Like all Apex projects, Prosperity Wind will follow a detailed approval procedure with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA is responsible for ensuring that renewable energy projects do not impact airspace or air safety. According to FAA rules, any structure over 200 feet tall requires FAA approval. Because modern wind turbines are taller than this height, each turbine in a project must be individually approved by the FAA before it can be built.

Wind projects typically file several turbine locations with the FAA before they determine what the final layout will be. Any structures requiring greater study will be reviewed in detail by an FAA safety risk management panel, which will determine necessary mitigation measures to ensure air safety around the wind facility.

It is common practice to file with a maximum height based on available technology on the market to understand airspace use up to that height.

The FAA process is one essential process among many that go into designing a successful wind project that follows all state, federal, and local regulations.

Read our other FAQ pages to learn more about wind energy!

FAQs

Has Prosperity filed with the FAA?

Apex made an initial test filing with the FAA in September 2020. These test locations will help us understand any potential impacts to the airspace in the Prosperity Wind area so we are able to better plan the final layout. As mentioned above, it’s common for Apex and other wind developers to file several different layouts with the FAA as the project progresses. The locations in this test filing are not in any way final.

If one of the FAA filings shows a turbine on my land, does that mean I’m getting a turbine?

The locations in preliminary FAA filings are not final turbine locations. If you have signed a lease, contact your leasing agent to learn more about the timeline and process for determining turbine locations. Prosperity Wind will not place a turbine on any ground that does not have an associated lease agreement.