News
A non-profit serving low income people in coastal Washington has received grants and the necessary permits to build a wind farm, and will be selling the energy to the local public utility district. The income will help fund the organization's social service mission. According to the organization's executive director, "this project is the first of its kind in the nation to use alternative energy to benefit low income housing."
[This is an EXCERPT: read the whole article here. -Ed.]
By Mike Marsh
The CCAP (Coastal Community Action Program) Grayland Wind Energy Project includes the construction of four 1.5-megawatt wind turbines on 29 privately owned acres in the hills off County Line Road where Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties meet. The energy produced will be sold to the Grays Harbor PUD and the profit used to fund CCAP’s many social service programs. After approval by the Pacific County Board of Adjustment on Wednesday, all permits for the project are now in place and CCAP can move forward to complete financial arrangements. During the lifespan of the turbines, which is expected to be 25 years, it is predicted that as much as $720,000 will be generated annually.
“There’s lots of excitement,” said Troy Colley, CCAP’s executive director. “This project is the first of its kind in the nation to use alternative energy to benefit low income housing.”
As far as Colley knows, it is also the first time anyone has financed a wind energy project with state grants and investors taking advantage of the New Market Tax Credits Program and federal green tax credits.
CCAP received $2.7 million in new markets tax credits from Shorebank/Wells Fargo and $3.5 million in renewable energy tax credits from Midwest Wind Finance. With the help of state Sen. Jim Hargrove it also received a $5 million state grant for the project, which will cost between $13 and $14 million.
Photo credit: Cobalt 
