Way OT- Wind Turbines

A couple of weeks ago a wind energy company came to us with interest in our land for up to 3 wind turbines. Not really sure about it yet as the contract has yet to be read over in fine detail. Anybody had any experience with wind turbines? If you have a contract with an energy company for a wind turbine but have a confidentiality clause please share what you think of them overall. ANY information is helpful even if less than specific. The deal their offering is $15,000 or 2%, which ever is higher. Seems about right but I'm not too sure what others are getting. The thing that concerns me is the easement part of it. See link below. It is suggestion #22. Why is it that they say not to allow conversion to easement. Any way to prevent the huge hole they show in the picture and to make them agree to put turbines and lanes and hydro lines in agreed to places? Also, reading more about the specific company that came to us it looks more like they build the turbines and then sell it to some one else. Any one that has any info on this or any experience with turbines is asked to reply. ALl inforation is helpful.Thank you for your replies.
Wisconsin Farmer Regrets Wind Turbines

I think the guy in your link didn't fully understand everything invloved. I looked at the tips listed below in your link. The most important one I think is getting a good lawyer and having them pay for it. However, I'd make absolutely sure that the lawyer was of your choosing and not the wind companies. Having one lawyer to handle all the farmers may or may NOT be in you best interest. Maybe having a few lawyers working together for the farmers best interest would be the best? Dave

I would never let them on my farm. I will try my best to stop any being built close to me too. The farmer that leases the land for those ugly things don"t get squat compared to the lasting damage done. Also they are not "silent" like they tell you. Do you want no control over who is on your farm, at anytime???? I have a friend that has one. They ruined ten acres of corn, two weeks before harvest, to put in a foundation that they then let set for eight months before they came back. He got paid for about two acres of corn. They told him that the roads did not count in the damage contract only the actual site. Plus I don"t want to look at them blocking my view. They are ugly as sin.

So I would really asked myself if the money is worth ruining my ground for ever???? If you are like me you have worked to make your farm more easy to farm. How will roads and tower sites cut up your fields??? Also how about blinking red lights all night long??? They all have them on top.

Your choice and your land. I would think long and hard about it.

article seems to be slanted towards the anti-wind turbine movement,on the other hand are wind turbines in the long run a true money maker or are they be subsidisized by the government with our tax money. bill m.

Everything is negotiable, but you're dealing with big time professionals here. Definitely get an experienced lawyer of your own.

wind turbines are another scam .

Tom is right, if you do it, your family lawyer should review the deal first.

Like the ethanol for fuel industry, the wind generators will vanish nearly overnight once the federal subsidies dry up.

Dean

Wow! These guys make the gas and oil guys look like saints!
It ends up being quite simple. Their "standard" lease is written by them for them.
When you take the time to draw up a rough idea of a lease written by YOU for YOU, they'll walk away(there's always greener pasture)

(quoted from post at 01:18:17 09/05/10) I would never let them on my farm. I will try my best to stop any being built close to me too. The farmer that leases the land for those ugly things don"t get squat compared to the lasting damage done. Also they are not "silent" like they tell you. Do you want no control over who is on your farm, at anytime???? I have a friend that has one. They ruined ten acres of corn, two weeks before harvest, to put in a foundation that they then let set for eight months before they came back. He got paid for about two acres of corn. They told him that the roads did not count in the damage contract only the actual site. Plus I don"t want to look at them blocking my view. They are ugly as sin.

So I would really asked myself if the money is worth ruining my ground for ever???? If you are like me you have worked to make your farm more easy to farm. How will roads and tower sites cut up your fields??? Also how about blinking red lights all night long??? They all have them on top.

Your choice and your land. I would think long and hard about it.

Click to expand...

JDseller, I feel the same way. and I also feel that those wind turbines are NOT the answer anyhow. Plus, there will come a time when those wind turbines WILL have to come down, and who will be responsible for the removal?

Don't even get me started on those bustards. You may as well sign a lease your town will only consider the money they are going to receive NOT the wishes of those who will be forced to live amongst the 450 foot turbines. Everpower has been trying to foist these things upon us in my town. They are going to build 28 on the ridge behind my house and the next ridge west. Power generated will not benefit local residents but will most likely be sold to New York city. Also remember any monies they pay out are YOUR TAX DOLLARS from federal and or state subsidies. Should you later find that the turbine are noisy give you health issues from the strobe effect or somehow negatively affect your quality of life you have no recourse! In some situations low frequency vibrations can penetrate your house. If they were not good enough for the late Senator Ted Kennedy they are not good enough for me!

That was a lot to type on my Droid! Like I said don't get me started!

Cant burn coal,cant build nuclear,camt build a road,cant have a power line,cant run a pipeline just where are we going to get energy we all use if cant build it here. What is your answer to that.In the past heard the same stories remember the interstate stories just to name one issue. Think about it.

Cant burn coal,cant build nuclear,camt build a road,cant have a power line,cant run a pipeline just where are we going to get energy we all use if cant build it here. What is your answer to that.In the past heard the same stories remember the interstate stories just to name one issue. Think about it.

That #22 statement is probably referring to a lease being converted to an easement - but I'm guessing. Federal law demands that all leases have an end-date. Easements are forever.
If you do sign any lease or easement, beware of "open to interpretation" statements e.g. "right to access and maintain as necessary."
Make sure all access is 100% defined and mapped.

Personally, I hate the big wind towers, but that's just me.

You've got to ask yourself why you want to do it, and go from there.

If it's to help with the environment, then you've been terribly duped.

If it's just for some extra income, and you don't mind a loss of property owner's rights, privacy, and maybe property value - go for it. You are the one that has to balance those things out.

I've got some remote forest land in Jefferson County, New York, on top of the Tug Hill Plateau. They've installed those things all over the place near me. It's like an alien invasion. Roads built all over, security and maintanance people all over- night and day, etc. The turbines themselves make me dizzy when I drive near them. Probably because they are never in sync and all turn at different speeds.

The reality is, these companies get huge tax-payer incentives to built these things, and then they sell them off. As to helping out with energy production in this country - it doesn't even amount to a drop-in-the-bucket, and never will.

Note that I am not anti-alternative energy. My home and farm is on 100% solar and wind energy. I also have a small home in the Adirondacks that is on 100% solar. But, that's small scale, and does fine just for me. In reality, it does nothing for the evironment overall. It enabled me to get some of my tax dollars back, and . . . have some energy independence. I won't live long enough to actually save any money with it - unless present utility rates double (and maybe they will).

farmer boy- my hometown is currently going thru the process of getting, or stopping (depends on what side of the issue your on) wind turbines. The original project tried to get turbines on their targeted area, but only a very small amount of farmers signed up their land. Regardless of this, they are still trying to ram them thru. On top of that, most people are against the idea of wind turbines, and the community (and families) are getting torn apart over the issue. My hometown is very close nit, and something like this is not typical for our community. Take and form your own opinion on your offer, but keep in mind they basically rob you off all your rights and can take your farm away if you break one of their rules! I'd say run away, and tell them to never come back!
Goodhue, MN wind truth homepage

I live in Western NY State, basically on the side of a mountain. I can look over two ridges and see 50 or more wind turbines in Java, NY. It takes me twenty minutes to drive over there, and yet I can see them clear as day from my house. Some people don't mind the way they look. I think they are hideous.

Many of the turbines sit idle while others turn. It seems like a huge waste of space and resources to me. If you really want to manage the load for peak usage, put in a Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) unit.

When I do drive by the turbines, I roll down the windows and listen. They make a very distinct "woosh" noise. When each of the three blades comes to the bottom of the turn, the noise is pronounced. I wouldn't want to live near it.

Of course, the world has known wind power for centuries. Just ask the Dutch! The point is, we have moved on (and now regressed).

As an engineer, I can put 250 MegaWatts in the same space it takes to put up 2.5 MW. Of course, there are more utilities invovled with a steam or combined cycle plant (Electrical service, cooling water, hydraulic systems, etc.), but the increase in usable energy is huge.

Comparatively, solar panels are big and unsightly, as are wind turbines. For my money, you can't beat a steam turbine power plant. Be it nuclear, trash to steam, fossil or geothermal, a steam plant delivers big.

Good luck on your decision. It's a shame the Government is spending our money on a technology that just doesn't pay. At this point, the push to install wind power is merely an extension of political correctness. Since wind power to generate electricity is new, it must be better than the old; even if it is ineffective.

And now back to work for me...

Jay

Farmer boy, I've read all the other posts of those who responded. I read sometime back that the John Deere Co. is looking for ground to put wind turbines on. I would definately talk to a good lawyer and possibly want free electric to my place from the turbine if they want it on my location. As communities grow more electric is needed thus substations etc, so the our costs go up. I believe wind turbines are a great idea. It seems to be growing. I would use a turbine over a solar panel any day.

I wouldnt do it unless you have a lawyer look it over real good and the money is a very good investment for you.

I know of people that allowed a logging company to come in and log out hardwood acreage. Bad decision on their part, land is wrecked, a big mess to pick up and you get a few thousand dollars for the massive PITA that you signed up to. Aint worth it. That windmill company doesnt give a rip about you............Dont forget that.

Same thing happened around here with the Huron, Riply and Underwood Wind Farms. Land owners that got together as a group with a contract lawyer did fine.
Those who just signed a contract after looking it over them selves? Lets just say they wish they had spent a little up front, then made much more $$$ later and saved many headaches.

I wouldn't do it.You will never find a truthfull lawyer unless you have more money than that company.If they find out you got a lawyer whats stopping them from paying him double to work for them,especialy if they already have to pay for it.I would run away as fast as I could.

JD is divesting itself of its wind farms.

I happen to be involved in building 16 of those critters right now, adding to an existing field. This particular company is taking great care to keep the landowners happy, I work for the contractor installing them, and both the parent utility and our company install them all around the country. I'm doing the earthwork and building the roads, and personally see & talk to the landowners out 'n about most every day, and the last few weeks it's been pretty common to see a hillside combine & grain wagons working next to a D8 dozer, and I've made a few quickie access roads for the combine crews, everybody's happy. One of the gents has a few beautiful horses out, and I've put a guy full time at the fence gate when we're running rock trucks to tend to the horses- and they're sneaky critters LOL. There are pretty good sized bases for the turbines, about a 65' diameter hole, but we clean off and stockpile all the topsoil first, then excavate, install the base, and backfill, and when everthing is done, regrade the subsoil to blend into the terrain, and last replace the topsoil. Access roads are left, farmers get a cut and free roads, everybody seems happy. As in anything with right-of-ways, easements, and contracts, of course you should use the services of the best legal counsel you can get- and the landowners working through a common firm as a class might be a good idea

Dean,
I tend to agree with you. I like the idea of an alternate energy but I think that once the subsidies are gone it won't be so attractive. A few weeks ago I saw hundreds of wind generators along the interstate in Indiana and not a one was going around. I thought that maybe they went bankrupt but then about a week later on the way back about one half of them were turning although some were going pretty slow. Maybe the wind is not always there for them.

if it such a great idea why not put them in washingon dc ? lot of hot air blowing there . also a lot of crooks and liers .

Each company, I am sure, has a different contract to sign. I have signed on with 2 different companies and didn't think their contracts were that difficult to figure out. Any questions I had they gladly answered to clarify it for me. My land is in a remote area with no farm sites close by. All the neighboring land owners also have signed on so why not get in on the money also. To date, I received a $1000 for each year of the agreement plus a $1000 signing bonus. The agreement is for 3 years and after that time, they can extend it for another 2 years. At that time, they pay another extra $1000 to renew it. So for a 5 year deal, I receive $7000. Then if they decide to go ahead and put a tower on my land, they pay $5000 per year with yearly 2% increases. This depends on the size of turbine they put up. The bigger, the more they pay.

The language about the easement for road and tower was not that difficult to understand. Tower removal and returning the land to pretower condition is spelled out. Taxes on the tower is covered in it. If no tower is put on your land but a line is run across it, they pay also. This is probably why they try to get as many to sign on as possible. Makes getting a transmission line in a lot easier.

John Deere recently sold their holdings in wind towers for $860 million for the working units. 75% of the power capability was already being under contract. They also got $40 million additional for projects in the works. The towers can run around $1 million apiece, depending on the size. Payback on them is in 6-7 years I have heard. Lots of profit to be made by the companies putting them up.

From where I am working now, we see windmill blades going on the interstate all day long. Sometimes as high as 15 blades a day go by. I don't think they are just a fad at the cost and shear number of them that are in the country. Ever been to the Grand Canyon lately? The haze you see is from power plant emissions. We can't keep on building them and expect to have clear days forever either.

JD is in my area now looking to set up a wind farm. Mark

farmer boy, Down here in Texas going rate is about $3000 to $6000 / Month X 20 yrs the "contract length" / Tower!. Not to mention, damages, roads, and other associated damages to put your land back into pre-tower condition. Hope this helps
Later,
John A.

They're more than a fad because our tax dollars are subsidizing them.

If these things had to stand alone on their own profitability, they wouldn't be going up.

The GE / "green energy" crowd in government have an incestuous relationship.

$3000 to 6000 a month? . That's 36 to 72,000 a year. I'll be lucky to end up with 25,000/ year.

farmer boy, You asked for information! If you don't like the contract they are offering GET a better deal!
In the Sweetwater, Texas area the local Farmers and Ranchers are now for the first time in their lives they are making Real money on the Turbines that are being put on their places. Most of this country requires 30 or mor acres to keep a cow yr-round. Was at a local Service station about a yr ago one rancher has about 150 turbines on his place. Though 10 to 20 is more the norm.
Again if you do not like the deal they are offering... Negoceiate a better deal! IMO you should be more near 4k/month than 2k.
Hope this helps'
Later,
John A.
PS. You said $25000 X 20 yr contract that is $500000 over the contract life. Still not bad having to look at a big wind turbine for a while.
Smart Investing and you and your family can be set for life....Roth IRA or something to grow with Little to No taxes....Visit with your accountant! good luck