Recovery Act goes to work for two Pennsylvania wind farms

Two Pennsylvania wind farms were among 12 clean energy projects in eight states awarded a total of $502 million in a first round of U.S. stimulus funding.

The grants, announced yesterday, are intended to help the companies launch clean energy projects and create construction and manufacturing jobs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The overall program under the Recovery Act is expected to provide more than $3 billion in financial support for clean energy projects through direct payments in lieu of tax credits. These payments are expected to support about 5,000 biomass, solar, wind and other renewable production facilities.

Of the $502 million, the state of Pennsylvania said today it received a $59.2 million grant for Locust Ridge II, a 102 megawatt project in Schuylkill County, and a $42.2 million grant for Highland Wind Farm, a 62.5 MW facility under construction in Cambria County.

The two projects are expected to produce enough electricity to power about 59,000 homes in the state, which has been a proponent of supporting alternative energy (see Pennsylvania hands out cash for alternative energy and Pennsylvania hands out $5.4M in cleantech grants).

Additional awards are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. Other funding recipients from the first tranche included:

• Colorado: Movement Gym PV System (solar), $158,000
• Connecticut: Solaire Development, $2.6 million
• Maine: Evergreen Wind Power V, $40.4 million
• Minnesota: Moraine II Wind Farm, $28 million
• New York: Canadaigua Power Partners (wind), $52.4 million; Canadaigua Power Partners II, $22.3 million
• Oregon: Wheat Field Wind Farm, $47.7 million; Hay Canyon Wind Farm, $47.1 million; Pebble Springs Wind Farm, $46.5 million
• Texas: Penascal Wind Farm, $114.1 million