Wind energy developer Gamesa has launched a new web site for its proposed Sandy Ridge wind farm in Blair and Centre counties. The homepage, located at www.sandyridgewindfarm.com, will be updated regularly to provide residents with the latest information about the project.
Gamesa proposes 25 windmills to generate 50 megawatts of clean electricity, enough to power about 15,000 homes. The majority of the project is divided between Snyder Township in Blair County and Taylor Township in Centre County. Between 10 and 15 of the windmills would be located on Tyrone Borough property on Ice Mountain.
Tyrone Borough currently is soliciting comments on Gamesa’s proposed lease agreement, which would pay $6,000 per windmill over the next 30 years, for a guaranteed minimum payment to the borough between $60,000 and $90,000 annually. The borough authority could use the funds in any way it chooses for the benefit of the local community.
“Wind energy is the most environmentally compatible energy source commercially available today,” said Josh Framel, project developer for Sandy Ridge. “And Pennsylvania is fortunate to have abundant wind energy resources – the cleanest means we have for reviving our economy and cleaning up the environment, all at the same time.”
Gamesa’s Sandy Ridge web site features information about project scope; facts about the economic potential and environmental benefits of wind energy; a section with questions and answers about wind energy; success stories from another wind farm development; and much more. Full details are available at www.sandyridgewindfarm.com.
With more than 20 years experience, Gamesa understands the effects of development and takes care to work in the most environmentally sound, ecologically sustainable manner. The Sandy Ridge project, for example, includes replanting portions of the development site with a wildlife-friendly seed mixture to protect Pennsylvania’s rich hunting traditions.
According to a press release provided by Gamesa, all of Gamesa’s wind farms are conscientiously and properly sited using data collected from numerous studies to protect natural habitats and wildlife. A superior approach to installation limits excavation and minimizes impacts to surrounding forest and waterways.
The press release added that the environmental benefits of wind are indisputable. There’s no mining, no fuel drilling, no radioactive or hazardous wastes, no need for water for steam or cooling, and no harmful air emissions. Wind farms leave no lasting legacy, and appropriate bonding to remove wind farms at the end of their lifecycle is unmatched by traditional power plants.
Since selecting Pennsylvania for its U.S. headquarters in 2004, Gamesa has invested more than $110 million in the commonwealth, creating more than 1,100 jobs, including hundreds for families who call the Laurel Highlands and Allegheny Mountains home. The company built its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Ebensburg, Cambria County.
Gamesa recently was recognized worldwide for its environmental mission, being invited to become a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, which lists 318 of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide based on economic, social and environmental criteria. Only 10 percent of the worldwide companies that are eligible are selected to join the index after rigorous, independent evaluations.
For more information about the proposed Sandy Ridge wind farm, visit Gamesa’s web site at www.sandyridgewindfarm.com.
