News Releases for September 2008
September 24, 2008
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Hoeven, Acciona Industry Leaders Announce Largest Wind Farm In North And South Dakota
FORBES, N.D. – Gov. John Hoeven today joined with officials from Acciona Energy North America, Mortenson Construction and other dignitaries to dedicate the Tatanka Wind Farm, the largest wind energy generating facility in North and South Dakota.
Joining Hoeven for the event were Peter Duprey, CEO of Acciona Energy North America; D. Juan Ignacio Entrecanales, VP Acciona; Kim Smith, VP construction and O&M services, Acciona; Adrian LaTrace, VP manufacturing, Acciona; and Tim Wacker, VP of Mortenson Construction.
The new 180 MW project, which straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border, will cost approximately $381 million and feature Acciona’s first 1.5 megawatt turbines in the United States. The facility generates enough electricity to power 60,000 homes. Landowners are receiving an annual rent payment per tower, as well as a share on the energy produced by the facility.
The project employed more than 250 people during the construction phase, and created 21 permanent jobs in the region. The facility will also generate income for local communities through infrastructure investments, lease payments to local land owners, and revenues paid to local counties.
Five years ago, North Dakota had less than 0.5 megawatts of wind energy generation. The project will bring that figure to more than 475 MWs, with an additional 2,100 MWs of generation filed with the Public Service Commission, and an additional 2,100 MWs announced.
“Our initiatives have clearly created a strong business climate for wind energy investment in our state, and now we’re seeing the rapid development of wind power facilities across North Dakota,” Hoeven said. “Projects like Acciona’s are helping us to make great strides in the development of wind energy in North Dakota.”
Hoeven and legislators have initiated a broad range of incentives to expand the state’s renewable energy industries, including incentives to help promote wind development projects. Last year, Hoeven and legislators built on that foundation to pass a $42 million renewable energy incentive package, including a renewable energy grant fund, expanded investment tax credits and a tradable income tax credit for installation of geothermal, solar or wind energy devices.
Incentives for wind energy include:
- An income tax credit for wind projects covering the actual cost of acquisition and installation of wind energy devices for five tax years.
- A property tax reduction that reduces the assessed value of a wind turbine electric generation unit to 1.5 percent.
- A sales tax exemption for construction of a wind powered electrical generating facility.
- A North Dakota Transmission Authority to promote new and substantial investments in transmission lines in North Dakota and to facilitate the planning and investment process.
- A regional energy credit tracking and trading program which allows the trading of renewable energy credits to plants in other states.
- The streamlining of siting rules for wind farms.
- One of the most extensive state-sponsored wind monitoring programs in the country.
- A North Dakota Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, to work with the programs and help companies develop wind farms in North Dakota
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