Shepherds Flat Wind Farm
{{short description|Wind farm in Oregon, USA}}
{{Infobox power station
| name = Shepherds Flat Wind Farm
| location = Near Arlington, Oregon
| ps_electrical_cap_fac = 22.7% (average 2013-2017)
| ps_annual_generation = 1,677 GW·h
}}
The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm is an 845 megawatt (MW) wind farm in the eastern part of U.S. state of Oregon, near Arlington, in both Gilliam and Morrow counties. Groundbreaking occurred in 2009, and it officially opened in September 2012.
The wind farm was built by Caithness Energy using General Electric GE2.5XL 2.5 MW wind turbines, and it supplies electricity to Southern California Edison. The wind farm is estimated to have an economic impact of $16 million annually for Oregon. It is one of the largest land-based wind farms in the world.
Details
The wind farm is located in eastern Oregon in both Morrow and Gilliam counties, with the majority of the turbines in the latter.{{cite news|url= http://www.bluemountainalliance.org/news/Shepards%20Flat%20farm%20lifts%20off.pdf |title=Shepherds Flat farm lifts off |last=Mills|first=Erin |date=July 12, 2009 |work=East Oregonian |access-date=11 December 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} Oregon provided tax incentives to the developer to help land the facility,{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/11/tax_dollars_blow_away_in_wind.html |title=Tax dollars blow away in wind projects |last=Sickinger |first=Ted |date=November 28, 2009 |work=The Oregonian |access-date=11 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201051820/http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/11/tax_dollars_blow_away_in_wind.html |archive-date=1 December 2009 |url-status=live }} but the project is expected to provide Gilliam County with about $5 million annually in taxes and fees when it is operating. Shepherds Flat is entirely on private property approximately {{convert|5|mi}} southeast of the city of Arlington between Oregon Route 19 and Oregon Route 74. Construction on the project was expected to employ 400 people to build {{convert|90|mi}} of power lines and {{convert|85|mi}} of roads on the {{convert|30|mi2|adj=on}} wind farm.{{cite news |url=https://money.cnn.com/2009/12/10/news/companies/GE_wind_farm/index.htm?cnn=yes |title=GE to supply world's largest wind farm |last=Yousuf |first=Hibah |date=December 10, 2009 |publisher=CNNMoney.com |access-date=11 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213222847/http://money.cnn.com/2009/12/10/news/companies/GE_wind_farm/index.htm?cnn=yes |archive-date=13 December 2009 |url-status=live }}
Plans for the project first came in 2002 for a 105 megawatt project, with the plan changed to larger project in 2004.{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/08/wind_farms_whip_up_health_fear.html |title=Wind farms whip up health fears for Oregon residents near turbines |last=Holman |first=James |date=August 11, 2008 |work=The Oregonian |access-date=11 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805015205/http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2008/08/wind_farms_whip_up_health_fear.html |archive-date=5 August 2010 |url-status=live }} The project was then submitted to the state in 2006 with plans to have the first phase online in 2008.{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna13937092 |title=California company plans wind farm in Oregon |publisher=Associated Press |date=July 19, 2006 |access-date=11 December 2009 }} Early plans called for 303 turbines and a generating capacity of 909 megawatts.{{cite web |url=http://renewableenergydev.com/red/wind-power-shepherds-flat-wind-farm/ |title=Shepherd's Flat Wind Farm |date=August 5, 2008 |work=Wind Power |publisher=Renewable Energy Development |access-date=11 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128052145/http://renewableenergydev.com/red/wind-power-shepherds-flat-wind-farm/ |archive-date=28 November 2009 }} At the time, it would have doubled the capacity for wind-generated power in Oregon.{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/business/121703731921620.xml&coll=7 |title=Unanimous yes vote advances |last=Gunderson |first=Laura |date=July 26, 2008 |work=The Oregonian |access-date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080802095741/http://www.oregonlive.com/business/oregonian/index.ssf?%2Fbase%2Fbusiness%2F121703731921620.xml&coll=7 |archive-date=2 August 2008 |url-status=live }} The farm is divided into several sections, with the Willow Creek Wind Farm between two of the larger segments.{{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/oregon_wind_farms_whip_up_nois.html |title=Oregon wind farms whip up noise, health concerns |last=Cockle |first=Richard |date=March 26, 2009 |work=The Oregonian |access-date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111222301/http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/03/oregon_wind_farms_whip_up_nois.html |archive-date=11 January 2010 |url-status=live }}
Approved in 2008 by state regulators,{{cite news |url=http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/28/daily1.html |title=Oregon wind farm could be world's largest |date=July 28, 2008 |work=Portland Business Journal |access-date=11 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027113240/http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/07/28/daily1.html |archive-date=27 October 2009 |url-status=live }} groundbreaking came in 2009. The project design now includes 338 GE2.5XL turbines built by GE Wind Energy, each with a capacity to produce 2.5 megawatts, and used for the first time in United States. These turbines and a ten-year service contract cost a total of $1.4 billion, the largest expense on the estimated $2 billion project. In December 2010, the Department of Energy (DOE) offered a $1.3 billion loan guarantee for the project. The insurance fee for the loan guarantee would be paid from federal stimulus money through the Financial Institution Partnership Program.[http://lpo.energy.gov/?p=1955 DOE LPO finalizes deal on the World’s largest Wind Project to date] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721041310/http://lpo.energy.gov/?p=1955 |date=2011-07-21 }} United States Department of Energy, 17 December 2010. Accessed: 18 December 2010.{{cite web |url= http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j_ep03MsEswjjfdlaidn5GyusYhgD9INR97G1?docId=D9INR97G1 |title= Feds offer loan guarantee for Ore. wind farm |first= Jeff |last= Barnard |date= October 9, 2010 |publisher= Associated Press |access-date= 2010-10-13}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Generating capacity will be 845 megawatts, producing an estimated 2 billion kWh each year, enough to provide electricity to 235,000 homes. Once operational, the facility will have about 35 permanent employees. The wind farm is estimated to have an economic benefit of $16 million annually for Oregon.{{cite news |url=http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/12/07/daily36.html |title=World's largest wind farm coming to Oregon |date=December 10, 2009 |work=Portland Business Journal |access-date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213221518/http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2009/12/07/daily36.html |archive-date=13 December 2009 |url-status=live }}
In April 2011, Google announced they had invested $100 million in the project,{{cite web|url=http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/shepherding-wind.html|title=Official Google Blog: Shepherding the wind|last=Needham|first=Rick|date=18 April 2011|work=Official Google Blog|access-date=18 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110421071641/http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/shepherding-wind.html|archive-date=21 April 2011|url-status=live}} part of a $500 million investment package announced by General Electric and including as investors, also, subsidiaries of Itochu Corp. and Sumitomo Corporation.{{cite web | url=http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-others-invest-500-mln-in-ge-wind-farm-2011-04-18-1320310|title=Google, others invest $500 mln in GE wind farm|last=Witkowski|first=Wallace|date=18 April 2011|work=MarketWatch|access-date=19 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110424123744/http://www.marketwatch.com/story/google-others-invest-500-mln-in-ge-wind-farm-2011-04-18-1320310|archive-date=24 April 2011|url-status=live}} The facility was officially opened on September 22, 2012.{{cite news|title=Shepherds Flat wind farm opens Saturday in eastern Oregon|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/09/green_oregon_sheperd_hills_win.html#incart_hbx|access-date=26 September 2012|newspaper=The Oregonian|date=September 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120924220902/http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2012/09/green_oregon_sheperd_hills_win.html#incart_hbx|archive-date=24 September 2012|url-status=live}}
Electricity production
Concerns
Concerns have been raised by taxpayer watchdog groups, that ranch owners receive up to $12,000 annually per turbine leased on their land, while they have already received tens of millions of dollars in government subsidies. Some local ranchers due to benefit or already benefiting from the partially government subsidized wind energy projects received nearly $1 million in government subsidies in 2008 alone.{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041503120.html | work=The Washington Post | first=Juliet | last=Eilperin | title=Pentagon objections hold up Oregon wind farm | date=16 April 2010 | access-date=31 October 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926101207/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/15/AR2010041503120.html | archive-date=26 September 2017 | url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/2010/04/15/faa-and-air-force-ground-wind-farm-development/|title=FAA and Air Force Ground Wind Farm Development|access-date=2011-11-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708191434/http://www.consumerenergyreport.com/2010/04/15/faa-and-air-force-ground-wind-farm-development/|archive-date=2011-07-08|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://trueslant.com/timzimmermann/2010/04/19/priority-smackdown-alternative-energy-vs-the-pentagon/|title=Priority Smackdown: Alternative Energy Vs. The Pentagon|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706022404/http://trueslant.com/timzimmermann/2010/04/19/priority-smackdown-alternative-energy-vs-the-pentagon/|archive-date=2013-07-06}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Oregon|Weather|Renewable energy}}}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20091027044144/http://www.efw.bpa.gov/environmental%5Fservices/Document%5FLibrary/ShepherdsFlatWindFarm/ BPA.gov: Shepherds Flat Wind Farm] — Shepherds Flat Wind Farm (archived)
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20090528111300/http://www.gc.energy.gov/NEPA/documents/EIS-0183_ShepherdsFlatWindEnergyROD_(2).pdf U.S. Department of Energy: Shepherds Flat Wind Farm] — Shepherds Flat Wind Farm (archived)
{{Wind power in the United States}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Gilliam County, Oregon
Category:Buildings and structures in Morrow County, Oregon
Category:Energy infrastructure completed in 2012