Rockingham County considering large-scale wind energy
Virginia wind energy could be making its way for Rockingham County as the Board of Supervisors considers ordinance changes that would clear the way for large-scale wind energy projects in the county.
Harrisonburg’s WHSV reports that after two companies approached county officials about building commercial wind farms there, the supervisors drafted a series of proposed regulations establishing height restrictions and other specifications. The Board of Supervisors will hear input from the community on the draft regulations at a public hearing on August 3rd.
Rockingham County would not be the first Virginia locality to harness wind energy for large-scale electricity generation.
Virginia’s first commercial wind farm slated for Highland County cleared its final regulatory hurdle in earlier this year, but has yet to begin construction as planned.
Another 150 megawatt project, a joint venture by BP Wind Energy and Dominion, is planned for Wise County after receiving zoning approval by the Board of Supervisors earlier in the year. Despite the passage of an unfavorable ordinance restricting mountaintop wind projects in Tazewell County in February, Dominion has vowed to continue pursuing a 100 megawatt wind farm there.
A major Midwestern renewable energy company would like to build 19 wind turbines on Poor Mountain in Roanoke County. The proposed wind farm is currently under review by the Federal Aviation Administration to determine if it would interfere with air traffic at Roanoke Regional Airport.
Combined, these projects in Highland, Wise, Tazewell and Roanoke Counties could generate electricity for roughly 100,000 homes.
