Noble Effort!

Noble Environmental Power Builds Michigan's Newest Windpark

The Essex, Conn. wind energy developer Noble Environmental Power Tuesday announced that construction on Michigan's newest windpark is under way around the Thumb community of Ubly. The Noble Thumb I Windpark will generate 69 megawatts of clean energy using 46 GE 1.5 megawatt turbines, which is enough to power about 23,000 average homes. Over a period of 20 years, it would require burning more than 1.5 million tons of coal -- enough to fill a train 178 miles long -- to create the same amount of electricity. Construction work on the Noble Thumb I Windpark is being performed by RMT WindConnect. Noble estimates that the project will create approximately 85 new construction jobs, and will result in more than $3.5 million in property tax payments over the next 20 years. Once the Noble Thumb I Windpark is operational, scheduled for later this year, hundreds of thousands of dollars in easement payments will be made to landowners each year. The company didn't disclose who would be buying the power it's generating. However, Consumers Energy lists the wind farm as one of the suppliers of its Green Currents renewable power program, which allows customers to select electricity from renewables for an extra two cents per kilowatt hour. Noble has approximately 3,850 megawatts of windparks under development in eight states. In May, Noble held ribbon-cutting ceremonies for three newly-operational windparks in New York State, and in June the company held groundbreaking ceremonies for four more New York State windparks. Noble also recently began construction of the 114 megawatt Noble Great Plains Windpark in Texas. Noble is a leading renewable energy company that is majority owned by funds affiliated with JPMorgan Partners LLC, which are managed by CCMP Capital Advisors LLC. Noble was founded in 2004 in response to public policy initiatives designed to foster the increased use of renewable energy sources. Noble is committed to creating environmentally friendly facilities in partnership with local communities. Based in Essex, Conn., Noble has offices in Altona, Churubusco, Arcade, Bliss, and Fredonia, N.Y., Rutland, Vt.; Lancaster, N.H.; Austin and Hitchland, Texas; and Ubly. For more information, please visit www.noblepower.com, or send an email to info@noblepower.com.

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