Falmouth Old Green Deal Wind Turbine Fiasco Ends In Sale

Falmouth 2 NEG Micon Wind Turbines 4 Sale

NEG Micon was a former Danish wind turbine manufacturer that lost business as a result of gearbox failures. It was formed in 1997 as a result of a merger between Nordtank Energy Group (NEG) and Moerup Industrial Windmill Construction Company (Micon).

NEG Micon NM 82 was merged with Danish wind turbine manufacturer, Vestas, in 2004 and bought out as of March 30, 2004, and became the Vestas V 82 .

The NEG Micon NM 82 a 1.65 Megawatt wind turbine platform was reproduced after 2004 as the Vestas V 82 a 1.65 Megawatt wind turbine both producing 110 decibels of noise.

The Massachusetts state agency now known as the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center bought two gearboxes driven Vestas V 82 formerly known as NEG Micon NM 82 wind turbines between 2004 and 2005.

The Massachusetts state semi-quasi agency could not sell the turbines even at auction and became the first time one million dollars in renewable energy credits were used to bribe local officials to buy a commercial wind turbine in Falmouth.

The handbook for the Vestas V-82 requires a setback for blade throw of 1640 feet and Vestas warned the Town of Falmouth prior to installations that the turbines generate 110 decibels of noise.

Vestas raises concerns about turbine noise letter to Falmouth town officials in August 2010. The letter was released through FOIA, Freedom of Information Act Request but not the public:
"The Town has previously been provided with the Octave Band Data / Sound performance for the V82 turbine. This shows that the turbine normally operates at 103.2dB but the manufacturer has also stated that it may produce up to 110dB under certain circumstances."

The NEG Micon NM 82 and the Vestas V 82 both 1.65 Megawatt wind turbines are gearbox driven and no longer produced. Falmouth has three Vestas V-82 turbines two owned by the town and one privately owned. The privately owned Vestas has had extensive gearbox bearing replacements.

Ultimately the two chests pounding Vestas wind turbines were installed at the wastewater treatment plant in 2009 and 2010. Wind turbine #1 was shut down in September 2015 after the Falmouth Zoning Board of Appeals issued a cease-and-desist order. Wind turbine #2 was shut down in June 2017, after Barnstable County Superior Court Judge Cornelius J. Moriarty II and Mass Superior Court upheld the zoning board of appeals’ decision deeming the turbines a nuisance

Massachusetts Governor Baker acknowledged when questioned by Congress, in turn, the Falmouth wind turbine project did not go as planned.

The turbines have become a political embarrassment as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus funds was used to build Falmouth wind turbine # 2

ARRA funds are not available if they pose a risk to the public interest in areas ranging from consumer safety and environmental damage. The blade throw setbacks of 1640 feet and the chest pounding 110 decibels of noise were known to all the politicians prior to installation

The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust (SRF, State Revolving Fund Program), dispersed to the Town of Falmouth loans totaling $4,865,000 to acquire and install Wind 2.

The wind turbine sale ends May 30, 2019

TOWN OF FALMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS REQUEST FOR LETTERS OF INTEREST (RFLOI) WIND TURBINE HOST AGREEMENT April 2019

http://www.falmouthmass.us/DocumentCenter/View/5986/Request-for-Letters-of-Interest-Wind-Turbine-Host-Agreement?bidId=

Major political embarrassment as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 stimulus funds was used to build chest pounding 110 decibel Falmouth wind turbine # 2

Residents describe noise as torture