Above picture taken at the MidAmerican Pomeroy project.
So, how is MidAmerican disposing of the blades from their wind repower? At their project near me, Contractors told myself and several local residents, they were to be land filled in southern Iowa some where. If true, that raises a lot of additional questions. Previous posts about the wind repower here noted the utility submitted filings at the state utilities board that properly maintained wind turbines have a life span of 25 years or more. Yet, since the repower was approved, many of the replaced blades will be retired a decade or more early because of the utilities desire to take advantage of federal tax credits.
My previous posts on this subject noted the lack of discovery available to local governments on taxable property added with the repower and rate increases for consumers. Now there is a disappointing equipment disposal on a touted green energy project?
I'll probably do some additional digging here. Did MEC tell the state utilities board that the blades would be disposed of this way? Did the environmental groups that supported this repower know the blades would be land filled? Did these environmental groups negotiate for options besides disposal?
Did they ask? Did entities purchasing green credits from MEC know of the blade disposal method ?
So, the issue about what to do with retired wind turbine blades is admittedly a difficult one, as this article notes. However, a good place to start would seem to be not retiring turbine blades early just to qualify for a tax credit.
Of course, comment is welcome from MEC to clarify if the blades are really being disposed of in this manner. As MEC also promised to contact me about the property tax issues I've wrote about here, (they haven't yet) I may be waiting a while .
UPDATED
I noticed this issue getting discussion on agtwitter.
So, yeah , it's twitter , be prepared for lots of politics and opinions (and anger) on renewables , but I thought these comments were relevant to my post on this.
So, I should check out nearby Fort Dodge for the salvage yard.
Since they felt obliged to put up a sign, these blades are evidently causing lots of discussion.
Yet this trucker comment on this thread notes his fellow trucker friend is hauling Iowa blades to a Nebraska land fill. This matches what contractors have told numerous residents near MidAmerican's Pomeroy project.
So, when things like this happen (repower decision driven by tax policy?) It's another reason why we need a local owned renewable policy , instead of one controlled by monopoly utilities. Of course, if MEC would simply go on record about how they're disposing these blades, it would solve a lot of the speculation here. I haven't seen MEC do that yet, so if anyone has seen otherwise, please send it my way.
Here's my periodic reminder that I'm a big renewable energy lover. It's just time we move beyond the current renewable policy into a more distributed, locally owned policy.
In the meantime, IMO, Warren Buffet's utility company should be able to afford to properly dispose of their wind turbine blades, and accurately pay their taxes. As usual, MEC is welcome to provide more information, about the blade disposal, and the wind tax issues I've wrote about.
