Whether approaching Providence on the I-95 northbound or braving traffic on the Washington Bridge, it’s hard not to notice six wind turbines as a key feature of our City’s waterfront–. Unlike the controversy surrounding offshore wind farms in Newport and Block Island, the land-based Providence wind turbines went up quietly in 2012 and 2021, seemingly without major pushback from local stakeholders. Now, as the transition to renewable energy sources, like wind, is mentioned as a strategy for phasing out fossil fuels in the 2024 Providence Comprehensive Plan, it’s worth digging into the background of these wind turbines and deciphering their impact on our city.
Wind turbines are an attractive form of renewable energy as they’re one of the lowest-cost alternative electricity sources. They typically have a tall tower with three propeller-like blades on a horizontal axis. When the wind blows, it forces the blades to turn, which powers a generator and creates electricity. Wind-based energy is one of the most basic forms of alternative energy and has been harnessed in various ways for thousands of years.
History of wind turbines in Providence
In 2005, the Narragansett Bay Commission (NBC) recognized its role as a top electricity user in Rhode Island by operating the Fields Point Wastewater Treatment Plant–the largest water treatment plant in the state. It secured a grant to investigate potential renewable energy sources, which led to feasibility studies and, eventually, a plan to erect three wind turbines on its Fields Point campus. They considered the visual, wildlife, and noise implications of wind turbines, and included an assessment of the available wind resources at the proposed site. There was also consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which regulates the construction of tall structures near airports.
Three 1.5-megawatt wind turbines, standing at 365 feet, were constructed in 2012. The $14 million project was initially funded via Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank loans, which were eventually repaid with NBC’s revenue from its ratepayers.
In the decade since their construction, the turbines are paying for themselves as NBC harnesses all of the turbine-generated electricity to power the Fields Point Facility. In 2023, the turbines supplied the Wastewater Treatment Facility with 48% of the electricity it needed over 12 months, producing 6,845,721 kWh. A Sustainability Engineer for the Narragansett Bay Commission said purchasing grid-supplied electricity at that quantity would cost over 20 cents per kWh– almost $1.4 million. Jamie Sammons, the NBC’s Public Affairs Manager, described how that extra revenue is put to use: “The savings in energy costs that the NBC achieves from our renewable energy initiatives help us deal with our large capital projects (like the current Combined Sewer Overflow Project) and cost increases for other aspects of the operation, such as increased costs for chemicals, biosolids management, and health care”. The Field’s Point turbines have also generated $2.8 million in renewable energy credits since 2014.
Beyond wind power, the NBC is doing its part in advancing sustainability by diversifying its renewable energy sources, with three wind turbines in Coventry, one in Johnston, two solar arrays in Exeter, and a biogas cogeneration facility at the Bucklin Point Wastewater Treatment Facility in East Providence. They’re also designing a solar carport for their Providence campus. NBC sources about 70% of its energy needs from NBC-owned renewable sources, intending to reach 100% in the coming years.
In 2021, three more wind turbines were installed just down the road from the Narragansett Bay Commission. Unlike the original turbines, the private company Green Development led the project, securing approvals from the Coastal Resources Management Council, Federal Aviation Administration, and the Providence Planning and Zoning Board. Green Development publicizes its devotion to “preserving farmland, reducing water and air pollution, increasing energy security, and creating local jobs.” Two turbines were constructed on leased land at Johnson & Wales University, under the “Providence One Wind” project. These two turbines are 1.5 megawatts and produce approximately 4,329,000 kWh annually. The final turbine at the Port of Providence is a 1.5MW turbine that produces 1,989,000 kWh annually. While Johnson & Wales and ProvPort own the land, Green Development leases it and owns, operates, and maintains the turbines.
The energy generated is put to public use, or rather, available for the public to purchase. As part of the State’s Renewable Energy Growth Program, Green Development can sell its energy output under long-term tariffs at fixed prices to Rhode Island Energy, Rhode Island’s primary utility provider. At the time of turbine construction, however, Green Development planned to sell power directly into the regional electric grid for 19.34 cents/ kilowatt hour, according to Providence Journal reporting in 2020. Green Development did not respond to a request for an interview to learn about their turbines’ current energy yield.
Response to the Turbines
Matt Fannon, the Director of Sustainability and Resource Management at Johnson & Wales University (JWU), said that the University maintains a good relationship with its tenant, Green Development. JWU’s campus is 100% energy offset, thanks to solar fields in other parts of Rhode Island that sell energy back to the electric grid. Through its work with Green Development in creating these solar fields, JWU saw the construction of wind turbines on its campus as a great opportunity. While not harnessing the wind energy itself, the University made space available at its Harborside campus to construct two wind turbines, which have only enhanced the University’s visibility as a sustainable campus. First as a student in 2004 and now as a staff member of JWU, Fannon is amazed at the strides the Harborside campus has made towards sustainability: “There have been so many changes to the area and it’s cool to see the sustainability initiatives that are making their mark down here and helping to draw different folks to this area because of what our campus has done”.
Linda Perri, President of the Washington Park Neighborhood Association (WPNA), who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, noted that, while the community response to the turbines has been positive, it’s frustrating that the energy generated does not directly benefit those who see the turbines every day outside of their windows. The lack of renewable energy sources in the Washington Park neighborhood is not due to lack of effort on their part, however. WPNA and other community groups are actively fighting for renewable energy that can be harnessed to benefit their community. They successfully blocked a plan to build a transfer station on a brownfield site at the intersection of Allens and Thurbers Avenues in 2019, and proposed that the land be used instead as the site for solar panels that could power up to 300 homes nearby. The proposal has not gained much traction, and the lot is still for sale.
Curt Spalding, a Senior Consultant with GZA (an environmental consulting firm) who also served as the Executive Director of Save the Bay from 1989 – 2009, isn’t convinced that wind energy is the best renewable energy source for Providence. Spalding lauded the efforts of the Narragansett Bay Commission and Johnson and Wales for their sustainability efforts around the construction of wind turbines, but, with limited open space available in the City of Providence, FAA regulations to consider, limited wind resources, and the potential to diminish land value, solar power might be more appealing. Whatever renewable energy source Providence stands behind over the next ten years, it will be key that the community has a say.
The Comprehensive Plan (kind of) Addresses Wind Energy
The City’s last comprehensive plan, adopted in 2014, mentioned the development of wind-related energy sources. It said that wind turbines should be considered, specifically at Fields Point, and that the city would need to determine how to regulate their construction and operation, should they be permitted. According to the plan, this research and development would be an ongoing effort led by the Office of Sustainability and Public Properties. Flash forward ten years, and it appears the 2014 plan gained some traction thanks to players like JWU and NBC. But what’s next?
The 2024 plan builds vaguely on the intentions of the 2014 plan, mentioning that locations should be identified for constructing local renewable energy sources. The City’s energy objective is to “provide for the energy needs of City residents and the State while phasing out the use of fossil fuels and lessening impacts on the environment.” The proposed strategy for combating fossil fuels is transitioning energy supply to renewable sources, such as wind; we all need some specificity.
You can find the 2014 comprehensive plan here, and a draft of the 2024 comprehensive plan here.
Emily Smith moved to Providence in 2022 and wanted to contribute to the Providence Eye to learn more about her new community. Emily works in international development, facilitating grants to all parts of the world. She lives in Federal Hill.
