Commercial Wind Site Assessment

Commercial Scale Wind Site Assessment Grant of Services

The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (“MassCEC”) is pleased to accept applications for a Commercial Wind Project Site Assessment Grant of Services.  For approved applications, MassCEC will award a grant of services to an Applicant to have one of MassCEC’s technical consultants perform the Site Assessment.  MassCEC will pay all consultant costs beyond a cost share of $3,500 as described in the documents below.

The Site Assessment provides qualified entities (see Program Requirements, below) with a preliminary evaluation of the potential for wind generation on one or multiple sites.  The goal of the Commercial Wind Project Site Assessment is to help qualified entities identify sites that might be appropriate for a wind project; to assess the advantages, disadvantages, and potential fatal flaws of each site; and to provide recommendations as to which sites could warrant further analysis.

The Commercial Wind Project Site Assessment evaluates the potential for wind projects that have a minimum capacity of greater than 2 MW, have the potential to have at least three turbines at the site, and plan to serve the wholesale power market.   If you are a public entity interested in a Site Assessment please see the Community Scale Site Assessment Solicitation page.

MassCEC requires that a site assessment be completed for all projects seeking MassCEC funding for later development stages.  The site assessment does NOT have to be performed with funding from MassCEC.  Project proponents may choose to fund their own site assessment.  Regardless, the site assessment report needs to contain the information outlined in Attachment A of this Protocol document. 

This Site Assessment Grant of Services is available to project developers or landowners.  Project developers or landowners who do not have experience in developing a wind project will need to follow the procedures in this Protocol document.  Experienced wind developers are encouraged to contact Peter McPhee at 617-315-9343 for information on how to proceed.  MassCEC defines experienced project developers as those that have developed a multiple-turbine wind project to financial close.   

Click Here to Download the Site Assessment Grant of Services Protocol.

This contains:

1)     Application Instructions

2)     Attachment A – Site Assessment Minimum Requirements

3)     Attachment B – Site Assessment Grant Application

4)     Attachment C – Landowner Consent Letter

5)     Attachment D – Notice of Confidential Information Cover Letter

Click Here to Download Attachment E – Grant of Services Agreement (and its attachments).

MassCEC will accept applications on an on-going basis after May 11, 2011.  MassCEC may withdraw or modify this funding opportunity at any time.

Click Here for a List of Frequently Asked Questions

Click Here for Commonwealth Wind Program Resources

Click Here for a Guide to Eligibility for Municipal Light Plants