With renewable energy, Vermont is way ahead of its neighboring states. The state produced 100% of its electricity from renewable energy in 2020.
Vermont, the second least populated state in the USA, requires very little electricity, and its grid runs on water power, biomass, wind, and sunshine.
Further development of renewable sources encourages other electricity-based transportation, vehicles, and sustainable technologies in the state.
How many wind turbines are in Vermont?
Vermont has 73 turbines installed on wind farms and 50 from individual 100 kW turbines.
There are only five utility-scale wind farms in Vermont. These five wind farms account for 67 of the installed turbines.
Does Vermont have wind turbines?
Yes, there are 11 wind farms in the state operating these turbines. 5 of these 11 wind farms are utility-scale with at least more than 6 MW of installed capacity.
Where is Grandpa’s Knob?
Grandpa’s knob is in Castleton, Vermont. The wind turbine installed on Grandpa’s Knob on top of a mountain was the world’s first to connect to the electric grid. Palmer Putnam designed the project, thus earning him the name Smith-Putnam turbine. GE manufactured the turbine, and local farmers installed it on-site. S. Morgan Smith company funded the project. The project went online in 1941.
Guinness Records awarded the Smith-Putnam turbine for surpassing 1 MW capacity. The turbine celebrated its 80th anniversary from its installation in 2021.
What is the largest wind farm in Vermont?
The largest wind farm in Vermont is Kingdom Community Wind Farm. The 21-turbine wind farm has an installed capacity of 63 MW.
The Kingdom Community Wind Farm utilizes 3 MW turbines, the highest-rated wind turbines in Vermont.
How much MW do the wind turbines in Vermont deliver?
In Vermont, wind turbines deliver a total of 150 MW. The 150 MW comprises 15.77% of the electricity output of the state.
Renewable energy is the primary source of electricity for the state. Hydropower leads the way at 50%, followed by biomass, wind, and solar.
What is the potential for wind energy in Vermont?
Wind projects in the state usually do not include heating because using petroleum and wood for heating is common in Vermont.
Further wind development can reduce biomass consumption as well.
There is potential for small wind turbines in Vermont in the western and southern sites where the 4 to 4.5 meters per second speeds can generate wind power.
On the commercial side, the Dairy Air Wind Project was the last wind project in Vermont to receive a standard offer to sell Vermont wind power. The single turbine project did not push through because government support needed to be improved.
The Allearth Renewables Project was going to be hosted on a dairy farm. Still, it withdrew “all development activities” in 2020 after receiving pushback from the public.
American Wind Energy Association cites that in 2018, 54,000 turbines are operating in the US. In Vermont, most of the turbines are in the highlands and may have limited potential compared to other states.