Madison Wind Farm

The Madison Wind Farm is a power generation plant located in the town of Madison, New York. Constructed in 1999-2000, it was the first wind farm completed in New York state and the first merchant wind farm in the country. The power plant consists of seven Vestas V66-1.65 MW wind turbines,[1] generating enough energy to power up to 10,000 homes.

A turbine of the farm, photo taken in 2006

History

The Madison Wind Farm was developed and funded by the unregulated arm of PG&E, by project manager Laura Walker; construction began in 1999.[2][3] It was the first wind farm in New York State and the first merchant wind farm in the United States.[4] The facility is located on private dairy farm land in the town and county of Madison, in upstate New York. The New York State alternative energy program supported its development.[5]

These turbines can produce enough energy for up to 10,000 homes. The power produced by these turbines is routed to New Jersey. The wind farm is now owned by Horizon Wind Energy.

Two other wind farms: Fenner Wind Farm and Munnsville, have since been completed and are operating in Madison County.

Today

The Farm occupies more than 120 acres (49 ha) and the total wattage is eleven megawatts (MW).[6] The Farm's owners pay $25,000 to the Town and School budget annually, respectively.

Wind farm from Route 20

The wind turbines have become a kind of tourist destination; people stop from U.S. Route 20 to see the facility.

This wind farm is the first of three wind farms in the county, the second being the Fenner Wind Farm nearby, and the third the Munnsville facility.

See also

References
  1. https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/-/media/Files/EERP/Renewables/Madison-County-Wind-Power-Project.pdf
  2. https://www.oneidadispatch.com/news/windmills-are-a-tourist-attraction/article_df5bb5c7-c769-509b-a978-ed86598de409.html
  3. U.S. Generating Company. "USGen Announces Development of Wind Generation Project." PG&E Corporation Press Release, 27 May 1999.
  4. "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merchant_wind_power#In_the_United_States"
  5. "CEFN Case Study #1: Madison Windpower Project" (PDF). Clean Energy Funds Network. 22 January 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 February 2007. Retrieved 16 February 2007.
  6. Welcome to Horizon Wind Energy Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine

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