My husband and I got a letter in the mail this week, did some research tonight and decided to respond to it via e-mail. Competitive Energy (CES) contacted us to tell us they "are in the business of developing Community Wind Projects in Maine."
The land CES is interested in is on top of Mount Harris in Dixmont, Maine. We have our off-the-grid second home there and plenty of windy acres to spare.
Hmm, leasing some of our land to produce clean energy? An income source from helping Maine have clean energy?? Woah. A gift has blown in from the Wind Gods.
The letter also mentions their project in Freedom Maine
CES also states: "Our focus on small installations also allows us to utilize sites that have good wind resources but which are too small for the mega-projects that are standard practice in the US today."
My dream is that it will all work out and they will agree to maintain the 1 mile of dirt road that my husband struggles to keep up with the tractor. (again, a newly formed dream in the works here). Our only concern is that they will decide to go with our land broker (who owns a parcel further up on the mountain). We figure he may have been contacted as well. He was keeping that parcel with hope that a cell tower would be built on it someday. Well he can always get the cell tower, but we can get the windmills. If CES builds on the other side of the property we will not even have to see them. Word has it that they are quiet too. Leasing a chunk of our land for clean energy...who would have thought? There's a constant wind up there and it's about time someone takes full advantage of it.
Has anyone heard of CES and the work that they do? Have any of you worked out a deal for leasing part of your property for a similar project?
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Comments: 16
If this goes to the next step it will become a really involved process. It will allow us to become more well known in the small community (and not just as the couple that spends 1 weekend/month up there).
Another part of it that I never thought of until last night is the fact that it will bring tax revenue into a town that will have to give nothing in return. Tax revenue is much needed as budgets there are very tight.
I'm with Gerry in that I hope to read more about this.
Well the good news is we would not own nor run it. We would just make $ off of it and hopefully have a road that is in better shape as a result. We are the only property owners on the mountain that take any care with the road. The other folks just have hunting cabins/camps and really appreciate our hard work...but it would be nice to get some help.
We have thought about installing our own wind power to help with our whole off-the-grid system we've got now. Solar is working very well for us but it would be nice to have another source. We do not expect to tap into this energy since we're not on the grid...but to help the area have a clean energy source would be really neat.
I'll write another article about this once I hear back from CES.
I just met my brother's new girlfriend over the weekend. She is in grad school for mechinical engineering...best part is after meeting her I learned her area of study (and research) is...(wait for it)...WIND POWER! :)
That is good to know there is such a large number of them in that area of CA. I've seen them in Palm Desert, but I have not seen them in other CA areas. That is great news!
I was happy to see your story on gather. I believe that wind power makes sense when used on a smaller scale. Good luck with the leasing.