| Frequently Asked Questions |
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Why did you choose Lempster for a wind project? |
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We wanted to help build the first wind farm in New Hampshire, so we began by researching the wind resource in the state. The Lempster Mountain area has an excellent wind resource that has been measured for several years and is capable of producing utility-scale power. The topography of the area is well-suited to enable construction of a wind power project, and the project has nearby transmission lines, which enable clean, emission-free wind energy to easily enter the local power grid. |
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Is the Lempster Wind project located on public or private land? |
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Privately held land. Lempster property owners receive market based payments from Community Energy in return for allowing us to lease their land for the wind farm
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How much power will the Lempster Wind Project produce? |
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The project is a 24 Megawatt wind power facility and will generate more than 70,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year. This is enough energy power more than 10,000 average New Hampshire homes! |
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What are the benefits of wind power to Lempster and the region? |
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The Lempster Wind Farm will generate and deliver clean energy to the local power grid, reducing the need for energy generation from other energy sources. This means cleaner air and a healthier environment. Economic benefits include payments to the local government and/or payments to the local school district, and payments to local landowners. Additionally, Lempster will benefit from job creation during the time of construction of the project as well as during the operating life of the project, adding a further economic boost to the area. |
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What will the wind turbines at the Lempster project look like? |
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The wind turbines will be conventional horizontal axis machines with a tower, nacelle and three blades, all painted an off-white color designed to help the machines blend with the sky background. |
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What is "shadow flicker" and will the Lempster wind turbines cause it? |
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Shadow flicker is the creation of a slowing moving shadow that is visible when the viewer is positioned between the wind turbines and the sun. It is visible only a percentage of clear sky, daylight hours. An assessment (PDF) of shadow flicker potential at the Lempster site shows that residences and public areas are projected to receive well below the generally-accepted standard of 30 hours of impact per year. |
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Will the Lempster wind turbines have lights on them? |
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Typically, wind turbines are required to install red flashing lights that operate at night. We are currently working closely with the Federal Aviation Association to determine the specific tower lighting that will be required at the Lempster project. |
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What sound or noise is produced by the wind turbines proposed for use in Lempster? |
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The sound turbines produce is similar to a light whooshing or swishing sound, and much quieter than other types of modern-day equipment. At most distances beyond 500 feet, the sound of the blowing wind is often louder. A noise assessment (PDF) performed at the proposed Lempster site concluded that impacts on residences and other public areas are projected to receive well below the generally-accepted standard of 45 dBa of noise, and that impacts will generally not be experienced outside of 500 to 1000 feet from the Project. |
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Will the Lempster wind turbines make sub-audible vibrations that can be felt locally? |
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No, the modern wind turbine technology that will be used in Lempster will not produce any vibration or "infrasound." For more information on infrasound, see "Wind Turbine Noise, Infrasound and Noise Perception" by the University of Massachusetts, Renewable Energy Research Laboratory:
www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweringamerica/pdfs/
workshops/mwwg_turbine_noise.pdf. |
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Will I hear or see the Lempster wind turbines from my property? |
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It will depend upon the final design and layout of the wind farm and where your property is located in relation to the wind farm are available on the Community Information page. |
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Will the Lempster wind turbines have an impact on the Goshen-Lempster School? |
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No impacts on the school are anticipated. The closest turbines at the Lempster wind project site will be located between one and one and a half miles from the school. In terms of sound from the project, this distance is well outside the range for noise impact, which even within 500 to 1000 feet from the project is minimal (see above links on noise and infrasound) The turbines should be obscured from the school's view based on topography and tree cover. |
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Will there be increased traffic in Lempster associated with the project? |
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The project will have no impact on traffic during its operating life. During the construction period, there will be minor impacts such as localized traffic delays during delivery of the turbines and construction materials. Plans for construction truck routes and frequency of trips have not been finalized, but average wind farm construction is typically completed within a 3 to 6 month time frame. The wind project will require very little maintenance or large truck visits after construction. |
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How much clearing of land is required for the Lempster wind turbines and access roads? |
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An engineering calculation is currently being worked on which will help ascertain this. The clearing will be a small percentage of the total wind farm site, and the project will comply with all permitting and regulations regarding clearing. |
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Can helicopters be used for the construction process to minimize road impacts? |
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Wind farms require substantial foundations for the turbines and very precise handling of the turbine components during erection. The use of helicopters for the construction is not considered to be economic or practical from a personal safety viewpoint. |
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How will the Lempster project impact the surrounding environment? |
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Expert consultants have completed extensive environmental and avian studies, and will continue monitoring potential impacts. Thus far, the proposed project has been found to have no substantially negative impact on the surrounding environment. For more details on environmental permitting issues and surveys conducted by the project, please see the Community Information page. |
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Will the Lempster wind turbines throw ice during winter storms? |
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Ice throws from wind turbine blades is relatively uncommon. When ice or glazing does form on turbine components, it normally drops to the ground. The risk of ice damage from falling ice is mitigated by siting the turbine units properly and employing technology to control the turbine's operation. Computer sensors and personnel who operate the turbines can shut the unit down, if needed, during an icing event. The turbines at the Lempster site are remote from residences and buildings, making the likelihood of impact from ice negligible.
For more information please see Ice Throw Assessment of Safety (PDF). |
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What will the impacts be on recreational use of the surrounding land? |
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Recreational use of the project site will largely be dictated by the owners of the private land surrounding the project. The area directly around the wind turbines may be restricted or limited for security and safety purposes, but the landowners will determine what types of activities will be allowed on the land around the project. Typically at wind power projects, recreational and business activities can easily continue in the surrounding area. |
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Will there be new high-voltage power lines on the site? |
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The power will be transported through power lines at 34.5 kilovolts, which is a voltage already used in the distribution systems that provide power safely throughout the region. From the project site to the substation in Newport, the power lines will be on regular wood utility poles. |
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Will the wind turbines be fenced or secured from public access? |
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Wind turbines are not normally fenced and since the property on which the turbines are located is private, there should be no public access. Due to normal safety precautions, wind turbines are locked to prevent unauthorized access and all ladders are internal. |
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What is the expected useful life of the Lempster Wind project? |
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Twenty years based on the technology used today. |
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I have a local business that would like to sub-contract for the project construction - is there a process for selection? |
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The Lempster project is contracting directly with a general building contractor that specializes in the construction of wind farms. This general contractor will be encouraged by the project team to use local contractors whenever possible to supply locally available materials and resources. The name of the general contractor will be made available to the public when the necessary contract documents are in place. |
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Does the power produced by the project go directly to homes or businesses in Lempster? |
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By nature, the flow of electricity can't be tracked to any specific addresses once it is put into the power grid. All power produced for customers in New Hampshire and New England must flow through the regional power grid, controlled by ISO-New England (See www.iso-ne.com). As such, the Lempster wind power will go into the power grid that is used by all customers in the area. |
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Who will buy the power from the Lempster Wind project? |
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Currently, it is anticipated that Public Service of New Hampshire will purchase the entire output of the Lempster project, with a portion re-sold to the New Hampshire Electric Co-op for use in serving its customers. |
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Is there a plan for taking down the wind turbines once the life of the project is over? |
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Decommissioning is currently included in the lease agreements signed between the project and the private landowners that will lease land to the project. The decommissioning arrangements include removal of the wind turbines and foundations to below surface grade. Access roads will be removed or left at the direction of the landowner.
The project is also in discussions with the Town of Lempster about an agreement that includes provisions to ensure proper decommissioning of the Project after its useful life. |
