Berlin Wind Power Project

The Berlin Wind Project is currently in the planning stage of development. Feasibility studies are underway, and efforts to gather the opinions and advice of local residents, conservation groups, hiking clubs, and others are being made.

The site for the proposed project is located on the ridgeline of Berlin Pass, about one mile south of Petersburg Pass between Berlin Mountain and Petersburg Mountain. It lies entirely within the town of Petersburg, New York, although it is only a quarter of a mile from the Williamstown, Massachusetts border. Berlin Pass is one of the best wind areas in the Berkshire/Taconic region because it forms a natural depression in the Taconic mountain range through which wind is funneled at an accelerated rate. Faster air means faster-turning blades, which in turn means more energy is produced than would be possible in an area of slower winds.

The proposed turbines would be 65 meters (213 feet) tall at their hub, with 35-meter (115-foot) blades. Each turbine is rated at 1.5 megawatts (MW), which means that the 7- to 9-turbine site would produce between 10.5 and 13.5 MW of power. In the course of a year, the project could produce 30 million kilowatt-hours, which is enough to supply over 4,500 average homes in the Berkshire/Taconic region. This amount of power is enough for about two-thirds of the residents of Williamstown, MA—or alternatively, it is equivalent to roughly 140% of Williams College’s current energy consumption. In producing this energy, the Berlin Wind Project would reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by around 23,000 tons, which is equivalent to taking almost 6,000 cars off the road.

Since the site is located along a 1.5-mile stretch of the Taconic Crest Trail, it would be necessary to re-route the trail to a safe location downslope of the Crest. Part of the reason for this relocation would be to protect trail users from ice falling from the blades in winter by keeping them at a safe distance from the towers. Because of the Project’s other environmental benefits, however, the Taconic Hiking Club has voted to support the trail’s relocation and the Project as a whole.

See http://www.berlinwind.org/ for more information.