NTH Consultants
Contact Us
  • Home
  • Markets
    • Energy Market
    • Industry Market
    • Water Market
    • Transportation
    • Community Development
  • Services
    • Geotechnical Engineering >
      • Geophysical Services
      • Mapping
      • Shoreline Services
      • Civil Site Engineering and Design
      • Construction Materials & Geotechnical Testing Services
      • Electric Substation Services
      • Geotechnical Engineering for Transportation Facilities
      • Underground Engineering Services
      • Subsurface Utility
      • Signature Projects
    • Environmental Services >
      • PFAS
      • Ecological Services
      • Environmental Health Services
      • Environmental Remediation Services
      • Environmental Compliance
      • Environmental Permitting
      • Environmental Site Assessments
      • Ecological Services for the Energy Market
      • Air Quality Permitting and Compliance
      • Brownfield Site Redevelopment
      • Environmental, Health & Safety Training for Employee Development
      • Hydrogeologic Studies
      • Landfill Related Services
      • Site Acquisition and Redevelopment
      • Storage Tank Services
      • Signature Projects
    • Facilities Engineering >
      • Decommissioning
      • Structural Condition Assessment Rehab
      • Bridge Engineering Services
      • Asset Management Services
      • Concrete Restoration
      • GIS Services
      • Masonry Evaluation Services
      • Pavement Engineering and Consulting
      • Roofing Technology Services
      • Structural Condition Assessment
      • Signature Projects
  • Projects
  • About Us
    • Mission + Core Values
    • Leadership
    • News and Events
    • Employee Portal
  • Webinars
    • RNG Webinar
  • Careers
    • Why Join NTH
    • Who We Are
    • Career Opportunities
    • NTH Internship Program
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

Lifecycle of Renewable Energy Project Development

8/2/2018

2 Comments

 
Picture
As the energy market evolves from a large centralized system to a decentralized system focused more on cleaner, zero carbon energy, the demand for renewable alternatives continues to grow. As states and corporations commit to meeting renewable energy goals, we continue to see costs of renewable energy projects declining making them a more viable options for governments and companies of all sizes. Rob Bates has joined NTH’s Energy Market team leading our Ecological Services as a Senior Project Scientist leading ecological studies, NEPA documentation, siting, and mitigation of wind and solar projects across the western U.S. Rob is a seasoned professional with 16 years of experience in environmental consulting, wildlife biology and management, habitat restoration, and project management. We hired Rob to help our clients to navigate the complex ecological studies required when developing and operating a renewable energy project while meeting the requirements of NEPA and other regulatory permitting requirements.

Below is an overview from Rob highlighting what clients should consider when planning their renewable energy project.

There are many issues to consider when planning projects timeline and budget. The renewable project owner/developer will need to evaluate the lifecycle, environmental impacts, and property acquisition as they plan, budget, and execute their renewable project. A key part to successful development starts with the initial stages of the project; establishing the needs and goals of the owner/developer and the needs of the end user. Performing due diligence through the lifecycle of the project’s planning and execution is required to make sound decisions for siting of the project and acquisition of the land.

Developing a thorough timeline and steps to be expected as the development of the project moves through the process, should include steps such as:
  • Critical Issues Analysis – including ecological and critical habitat studies of proposed sites.
  • Regulatory Framework – agency coordination and required reporting.
  • Environmental Impact Analysis – compilation of results from Critical Issues Analysis into the appropriate NEPA formatting and reporting.  
  • Permit Acquisition – completion, documentation, and reporting of wetlands delineation(s) and submittal of required permit applications.
  • Environmental Site Assessment/Due Diligence – Phase I and Phase II studies.
  • Community/Public Involvement

Project planning for renewable energy must also include potential post-operational mitigation measures, studies, and reporting that may be necessary. These include habitat mitigation from unavoidable impacts of the project, post-mortality studies of bats and birds on wind generation facilities, to reporting requirements of an operational renewable energy facility.

If you are interested in learning more, Rob will be presenting at this year’s Michigan Municipal Energy Association’s fall conference, September 12-14, 2018 in Escanaba, Michigan on the Lifecycle of Renewable Energy Project Development. If you are unable to make it to Escanaba to hear Rob’s presentation, he will be one of NTH’s presenters during our fall webinar series. Stay tuned for topics and dates of our webinars. Please sign up here to be notified when this webinar is scheduled. 
2 Comments
Weareseos link
12/7/2021 03:40:16 pm

Thank you for taking the time to write a great post!

Reply
Click here link
12/8/2021 06:35:59 pm

Lifecycle Renewables provides grease trap and drain line cleaning services. With the recycled grease we produce a biofuel that is used as a renewable heating oil for buildings and renewable diesel fuel for transportation.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    The NTH Narrator

    NTH Consultants, Ltd. (NTH) is a nationally recognized engineering firm specializing in Civil, Geotechnical, Environmental, and Facilities Engineering. 

    On our blog, our engineering experts address current news and events in our field, review new projects and highlight NTH news.

    Tweets by @nthconsultants

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015