Windlab today announced that the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) unanimously approved the Greenwich Wind Farm, issuing a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need. The wind farm is located in Greenwich Township in north central Ohio. The facility will consist of up to 25 wind turbines with a total project capacity of approximately 60 megawatts.
Monica Jensen, Vice President of Windlab Developments USA, stated, “We first identified the site and approached landowners to discuss the project concept in 2010. Since that time the project has benefited from significant community support throughout an extensive development and OPSB process. Now that the project has been approved, Windlab looks forward to completing this project for the benefit of both involved landowners and the neighboring community”.
Now approved Windlab will finalize power sales contracts and financing arrangements as well as all OPSB stipulations and conditions over the coming months. Construction is expected to provide a range of local contractor opportunities and a number of skilled local technicians will be required to service the wind project once it is operational. Over four years of on-site wind measurements across the project area have confirmed that the operating wind farm will produce up to 200GWh of generation per annum. This is enough power to supply the electric needs of around 45,000 Ohio residents based on US Department of Energy statistics.
Windlab CEO, Roger Price, commented, “Over the past few years we have seen great success for our projects in the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia. In South Africa, our projects are competing head to head with new coal plants and wind is winning on a cost per megawatt hour basis. In the United States, only electricity generated by natural gas can compete with wind on a cost basis. Ohio is dependent on an ageing coal-fired generation fleet, much of which will need to be decommissioned or retrofitted in coming years. It is therefore vital that projects like Greenwich are built to diversify the local energy supply.”