Falmouth Wind Turbine Salvage Value $40,000.00 Each

"Falmouth Wind Turbine Salvage Value $40,000.00 Each

Massachusetts town last year received letters of interest on how to use the town's turbines

If a buyer could not be found, there is the possibility of scrap salvage value for the wind turbine components.

Raw materials which have salvage values are generally steel (tower) and copper (generator windings and wiring). The wind turbine consists of four steel tower sections, totaling 119,500 kilograms (approximately 131.7 tons) of steel.

There are an estimated five tons of copper in the wiring and windings of the generator and transformer for each wind turbine. According to Gateway Metal Recycling of Salem, NH, the salvage value for No.1 unprepared steel, at the time of this assessment, was $270 per ton and value of electric motor and generator copper (unprepared) was on the order of $600 per ton.

When contacted, representatives from Gateway Metals warned of high volatility and downward pricing on the scrap steel market, suggesting prices could go down by $100 per ton over a short period of time.

Based on this data, the scrap value of steel and copper is estimated to be $51,000 per turbine, or $102,000 total, less the cost of some minor materials preparation and transportation.

No scrap value is assigned for the blades, which are composed of wood and fiberglass.

The cost of preparation and transportation could be on the order of $30,000, resulting in a net scrap value of $72,000.

The various components may also have some residual value as spare parts for use by other wind turbine owners with the same make and model wind turbine. For the purpose of this estimate, a value of $40,000 for each turbine has been assigned as a value for spare parts, provided you could find a willing buyer."

Note # FALMOUTH — The first town owned wind turbine installed in 2010 was shut down in 2015.

Both the two town-owned wind turbines installed in 2010 and 2012 have not operated since Massachusetts Superior Court shut down the nuisance in June 2017.

Falmouth Town Meeting voted 2.5 million in November 2019 to disassemble and store both gear driven wind turbines designed in the late 1990 s.

The spending continues: Engineering, litigation and future finances.

Massachusetts Dept of Environmental Protection Brokered A 5 Million Loan Through the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust using the State Revolving Fund Called A Project Regulatory Agreement on Falmouth Wind II.

Debt remaining ARRA loan 3.5 million plus 2 percent interest