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• Development process

Green River

Development process

The development process for wind farms can be broken into two stages. The first is the longer stage where we determine the overall viability of the project before it can become constructible. This can take anywhere from eighteen months to several years. This phase includes confirming that we have three factors to start with: adequate wind resource, sufficient capacity on the electricity grid, and leases for the land on which the turbines will be built. We will then move on to conducting environmental studies and securing the permits needed for the wind farm. The last step needed in this first stage is securing a power sale contract (often called a Power Purchase Agreement or PPA) to set a fixed power sales price over the long term (typically 15 or 20 years).

Once these first six pieces are in place we can move into the second stage of wind development which is procuring the turbines, securing project finance to go with the equity that Mainstream will invest, and managing the construction. The construction stage itself is relatively short for wind farms – each 200+MW phase for Green River is expected to be complete within a year from the start of construction.

Step 1: Wind
To confirm the wind speeds, we install temporary meteorological towers or “Met Masts.” These Met Masts measure the exact speed, direction, and frequency of the wind. We need to gather at least 12 months wind data to confirm this information, but like all types of data collection, the more information we have, the better.

Step 2: Electricity grid
In order to connect power to the grid, we need to apply for a grid queue position. We also must enter into grid capacity studies, which allow them to get in line to add power to the grid. For any wind development project, a Feasibility Study, System Impact Study, and Facilities Study are all necessary for a grid interconnection agreement to be signed between the utility and the developer of the project.

Step 3: Land
Land is important because of the wind resource above it. In order for us to capture the wind, we need to secure the land below it. The way we do this is by signing a lease to use the land, allowing it to be used both for farming and generating clean energy.  By leasing the rights to put a turbine on it, we are only gaining the ability to develop turbines on the land, and ownership of the land remains with the existing landowner. This creates an additional source of income for farmers while still being able to farm the vast majority of their acreage.

Step 4: Regulatory permitting
We are required to secure the environmental and regulatory permits that are needed for construction in that area. 

The permits can be local, state-wide, or federal, and they all need to be in place in order for us to build the project.  Local Permits include the Special or Conditional Use Permit with the local County Zoning Board, and a Building Permit. State permits needed for a project include consultation with the State’s Department of Natural Resources and Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Federal permits that are needed include Federal Aviation Administration Permits, as well as consultation with agencies such as the Army Corps of Engineers and US Fish and Wildlife.

Step 5: Environment studies
From an early stage in project development, we carry out studies to assess the potential environmental impact of a wind farm on the local area. Renewable energy is well known for being part of the solution to reducing harmful emissions that affect air quality and cause global climate change, however each project needs to be carefully sited so as not to cause a detrimental effect to the flora, fauna and local residents.

Broad scoping studies start from an early stage in wind farm development, and develop into more specific pieces of work to address any issues found. Shadow flicker and noise are often of most concern to local residents; however both can be mitigated with the right homework and careful siting of turbines. Bird and bat deaths are also a risk that prospective projects need to address, and there are a number of different approaches to managing these risks, which depend on the site in question but which typically return again to appropriate location of the turbines.

Please click here to view our corporate environmental policy.

Step 6: Power sales
Once the wind, grid, and land are secured, the developer goes into the process of finding somebody to sell the power to. This is a commonly misunderstood part of power generation. While a project can feed electricity into a certain utility’s grid, the same utility might not necessarily be the purchaser of the electricity from the wind farm. Through energy trading markets, and complex systems of supply and demand throughout the country, wind farms are able to power homes, businesses and industrial plants near or far.

Ultimately all renewable energy is sold to utilities that serve end users (such as homeowners, businesses, and industry). We will sell to a traditional utility, an electric cooperative, or an Alternative Retail Electric Supplier. The sale of the electricity is done through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) which is a legal contract between ourselves (the electricity generator) and them. In order for us to secure a guaranteed rate over the life of the project (more than 20 years) these are long term in nature and are generally 20 year contracts.

Step 7: Turbine procurement
The increase in demand for turbines over the past few years has placed turbine procurement in the center of scheduling construction. One of Mainstream Renewable Power’s strengths is our relationship with the top turbine manufacturers in the world. Because of our long term growth projections across different areas of the world, turbine manufacturers see partnering with Mainstream as a relationship to maintain regardless of the economic time.

Step 8: Securing finance
Our project development funding comes from a combination of shareholder equity and corporate fundraising.  When we move a project to construction, we partner with large financial institutions interested in investing in renewable energy across the globe. 

Step 9: Managing construction
Once we get to the construction phase of the project, Mainstream will partner with established wind farm construction companies that have a proven track record of building in the United States.  Our Asset Delivery team will manage the project throughout the construction. Specifically, our Head of Asset Delivery and Construction has expertise in civil and electrical engineering of wind farms, project management, and contract law. He has been involved in development, engineering and construction of more than 30 wind farms, as well as directly supervising the construction of 15 wind farms in Texas, Ireland and Scotland.