Harrisburg, PA

ARM completed a comprehensive feasibility study and wind resource assessment for the City of Harrisburg, PA that evaluated the potential for locating a 30-megawatt wind farm on the ridgeline above the DeHart Reservoir in Dauphin County.  The study was funded through a grant from the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA).  The year-long study concluded that the project could generate in excess of 60,000,000 kilowatt-hours per year, which could meet the electrical needs of 4,000 homes.  ARM, with its meteorological subconsultant AWS Truewind, completed the following components of the feasibility study:

 

Environmental Studies

ARM completed a preliminary environmental impact assessment, which involved the following evaluations:

· Habitat survey

· Bird and bat survey with risk assessments

· Wetlands identification

· Noise assessment

· Comprehensive visibility study with scaled renderings of the proposed wind farm

 

Community Outreach/ Impact Studies

ARM conducted a study to assess the potential impact to the surrounding community and to determine the level of local support for the project.

· Coordinated with local officials

· Determined local zoning and permitting laws

· Conducted outreach programs to determine any concerns to residents of the area

 

Siting and Facility Layout Evaluation

ARM completed the following studies/assessments:

· Site mapping and easement/right-of-way surveying

· Preliminary civil infrastructure and geotechnical feasibility evaluation

· Turbine size, number, and strategic positioning

· Conceptual site design including transmission line and access road layouts

· Interconnection studies

· Cost estimates and detailed cash flow modeling

 

Wind Resource Assessment

ARM installed a 50-m meteorological tower with multiple anemometers on the ridge top above the DeHart Reservoir to collect wind speed measurements and other meteorological data over a 12-month period to evaluate the energy producing potential of the wind at the site.