Idaho Winds LLC has completed construction of its 22 MW Sawtooth wind project, located approximately 60 miles east of Boise, in Elmore County, Idaho, on a sugar beet farm. The Project has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Idaho Power Company.
The project features 14 GE 1.6 MW wind turbines, which are expected to produce the average energy supply for approximately 14,000 homes within Idaho Power’s service territory. The project will be operated by PowerWorks LLC, an affiliate of Idaho Winds LLC.
Mr. Rick Koebbe, President of Idaho Winds LLC, said, “We are delighted to have completed this project, which created jobs and stimulated the local economy, while providing energy to help power homes and businesses in Idaho. Further, over the next 20 years, this project will provide huge economic benefits and jobs to both Elmore County and the State of Idaho, injecting over $40 million into the local economy.”
While normally not mentioned, it’s important to note that clean wind power generation displaces toxic air emissions from fossil-fired power plants. In turn, the avoidance of these pollutant emissions reduces the effects to humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. A recent study showed that over the next 20 years, compared with the toxic air emissions from gas-fired power plants in Idaho, this clean, renewable wind power project will directly displace/avoid/SAVE:
> 1.76 billion lbs of toxic air emissions (including CO2, SO2, NOx and PM2.5)
> 1 human death, plus 56 lost work/sick days, and 330 restricted work days
> $7.1 million in health and medical costs
> 2,900 birds deaths
Mr. Koebbe, said, “It’s important to show the clean air benefits of wind power, which are typically ignored by government agencies and regulators. I would rather have my children breathe the clean air from a wind farm, than the toxic air emissions from a gas or coal plant. We’re saving humans and wildlife alike with clean wind power.”
The renewable energy credits (RECs) generated from the Sawtooth project have been sold to a third party.
Idaho Winds LLC and its affiliates (including Pacific Winds LLC and PowerWorks LLC) own and operate five wind power projects, totaling of 117 MW, consisting of over 900 wind turbines, located in California and Idaho. In addition, we are pursuing new utility-scale wind projects across the nation. For more information, please contact Mr. Rick Koebbe, President, at the company’s web site: www.powerworks.com.
For more information, please visit our Projects page.