The construction of the Groton Wind Farm is rapidly progressing along the ridgeline above Plymouth and is now visible from the Pemi-Baker Valley. Iberdrola Renewables will complete the construction by Jan., 2013 but will begin producing power by Nov., 30 of this year with a total of 24 wind turbines in Grafton County.
The massive project will provide New Hampshire and other surrounding states with environmental and economic benefits by using wind power instead of other harmful unsustainable resources. The turbines, which stand 286 feet tall with blades 139 feet long, will offset carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 200 million pounds per year. Iberdrola Renewables is currently the world’s leading provider of wind power and clean energy business.
“Compared to other sources of energy, wind power is one of the best. It is much better for the environment than other resources, like coal for example,” stated Doug Standbridge, an occupational safety worker on the project.
According to Iberdrola’s website, the wind farm is expected to produce enough electricity to power an average of 20,000 houses and nearly 58,000 at peak production.
The project benefits New Hampshire directly by creating up to 500 jobs for the overall construction and electrical work. New Hampshire will also benefit by receiving money through utility property tax assessment as well as major tax breaks for Rumney civilians specifically.
“Working on the wind farm was a safe, successful job. It provides a lot of work for an area of New Hampshire that really needed it at this time,” Standbridge stated.
Before Iberdrola’s list of benefits was widely known, local residents had concerns with the project’s effects on the landscape and property values as well as noise produced by the turbines.
“The noise is pretty much nonexistent. The project obviously does more good than harm for New Hampshire, especially with the future tax breaks,” Stanbridge stated.
The residents’ appeals were not successful when the Supreme Court did not take up the case. The potential environmental and economic benefits of the Groton Wind Farm are now more appreciated by the locals since the N.H. Site Evaluation Committee approved the project in May 2011.