Energy companies study wind power in La Salle County
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
By Kevin Caufield, countyreporter@newstrib.com

An on-going wind study in a rural area in Deer Park Township may lead to a wind farm coming to La Salle County.

PPM Energy Inc., formerly PacifiCorp Power Marketing, based in Portland, Ore., is interested in building a wind farm in La Salle County as a part of its goal to expand renewable wind energy throughout the Midwest. The company is a subsidiary of Scottish Power, which ranks as the top worldwide provider of wind energy. PPM ranks second.

PPM has been collecting weather data since October to determine the profitability and feasibility of erecting wind turbines in the county.

“We don’t know if a site has all the wind power we need until we do the study,” said PPM spokesman Jan Johnson. “A study typically takes about one to two years before any decision can be made on whether to build.”

The company uses meteorological towers to study the wind during different seasons of the year, said Johnson, who added that PPM has tried to keep the study anonymous so that competing companies would not conduct similar studies in the area.

If PPM eventually decides to build, the most likely location would be near where the study is taking place, Johnson said.

A PPM meteorological tower is located in a farmer’s field in Deer Park Township about two miles southwest of Deer Park Elementary School, 2350 E1025th Road, Ottawa.

Grand Ridge resident Tom Rowe owns that property. He said PPM instructed him to forward all inquiries to Fred Mitro, PPM’s manager of business development.

Rowe did, however, mention that he was interested in allowing a wind farm project to be built on his property.

“I have their study tower on my property so it’s pretty self-explanatory,” he said.

Typically, land acquisition agreements are conducted with local farmers who either rent or sell a small portion of their land to the company.

After land is acquired and the turbines are built, the company would then seek long-term power agreements with regional power companies and municipalities that provide power to citizens, Johnson said.

“We recognize that there is a need for a mix of power sources because wind power requires no fuel to spend,” she said. “This makes power generation cheaper for these companies.”

AN ECONOMIC PLUS

A wind farm in La Salle County could give a tax revenue boost to the county, which is in the middle of a fiscal crisis due to rising costs and dropping revenue.

Deer Park Consolidated School District also would receive a boost in tax revenue if PPM decides to build within the school district’s boundaries.

Lee Center Community Unit School District No. 271 in Lee County expects to receive $250,000 in annual tax revenue beginning in 2006 from the Mendota Hills wind farm operation near Interstate 39 about 12 miles north of Mendota.

And for Paw Paw resident Dennis Cradduck, who has 19 of the operation’s turbines on his property, he earns $1,800 per tower annually for renting portions of his farmland where the turbines are built.

Cradduck said each turbine takes up a ½-acre of land, which is very little space on his 700-acre farm.

“You just have to farm around them and the access roads, that’s all,” he said. “It’s an added source of income when farming is having tough times. I’m well pleased with my investment and I’d do it again.”

Renewable energy from water to wind is a growing industry that will jump on the scene very soon, said Ameren Corp.

spokesman Leigh Morris. AmerenIP, which transmits and delivers power to many La Salle County residents, is a subsidiary of the corporation.

Morris said Illinois is entering a new competitive phase of power procurement, so wind farms, among many other forms of renewable energy, will be looked at as an additional avenue of power generation.

“We’re also supportive of (Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s) effort to create a renewable energy portfolio,” he said. “I can’t go into specifics about any one particular company, but we are definitely looking at renewable energy sources.”

Content © 2005 News Tribune

I have farm land in Bureau County and I am interested in leasing the land for wind energy use. There are already windfarms close to my land. How do I find a prospective energy company to contact or submit my objective to for a possible lease?

Thank you for using the Wind Farmers Network to explore your options in harvesting the wind on your property.

There are a few preliminary places you may want to consider beginning before contacting a wind developer. While typically it is the developer who contacts the landowner, it is quite a good move to gather as much information as possible to be aware of your options for wind development.

There are several models of wind development to choose between in weighing your options, such as "Community Wind," which brings with it substantial local benefits.
http://www.windustry.org/community/default.htm
http://www.windustry.org/opportunities/project_types.htm

Some landowners are having great success with bundling and "marketing" their land in cooperation with neighboring property owners to attract developers. The Trimont, MN project is one example of this scenario. More information about this project can be found in the News Forum of the Wind Farmers Network.

If you have not yet had the chance, our website has scores of information on processes you will need to be familiar with in your pursuit, especially with regards to land leases and wind easements. Please see this site for updated information on easements and lease:
http://www.windustry.org/easements/default.htm

Illinois specific wind information and local resources can be found at the "Illinois Wind" site, including wind monitoring, financing, and regional developers. http://www.illinoiswind.org/resources/large/index.asp

Once you feel that you have the information that you need to proceed, listings of wind consultants and developers can be found at several places:
Windustry: http://www.windustry.org/resources/developers.htm
The American Wind Energy Association: http://www.awea.org/
(see the AWEA members directory on the right-hand side of the page)
Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy: http://www.me3.org/issues/wind/


Also, please mark your calendar for March 7-8 when we will be hosting the National Community Wind Conference in Des Moines, IA. This conference will have step-by-step details on the "how-to's" of developing a wind farm. More information to follow!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Cole McVey,