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Judith Gap Wind Project
For years, two resources have dominated the mix of electricity supplied to Montana customers: coal and water. But with the commissioning of Montana’s first commercial-scale wind project, the pie chart is about to change. By the end of 2005, Invenergy’s 135-megawatt Judith Gap Wind Project should be fully operational and will begin supplying power to NorthWestern Energy (NWE) under a 20-year contract. The project is expected to provide about 8% of NWE’s electricity needs, a significant step toward meeting the “15% by 2015” portfolio requirement passed by the 2005 legislature.
The project was originally proposed by Bob Quinn, an organic farmer from Big Sandy. Inspired by the modern wind turbines he observed while visiting relatives in Germany, Quinn formed a company (WindPark Solutions America) and began scouting suitable locations in Montana. From the start, Quinn held himself and his company to a high standard of environmental and corporate responsibility. He conducted extensive pre-construction avian studies to ensure minimal risk to birds and bats, and worked closely with MEIC, Montana Audubon, Natural Resources Defense Council, Renewable Northwest Project, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. MEIC is pleased that Montana’s first wind project provides a good example of clean energy development, pursued in an environmentally-sensitive fashion.
Done correctly, the environmental advantages of wind energy are substantial. Unlike fossil fuel-based power plants, the harnessing of energy from the wind releases no pollutants to the environment. By contrast, a coal-fired power plant releases thousands of tons of air pollutants each year. These include a host of pollutants regulated by government because of their environmental and public health impacts, but also greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and hazardous substances such as mercury, which stil are largely unregulated. With no fuel requirements, wind farms do not deplete natural resources, do not damage landscapes through digging or drilling, and do not produce solid, liquid, or hazardous waste that must be disposed of. They also have no need for the large quantities of water required by conventional power plants for cooling purposes.
| JUDITH GAP BY THE NUMBERS |
| Cost of Project = $150,000,000 |
| Number of Turbines = 90 (1.5 megawatts each) |
| Tower Height = 260 feet (25 stories) |
| Blade Length = 122 feet |
| Blade Weight = 7 tons |
| Blade Revolutions Per Minute = 10-20 |
| Minimum Wind Speed = 10 mph |
| Optimum Wind Speed = 24 mph |
| Maximum Wind Speed = 55 mph |
| Land Area = 8,300 acres |
The economic benefits are similarly impressive. The price of electricity from modern wind farms is extremely competitive. The total cost of the power from Judith Gap (including integration and firming costs) is less than $40 per megawatt-hour—cheaper than any alternative currently available to the utility (other than conservation), and cheaper even than the power currently being purchased by NWE customers. Furthermore, the price is stable. Renewable energy has no “fuel price risk” and will also be able to avoid compliance costs associated with future environmental regulation (such as a tax on carbon dioxide). In addition, the Judith project has brought 200 construction jobs to the area and will create about a dozen permanent jobs. Over its lifetime, the project is expected to pay upwards of $30 million in property taxes and impact fees, and will provide $2,500 - $3,000 per turbine per year in supplemental lease income to the State and private landowners upon whose property the project is located.
MEIC is excited that Montana has passed this important milestone, with a quality project that “sets the bar” for those that follow.
(photos by Chuck Magraw)
SEE MAP OF MONTANA'S MAJOR OPERATIONAL AND PROPOSED WIND PROJECTS (February 2008)