It appears the wheels are back in motion on a proposed project to bring a wind turbine manufacturing plant to Butte.
According to Governor Brian Schweitzer, recent meetings with Furhlaender and Chafin officials in Germany were very positive. The governor traveled to Germany last week to meet with Furhlaender and Chafin officials as well as others in Germany and Spain.
Furhlaender previously announced plans to construct, in partnership with Chafin, a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Butte, but the project was put on hold due to the economic downturn. Now, according to Schweitzer, the meetings will set the stage for further discussions to tie down the Montana opportunity.
"I will personally be coming with a team to Montana in the very near future to continue discussions with the governor, other state officials and local officials to advance the plans to locate an assembly plant in Montana," Fuhrlaender CEO Joachim Fuhrlaender said in a press release issued by the governor's office.
Schweitzer also met last week with the board of directors of Grupo NaturEner SA in Spain and expressed his support for an $800 million wind farm project in Glacier and Toole counties.
NaturEner is one of three wind developers that have reserved shipping space on the Montana Alberta Tie Line. The company is waiting until developer Tonbridge Inc. gets financing and begins construction of the transmission line before beginning work on the new wind farm.
The project is expected to start as soon as a transmission line between Great Falls and Lethbridge, Alberta is built. Bob Williams of Montana Alberta Tie Ltd., a Tonbridge subsidiary, said construction on the transmission line is expected to begin later this fall.
The trip was the governor's first official trip overseas with the exception of visiting troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was accompanied by Chief Business Development Officer Evan Barrett.
In Germany, the governor planned to meet with Furhlaender AG, Fuhrlaender NA, and Chafin LLC officials at Furhlaender's corporate headquarters and will also tour German wind farms to observe Furhlaender turbines in operation. He will also tour Furhlaender's manufacturing plant.
In Spain, he also planned to go to the corporate headquarters of Elecnor SA to discuss renewable energy transmission line development with officials of Elecnor SA, Enerfin and Grasslands Renewable Energy LLC, a Montana firm working with Elecnor SA and Enerfin on renewable energy transmission line development. Also on the agenda will be Enerfin's wind farm development plans.
(From Sept. 10, 2009)
Governor Brian Schweitzer is heading overseas this week to meet with a German company that has been eyeing Butte as the future spot of a wind turbine manufacturing plant.
Schweitzer is traveling to Germany and Spain to meet with representatives from Fuhrlaender and other companies in an effort to build more business and economic activity in Montana, especially in the renewable energy sector, according to a news release issued by the governor's office.
Groundbreaking of the Fuhrlaender plant planned for the Mining City has been delayed, but earlier this year the company said it still hopes to begin work on the Butte facility sometime in 2009.
It is the governor's first official trip overseas with the exception of visiting troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. He will be accompanied by Chief Business Development Officer Evan Barrett.
"This is an opportunity to build and grow energy business in Montana and create more high paying jobs for workers in our state," Schweitzer said in the news release. "I have been actively recruiting business to Montana from North American companies to European companies, both play a vital role in our economic development."
The governor will meet with companies and subsidiary companies, including Fuhrlaender AG (wind turbine manufacturing), Fuhrlaender NA (wind turbine manufacturing), Chafin LLC (wind farm development), Elecnor SA (transmission line development), Enerfin (wind farm development), Grasslands Renewable Energy LLC (transmission line development), Grupo NaturEner SA (wind farm development and transmission line issues) and NaturEner USA LLC (wind farm development and transmission line issues).
"These companies have been developing business in Montana and have an ongoing relationship with the state," Schweitzer said. "We are looking forward to continuing and expanding our business relationship."
"Renewable energy provides the opportunity for jobs, economic growth and tax base enhancement all across Montana," said Schweitzer. "Many of the strong companies in renewable resource development are found in Europe and many of those companies are working with Montana to achieve this growth. We want to make sure that they understand that the state can be a partner in progress with them to advance this important agenda."
In Germany, the governor will meet with Furhlaender AG, Fuhrlaender NA, and Chafin LLC officials at Furhlaender's corporate headquarters and will also tour German wind farms to observe Furhlaender turbines in operation. He will also tour Furhlaender's manufacturing plant. Furhlaender has previously announced plans to construct, in partnership with Chafin LLC, a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Butte. Further discussions of that opportunity will also be on the agenda. Chafin LLC's wind farm development plans for Montana will also be discussed.
In Spain, the governor will meet at the corporate headquarters of Elecnor SA to discuss renewable energy transmission line development with officials of Elecnor SA, Enerfin and Grasslands Renewable Energy LLC, a Montana firm working with Elecnor SA and Enerfin on renewable energy transmission line development. Also on the agenda will be Enerfin's wind farm development plans.
Also in Spain, the governor will meet at the corporate headquarters of Grupo NaturEner SA and NaturEner USA LLC, the wind power development companies, which have already developed 207Mw of wind power between Shelby and Cut Bank. Discussions will focus on long range plans for wind development in Montana and transmission line issues related to delivering that renewable energy to market.
