Georgia Mt. Community Wind tops energy production expectations

Milton/Georgia, Vermont, USA … The Georgia Mountain Community Wind farm (GMCW) announced that its annual energy production exceeded expectations by more than 22 percent, producing more than 33,000,000 kWh of Vermont-made renewable energy in 2015.

This represents enough renewable energy to power more than 5,500 Vermont households.  

Energy production from the four-turbine project represents a 37.8% net capacity factor making it the best performing wind project in Vermont.  The facility’s year-long average availability was 97%.

The project in Milton and Georgia produced enough energy to account for 9.5 percent of Burlington Electric Department’s (BED) energy demand. Burlington’s municipally-owned electric utility buys 100 percent of the wind farm’s production through a long-term, stably priced contract and sells the associated renewable energy credits.

Georgia Mountain Community Wind makes substantial state and local tax contributions, paying approximately $92,000 to the host communities of Georgia and Milton and over $97,000 in Production Tax payments to the State Education Fund, which helps all municipalities provide Vermont children with quality education. 

The community wind facility is owned by two local business leaders and life-long Vermonters: renewable energy manufacturer and developer David Blittersdorf and Jim Harrison and the Harrison Family of Milton.

“Vermont wind is working,” said Blittersdorf. “It’s working for our environment, for our local economy, and for our state’s energy security.”

During 2015, as it has in each of the years since commissioning, GMCW hosted hundreds of local community members, school groups and interested visitors to the area to tour the facility and learn about the benefits of renewable energy.

“This project has been our neighbor for the last three years.  When we see these turbines turning, it makes us feel good to know that our community is doing its part for a cleaner environment while strengthening the local economy by keeping energy dollars closer to home,” said Ben Dow who lives on Georgia Mountain Road. 

“Wind power was a key factor in Burlington Electric’s milestone achievement of sourcing 100 percent of our energy from renewable generation and constitutes an important piece of our renewable energy portfolio,” said BED General Manager Neale Lunderville. “At BED, we are big fans of clean, green, stably-priced wind energy.” 

Three of Vermont’s wind projects contributed $940,000 to Vermont Education Fund in 2015 alone.  The Kingdom Community Wind Project in Lowell, VT also reported a seven percent increase in annual production during 2015.  Increased energy production from these projects reduces reliance on out of state energy sources and enables increased economic benefits to local communities and Vermont.

For more information please visit www.georgiamountainwind.com

Contact:

Martha Staskus, GMCW, 802.244.7522