Wind Farm considered on Lake Ontario
A proposal is in the works to build a massive wind farm on Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. It is coming from New York Power Authority President Richard Kessel:
Kessel has met with wind farm developers about the project, and NYPA issued a formal request this week for indications of interest. The agency will also work closely with the city of Buffalo, the University of Buffalo and environmental groups. A request for proposals will likely follow later this year. The total cost of the project is estimated between $700 million and $1 billion and the proposed 40-turbine farm (generating approximately 120 megawatts) would take approximately five years to construct.
NYPA would sign a power purchase agreement for 20 years, allowing the winning developer to obtain financing to build the wind farm based on guaranteed revenue streams. In addition, there is the possibility that NYPA could enter into a joint venture with a developer, utilizing its own cash or ability to borrow.
Great idea, but one question. Why Buffalo and not Rochester?
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Buffalo has consistently strong westerly winds coming off Lake Erie. There are already some wind turbines operating there successfully along an industrialized portion of the Erie lake shore. Rochester doesn’t have the same consistent strong westerly winds (our lake shore faces north), and we have no industrialized lake front property that would be easy to convert to wind turbines. Instead, we have a lot of very rich people living along the lake who would fight the proposal bitterly. We do have a nice river with quite a bit of elevation change that could make additional hydro an option. Perhaps putting in larger intakes and turbines on the existing plants would work.