VERMONT AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES
STATE LAND WIND POWER POLICY DEVELOPMENT
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources Policy Development Process Regarding Wind Power on State Owned Lands

GLOSSARY

ANR: The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources.

CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC GOOD: The “permit” issued by the Public Service Board if, after review, it finds that a project (including wind energy projects) is in the public good.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE (DPS): The Department of Public Service is the public advocate in matters concerning regulated utilities. The DPS mission includes public advocacy, long range planning, programs, and other actions that meet the public's need for least cost, environmentally sound, efficient, reliable, secure, sustainable, and safe energy, telecommunications, and regulated utility systems in the state for the short and the long term.

KILOWATT (KW): One thousand watts.

KILOWATT-HOUR (KWH): The number of kilowatts used or generated in one hour. An average house in Vermont uses roughly 8,000 kWh annually.

MEGAWATT (MW): One million watts. One megawatt is the same as 1,000 kilowatts.

MWH (MEGAWATT-HOUR): The number of megawatts used or generated in one hour.

MET TOWERS: Meteorological towers used to gather wind speed and other meteorological data for sites that are under consideration for wind power development.

NET METERING: The system by which a utility customer can “run their meter backwards” by owning a small, on-site electrical generating system such as a small wind turbine. The customer can "net out" their consumption, and possibly enter into a small purchase agreement with their utility if their generator produces more power than they consume.

QUECHEE ANALYSIS: A process for assessing a project’s aesthetic impacts that is used in both the Section 248 and Act 250 review processes.

PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT (PTC): The PTC is a federal incentive program that is designed to help level the playing field of energy production where other forms of energy are subsidized. A PTC of 1.8 cent per kWh expired December 31, 2003. The current Bush administration proposal is for a three-year extension of the wind energy production tax credit of an inflation-adjusted tax credit of 1.5 cent per kWh for the first ten years of facility operation.

PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD (PSB): The Public Service Board is a quasi-judicial board that supervises Vermont's public utilities: cable television, electric, gas, telecommunications, water and large wastewater companies. It also reviews the environmental and economic impacts of energy purchases and facilities, the safety of hydroelectric dams, the financial aspects of nuclear plant decommissioning and radioactive waste storage, and the rates paid to independent power producers. The Board's mission is to ensure the provision of high quality public utility services in Vermont at minimum reasonable costs, measured over time periods consistent with the long-term public good of the state.

RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATE – (REC): A system for tracking and trading the attributes of renewable generation. A qualifying renewable energy facility will receive one certificate for each MWh generated. These are purchased by utilities or other load serving entities to fulfill state mandated requirements to provide a certain percentage of the energy they sell through renewable sources.

RENEWABLE ENERGY PORTFOLIO STANDARD (RPS): A state mandated requirement that a percentage of an electric energy provider’s sales be generated by renewable technologies. Vermont is currently considering a renewable energy portfolio standard. Both Massachusetts and Connecticut have adopted such a standard.

SECTION 248 PROCESS: The review process by which the Public Service Board determines if a project is in the public good. The Section 248 process was established via 30 V.S.A. § 248 and incorporates most of the review Act 250 criteria. If the PSB makes positive findings, it issues a Certificate of Public Good.

TURBINE: A rotary engine made with a series of curved vanes on a rotating shaft, turned by water, air, or steam. Turbines are considered the most economical means to turn large electrical generators.

TURBINE STRING: A group of wind turbines strung in a linear fashion along a ridgeline.

WIND CLASS: A system used by the wind industry for categorizing the average wind speed and wind power density at a site. A wind site of Class 1 has very low average wind speeds; a Class 7 site has very high winds. Generally sites with a Wind Class of 4 and above are of interest to developers.

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