This locally owned wind project is planned for installation on Georgia Mountain in the towns of Milton and Georgia, in northwestern Vermont in 2010. The three to five proposed wind turbines sited along the ridgeline will provide enough power to meet the average local electric needs of more than 3,500 households.

Georgia Mountain Community Wind is unique in that the land owner and client is also the developer. Working closely with this client, VERA helps organize the development team comprised of Vermont specialists. Local participation in all major aspects of development, including the sales of electricity to Vermont utilities, is the hallmark of this community oriented facility. The small project requires efficient use of development resources including site evaluation, environmental studies, and permit review process. The state permit application was filed in March of 2009.

As the team leader, VERA has broad responsibilities including feasibility assessment, financial modeling, creating the development strategy and overseeing its implementation while respecting budgets and schedules. We performed a prefeasibility analysis for this project that evaluated key development aspects and identified potential “fatal flaws”; assisted in acquisition rights to develop neighboring land and prepared two grant proposals that resulted in the project receiving funding assistance from the state Clean Energy Development Fund.

Macro-scale analyses indicated Georgia Mountain should have adequate winds to power a small commercial project. VERA specified, permitted, and installed a wind measurement tower for the client to verify adequate wind speeds.


Visit the project's website at http://www.georgiamountainwind.com/