:
- Posted by Trevor Sievert, Online Editorial Journalist
- Email:
- ts@windfair.net
- Link:
- www.windfair.net/...
