ROCKY FORGE WIND PROJECT PROFILE
Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville, Virginia, is currently in the early stages of constructing Rocky Forge Wind, which is expected to generate enough energy to power up to 21,000 U.S. homes annually. The project recently secured a power purchase agreement for the electricity and has entered the final stages of development. We will continue actively meeting with landowners, community leaders, and the public to share information about the project over the next several months.
Rocky Forge Wind represents a clear opportunity for both Botetourt County and the Commonwealth of Virginia to promote rural economic growth while developing safe, clean renewable energy. We are excited to be a part of your community.
PROJECT SUMMARY
- Project size: Approximately 75 MW
- Enough energy to power up to 21,000 U.S. homes
- Turbines will be spaced approximately 1/4 mile apart
- Existing high-voltage power lines and highways would limit the need for new infrastructure
- Up to 22 modern, slow-spinning wind turbines, spinning at an average rate of about 15 RPM
- Power will be delivered into the Virginia electrical grid and purchased by the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Up to 250 FTE jobs and significant local spending during construction
- Approximately 7 full-time jobs created for operations and maintenance
- Taxpayers protected against decommissioning costs
- Would represent a significant investment in the local economy, with revenues for property owners, local government services, and schools for 30 years
- Provide $20 million to $25 million in state and county tax revenue over the life of the project
WHY BOTETOURT COUNTY?
Rocky Forge Wind will represent a significant private investment in Botetourt County, boosting the local economy in the near term with construction jobs and local and regional purchasing of materials and services. In the long term, the project promises to bring sustained tax revenue to the county for the local government and schools, as well as 30 years of purchasing, employment, and investment in the region.
The project site was selected by Apex Clean Energy after a thorough examination of many candidate sites within Virginia for the following reasons:
- Verified wind resource
- Existing high-voltage power lines
- Expansive private land
- Proximity to state highways
The project is expected to inject millions of dollars into Botetourt County’s economy to support local and regional merchants, contractors, and equipment suppliers.
WIND ENERGY FOR RURAL AMERICA
The cost of wind energy has dropped more than 50% over the past five years, providing a cost-competitive source for clean electricity across the nation. Wind powers the equivalent of 25 million American homes each year.* Wind energy comes with many benefits, including reduced pollution, increased domestic employment, consumer cost savings, water conservation, nationwide availability, and increased community revenues.** Wind turbines complement working farms and rural land, because they allow for existing agricultural or recreational operations to continue around them. They also help rural economic development by diversifying the local economy and providing a consistent stream of recurring revenue.
POTENTIAL TIMELINE
We are in the late stages of the development process for Rocky Forge Wind. Apex is working to develop a final project layout with a selected turbine. All necessary local permits have been received by Botetourt County and the project is now in the state review process by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. Throughout the local permitting process there have been many opportunities for the public to provide input; we encourage members of the public to share their input during the public comment period that runs from July 9th to August 10th, 2020 as part of the state review process. The current plan is to have Rocky Forge Wind operational and delivering benefits to Botetourt County and the Commonwealth by the end of 2022.
*AWEA, Wind Energy Facts at a Glance, 2019
**Department of Energy, Wind Vision: A New Era for Wind Power in the United States, 2015