Wind Farm Presentation Created By: Drew Russell

1. Wind Farm Presentation Created By: Drew Russell drurussell@gmail.com (an outline of my full presentation has been pasted in the note section of this power point slide and should be used while viewing this version of the presentation in order to get the amount of maximum information)

2. Wind Farm Development in Rural Illinois: The Crescent Ridge Model

3. Wind Energy Boom in the US • Wind power generating capacity increased by 27% in 2006 and is expected to increase an additional 26% in 2007. • The wind industry invested $4 billion in 2006. • These wind energy facilities will produce an estimated 31 billion kilowatt-hours annually. • Despite the boom, wind energy only amounts to less than 1% of the total energy consumption in the U.S.

4. Why Is Wind Energy So Popular? Wind is a clean/free energy source. Wind energy can be produced free from foreign participation. Wind Farms are relatively cheap to build because of government incentives.

5. Wind Energy Development in Illinois

6. Illinois currently generates only .5% of its electricity from renewable sources. • Produces 107 MW’s from wind energy which ranks Illinois 16th in wind energy production.

7. Sustainable Energy Plan • The ICC adopted Gov. Blagojevich's Sustainable Energy Plan in July, 2005. • Under the Plan, electric utilities will begin acquiring 2% of their electricity from alternative energy sources by the end of 2007. • A total of 75% of the renewable energy will come from wind energy. • Under the plan, renewable energy sources like wind could supply 8% of Illinois' electric supply by 2013

8. The Goals Create jobs Boost investment in rural communities Protect the environment Promote energy independence Help stabilize energy prices

9. Current Operating Wind Farms in Illinois • Mendota Hills- Owned by Navitas Energy, 63 turbines with a 50.4 MW capacity. Electricity Purchased by Com Ed. • Manlius- Owned by the Bureau Valley School District, 1 turbine with a .66 MW capacity. Electricity purchased by owner. • Pike County- Owned by Illinois Rural Electric Coop, 1 turbine with a 1.65 MW capacity. Electricity purchased by owner • Crescent Ridge- Owned by Eurus, 33 Turbines with a 54.5 MW capacity. Electricity purchased by Com Ed.

10. CRESCENT RIDGE

11. Located by Tiskilwa, Illinois approx. 110 miles from Chicago. • The Crescent Ridge project is inside a belt of 2,200 acres of farmland with 13 participating land owners. • The Turbines only occupy 20 acres of that space. • Has an average wind speed of 16.7 mph. • Site has a 54.5 MW capacity • The pollution offsets are equivalent to taking 10,000 cars of the road each year or planting 10,000,000 trees.

12. Developed and Financed by Eurus Energy America Corporation. • $75 million development. • Com Ed. is the wind farm's sole customer.

13. Crescent Ridge Equipment • Wind Turbines • Tower • Tensionless Pier Foundation • Pad Mount Transformer • Substations and Interconnection • Access Roads • Meteorological Tower • Control & Monitoring Building • A Public Viewing Area. 

15. The Positives of Rural Wind Farm Expansion: Crescent Ridge Example • Benefits the Rural Landowners • Increases the Local Tax Base • Benefits the Local Community

16. Benefits Rural Landowners • Rural landowners receive about $5,000 to $7,000 annually for each turbine as rent. • Farmers can grow crops or raise cattle next to the towers. • Wind energy projects can save the family farm.

17. Increases Local Tax Base • Wind power projects bring new tax revenue to rural communities. • The wind farm will be one of the top five property tax payers in Bureau County. • Although unsettled presently, property tax payments will provide anywhere from $6,500 to $26,000 for each turbine for Bureau County each year.

18. Real Estate Property or Personal Property? Law in Illinois is unsettled as to how the wind turbine is to be valued for real estate tax purposes

19. What is Process Machinery? Crescent ridge argues that 1 million of the 1.5 million dollar value of a wind turbine is considered personal property. The Bureau County Tax Assessor has considered 100% of the Wind Turbine as taxable real estate. Lee County projects are only being taxed 26-27 percent of the value. Proposed LaSalle projects might be assessed somewhere around 45 percent of value.

20. “Government, Help!” With no state assessment standard for wind farms in Illinois, proposed projects like Big Sky that cross Bureau and Lee counties could face two different tax assessments on the same turbines! There is presently pending in the state legislature several proposed bills that would establish a method for the uniform taxation of wind farms though out the state.

21. Benefits the Local Community • Wind power projects create new jobs in rural communities. • The Crescent Ridge Wind Farm has created 100 construction jobs and five permanent jobs. • When new jobs and additional farming income are created, the paychecks are spent in local stores and restaurants, boosting the local economy.

22. Concerns/Problems of Rural Wind Farm Expansion • Aesthetic Concerns • Avian mortality • Road damage during construction • Noise Pollution • Inclement Weather • Availability of the Power grids • Intermittent Winds • Litigation from the locals • Unfounded concerns- electric fields causing health problems, car accidents, epileptic seizures, ice throws

23. The Requirements for a Wind Farm in Bureau County

24. Must obtain a lease from willing land owners. • Must be able to connect to the regional power grid. • Facility equipment must conform to applicable industry standards. • Must obtain a conditional use permit.

25. Conditional Use Factors

26. Conditional Use Factors • The establishment, maintenance or operation of the conditional use will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, moral, comfort or general welfare. • The conditional use will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purpose already permitted nor substantially diminish property values within the neighborhood. • The establishment of the conditional use will not impede the normal and orderly development and improvement of the surrounding property for uses permitted in the district. • Adequate utilities, access roads, drainage or necessary facilities have been or will be provided. • Adequate measures have been or will be taken to minimize traffic congestion in the public streets.

27. Conditional Use Permit Bureau County Zoning Board Application

28. Description of the Project • A legal description for the location of the tower and/or substation • The location of property lines of adjoining property owners • Turbine information • Extra requirements include that the installed turbines must be new, certified, and have braking systems installed

29. Site Plan • Must detail the location of the project area boundaries, the turbines, roads, transformers, power lines, communication lines, interconnection points with transmission lines, and other ancillary facilities or structures.

30. The Site Plan must detail compliance with the following:

31. Set Back Requirements • Residence=750 ft. • Property Line=1.10 x the windmill’s height • Public Roads=1.10 x the windmill’s height • Other Structures=1.25 x the windmill’s height

33. Noise Standards • Compliance with performance standards developed by the Illinois Pollution Control Board. • The standards establishes daytime and nighttime noise limits. • Applicant must develop a worst-case scenario, noise contour map that shows the distance that noise may travel from the turbines.

34. Telecommunication Considerations • If Wind Farm is within a relative location of telecommunication facilities (i.e. antenna and communication towers), a microwave beam analysis must be undertaken around the area to detect possible radio frequency or microwave signal interference.

35. Waste Management • Solid Waste- All solid waste generated from the site must be removed from the site immediately and disposed of in a manner consistent with all local, state, and federal regulations. • Hazardous wastes must be kept in compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

36. Aesthetic Considerations • Coatings and Coloring • Turbine consistency • Lighting

37. Road Agreement • A road agreement must be entered with the relevant township Road Commissioner and County Engineer. • Must address issues related to construction traffic, safety, and post-construction road repair.

38. Decommissioning Plan Agreement Ensures that the facility is properly decommissioned upon end of project life or facility abandonment.

39. Sewer/Signage/Fire • All signs must be consistent with AWEA and ANSI standards. Warnings of high voltage must be posted at least at the entrance of the facility • The following standards must be followed to reduce the risk of fire; 1) Adherence to applicable electrical codes; 2) Removal of fuel sources, like vegetation, from immediate vicinity of electrical gear and connections; 3) Utilization of twistable cables on turbines • Sewer & Water- Any facility must comply with existing septic and well regulations as required by county and state health departments.

41. Other Governmental Requirements • Federal Aviation Administration Determination. • Illinois Department of Natural Resources Consultation. • If applying for a state grant, an archeological survey must be done to ensure that there are no Indian burial grounds under the site. • The State of Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (“IEPA”) has developed a General Permit to Discharge Storm water in connection with “Construction Site Activities”

42. What Does the Future Hold? • Illinois has an additional 11 sites proposed as of Dec. 31st 2006 • Two of those sites are currently under construction • If all sites are developed an additional 1,541 MW of electricity would be produced from wind energy in Illinois.