RE-Powering America's Land: Evaluating the Feasibility of Siting Renewable Energy Production on Potentially Contaminated Land Onamia, Minnesota EPA/NREL Partnership In September 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched the RE-Powering America's Land: Siting Renewable Energy on Potentially Contaminated Land and Mine Sites initiative. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are collaborating on a project to evaluate the feasibility of siting renewable energy production on potentially contaminated sites. EPA has provided more than $650,000 through an interagency agreement that pairs EPA's expertise on contaminated sites with NREL's expertise in renewable energy. The project will analyze the feasibility of siting renewable energy on 12 sites across the country. The analysis will include, among other things, the best renewable energy technology for the site, the optimal area to locate the renewable energy technology on the site, potential renewable energy generating capacity, the return on investment, and the economic feasibility of the renewable energy projects. NREL will also pursue an analysis to explore the potential for siting alternative fuel stations (e.g., electric charging stations) at former gas station sites. Mille Lacs Band Ledin Site Recently acquired by the Mille Lacs Band Tribal Community, the Ledin site is a parcel of rural land. A portion of the property was used as a dump site by the previous owner. The pa reel is adjacent to a paved road and is roughly 1.5 miles from an electrical substation owned by Mille Lacs Electric Cooperative.Three phase power lines run through the property. Feasibility Study: Begins Spring 2010 NREL is conducting a study on the potential for wind power generation on the Mille Lacs Band Community dumpsite. The feasibility study will evaluate the technical and economic opportunities and challenges at the site. It will: Provide a preliminary analysis of the viability of the site; Assess wind resource availability; Identify possible system size, design and location; and Review the economics of the proposed system Mille Lacs Band Tribal Community Dumpsite Ledin Property Onamia, Minnesota Site Facts: Site type: Brownfields Renewable technology: Wind Generation potential: Community scale Contacts: EPA Region 5 Linda Mangrum mangrum.linda@epa.gov (312)353-2071 National Renewable Energy Lab Gail Mosey gail.mosey@nrel.gov (303)384-7356 www.nrel.gov For more information, visit www.epa.gov/renewableenergyland or contact cleanenergy@epa.gov &ER U.S. EPA OSWER ------- |