Lowell, VT - Kidder Hill Community Wind announced today the suspension of project planning activities for the proposed two-turbine wind installation in Lowell. Citing a turbulent climate for renewable wind energy in Vermont and the urgent need for more renewables to be built, the project explained that resources will be reprioritized toward building renewable energy elsewhere.
“The Phil Scott administration has made clear that it will do whatever it can to stop renewable wind energy from being built here in Vermont,” explained project spokesperson Nick Charyk. “The fight against climate change is too important to be slowed by this administration’s position. Our resources will be devoted to deploying cost effective, renewable wind projects in states committed to cutting fossil fuel emissions. Ultimately, this decision is about getting more renewables built faster for our planet.”
Lifelong Vermonter David Blittersdorf is a passionate renewable energy advocate, and Kidder Hill Community Wind is part of his vision for combatting our CO2 crisis. Within the past seven years, David has led three separate partnerships in building two 2.2 MW community scale solar farms in South Burlington, as well as Georgia Mountain Community Wind, a 10 MW wind farm that helps the city of Burlington source 100% of its power from renewable generation. Recently, David founded AllEarth Rail LLC, to provide essential community passenger railroad services in Vermont that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with motor vehicles and make living in Vermont more affordable. David Blittersdorf is also a project partner for Dairy Air Wind, a single turbine project proposed in a cornfield on a 450-acre dairy farm in Holland, VT. Dairy Air Wind was awarded a state Standard Offer contract to sell electricity in Vermont, and is in the process of being permitted. Dairy Air Wind is moving forward, and plans to earn a certificate of public good and begin construction later this year.
“By not confronting our own energy challenges we will continue to rely on other states for our energy solutions and continue to write IOUs to our children and grandchildren for the effects of our addiction to spewing carbon,” Blittersdorf said. “As long as Vermont continues to make the unfortunate decision of relying on our neighbors for energy solutions, we will focus our efforts on developing renewables in places where it is possible to actually get projects built. The resources driving the Kidder Hill Community Wind project will be invested outside Vermont to bring more renewable projects online as soon as possible. The stakes are too high, and our planet will not wait.”
“Vermonters know that reducing carbon emissions is the most critical issue of our time, and we should be alarmed that renewable energy projects like two wind turbines on Kidder Hill are unable to move forward,” Charyk continued. “In the face of mounting threats from climate change and diminishing finite fossil fuel resources, we cannot afford to slow down on expanding wind energy – we need more wind, and we need it now.”
Contact, Nick Charyk
(802) 917-2012
