Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
ARM completed a comprehensive feasibility study and wind resource assessment for The Hershey Company (Hershey) that evaluated the potential of siting an industrial-scale, behind-the-meter wind energy installation at Hershey’s Hazle Township processing facility in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The approximately 42-acre site west of Hazleton is at a high elevation for Pennsylvania (approximately 1,800 feet) and has unobstructed wind exposure to the west and northwest, the prevailing wind direction. The combination of high elevation, good wind exposure, and high on-site energy consumption make this site an ideal candidate for an industrial-scale wind energy installation. As part of the feasibility study, ARM engineers and scientists:
· Site Suitability and Wind Resource Analysis
· Preliminary Energy Production Estimate
· Transmission Options and Interconnection Viability
· Environmental Due Diligence
· Receptor Sensitivity Screening
· Airspace Obstruction and Communication Interference Screening
· Engineering and Feasibility Assessment
· Stormwater Management
· Turbine Foundations
· Site Access Roads
· Crane Paths and Pads
· Electrical Infrastructure
· Economic and Financial Viability Analysis
· Zoning Issues
· Potential Flaws and Key Assumptions/Sensitivities Discussion
Based upon the analyses performed as part of this feasibility study, and relying heavily on the estimated wind speed data for the site, ARM recommended that an industrial-scale wind energy system is technically and financially feasible at Hershey’s Hazleton facility.