Wind Energy

The town’s comprehensive plan inventories wind energy resources, assesses the compatibility of wind energy systems with existing land uses, and sets renewable generation goals, which include policies for future land use and the town electric department. It’s energy planning sections align with the State of Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan goals (p.101). It encourages the town electric utility to continue seeking renewable generation purchase power contracts (p.102 - 108). It designates preferred, potentially undesirable, and not supported areas for renewable energy facility siting (p.113 - 114). Its wind energy potential map includes transmission infrastructure, existing facilities, overlay districts, and “prime” and “secondary” locations for future development (Appendix)

To improve cell phone coverage in the town, it encourages the co-location of cellular infrastructure with wind turbines (p.115). It encourages renewable energy systems for residential developments (Housing Task 9). It supports small net-metered or off-grid residential wind energy systems and provides standards (Energy Policy 18). It does not support large wind energy systems with a rated capacity greater than 100 kW or taller than 170 feet. It supports the development of distributed community wind energy (Energy Task 5).