Bylaw Would Allow Large Commercial Wind Turbines

Harwich Bylaw Would Allow Large Commercial Wind Turbines

HARWICH –The winds of change are wafting through the town’s regulatory process as the planning board begins to shape a new bylaw allowing larger commercial wind turbines to be located in the town.

But there are concerns by some members of the board that the height and number of these structures could change the character of the town. Barry Worth, chairman of the utilities and energy conservation commission, was before the board last week with an update on the status of efforts to use wind to offset the $800,000 the town spends annually on electricity.

He said in 2002 selectmen charged his committee with looking into wind energy for the town with a couple of provisos, including the town not build, own or maintain the structures. Much has happened in the past six years, including the formation of the Cape and Vineyard Cooperative, a nonprofit that would own and operate turbines scattered across the Cape and provide low cost electricity to the towns.

Worth provided to the board a history of study of wind energy potential in the town, including the most recent data from an anemometer located in 2006 to 2007 on land at Harwich High School, which showed there is “very good wind energy available.” Testing revealed that energy is margined at 160 feet and normal at 200 feet.

With funding from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the town, a wind energy feasibility study conducted by Weston and Sampson, Inc., is nearing completion. Worth said official word from the Federal Aviation Administration on the height impact based on proximity to Chatham Airport is pending before concluding the study.

The recently approvedof the Green Community provision in the state environmental bond bill contains a net metering provision which will allow municipalities to service all its buildings through the local generation of wind energy. Previous to that provision wind not used at a turbine site would go into the NSTAR grid and the town would be required to buy it back from the utility company, Worth said.

This is important because the town uses 400 million kW hours per year, which costs about $800,000. Worth said there is talk about forming regional systems with Brewster and the towns leasing land to the cooperative.

“They’d build and operate the turbine and the towns would have a power purchase agreement at a lower rate than we have now,” Worth said.

But the town needs a commercial wind bylaw of allowing large scale turbines, Worth said. It is important to get people talking about it and believing in this, he said. adding the cooperative could establish between 25 and 30 turbines scattered about the Cape.

He cited the possibility of locating one at the former landfill off Queen Anne Road and added Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carolyn Cragin would like one located on school property for the educational value.

Planning board vice chairman Matt McCaffery asked Worth what his vision is for Harwich. Worth said he’d like to see two or three smaller turbines, 600 kW, similar to the one located at Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The larger turbines, 1,600 kW, would be more economical, Worth said, but it is a question of acceptance in the community. The feasibility study will address the economy as it relates to size, he said. The turbine at MMA has saved that institution $250,000 in its first year of operation. That turbine is 290 feet high, he said.

“I can be swayed to fewer larger ones, but we’d have to hide them,” Worth said. “They’re better than looking at a smoke stack.”

There were questions about noise and the height being acceptable to residents.

“I can’t say nobody would hear it in an open window in the middle of the night,” Worth said of residents within a quarter of a mile.

Board members had several questions about the decision by the Orleans water commissioners not to move forward with turbines already purchased for the community by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.

Worth said there was difficulty among water commissioners in determining “who would do what, what it would cost, and who pays for what.” At that time, he said, there was no net metering provision. All commitments have to be understood and available to the public, Worth said.

“Things are progressing, people understand a little better,” Worth said of the Orleans situation in 2006. “It was not clear enough who had authority.”

Board member Peter deBakker said he was raised in Holland and returns a couple of times a year. The average windmill makes a lot of noise and that is why they were put offshore, he said. A large windmill can be heard a kilometer away. He said a 1,600 kW turbine would be 400 feet high and have a 20-foot base,and that would “change the character of the town.”

Worth said he would not anticipate the town of Harwich having more than 10. But deBakker said a private entity with 10 acres could put up turbines. He said that might open the flood gates. Board member Timothy Klink agreed, stating private enterprise might drive the number to 15 turbines.

“I felt the bylaw was pushed in front of us because of Orleans turbines (availability),” Klink said. “Then the commercial (enterprises) come in and put them up all because of the town’s access to the Orleans towers. It seems everything is rushed because of a good deal.”

The two 1.65 megawatt turbines purchased for Orleans through MTC are available for purchase. There has been discussion at the board of selectmen level about availability and Harwich’s timing for employing wind energy. The planning board talked about fall zone needs for a 400-foot tower and the need to drill 80-foot footings.

Board member John Follas said the board has a draft of a commercial bylaw and they are continuing to work on it. He indicated a bylaw should be ready for the next town meeting.

“It’s safe to say any bylaw that comes out of the planning board will have a lot of discussion about upper limits,” McCaffery said. He also said his personal concerns relate to the economics of wind energy.

10/23/08