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Showing posts with label Wind News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wind News. Show all posts

PR - Wind Expo Draws A Crowd

Here is our latest press release about last week's expo. Feel free to pass it on, put it in your publication or print a copy and carry it around in your pocket! :)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association
Kelly Ayers, Executive Director
(806) 983-2793
Kelly.j.ayers@gmail.com

Wind Expo Draws a Crowd

FLOYDADA, Texas, March 9, 2010– It was tough to find a parking space at the Unity Center in Floyd County on Thursday March 4th. The parking lot was at full capacity, packed with wind industry professionals who had booths at the event and others hoping to learn more about the industry and its future in the Texas panhandle.

The wind energy expo hosted by Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association brought in a crowd of nearly 300 people from across the South Plains. Attendees came to meet with developers, transmission companies, consultants and manufacturers as well as educational and advocacy groups working in wind energy.

“The event was well attended and a testament to the optimism of wind energy development in West Texas,” said the Floydada Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Justin Jaworski. “Floydada EDC is currently working to help develop a proper incentive program for wind farms and looks forward to assisting this process in the near future.”

Local companies in the Texas Panhandle such as Turbines Over Texas and Alternative Energy Specialties were hoping to use CPWEA’s wind energy expo to promote their products and services.

Randy Craig is an associate professor of biology at Wayland Baptist University in Plainview, but three years ago he began building a residential wind turbine with other local residents. Craig and the Turbines Over Texas crew had the turbine that they are currently manufacturing on display at the expo.

“Through much trial and error we feel that we have achieved a small-wind residential, rural turbine that will allow more people to assist with rising electrical costs and reduce their carbon foot-print on the Earth,” Craig said. “The expo was an opportunity for our small manufacturing company to increase the awareness of our wind turbine company and its presence in Hale County, Texas.”

Alternative Energy Specialties located in Abernathy, Texas also had an exhibit at the event. Their exhibit featured a patent pending meteorological tower (often times referred to as a met tower) that they manufacture locally.

“Our Tall-Tilt™ 60 thru 80 meter met towers are patent pending technology and were designed and engineered by a local team here in the Lubbock area in 2009,” said Glenn Van Slyke, a member of the Alternative Energy Specialties team. “It was beneficial to be in the same venue with the companies that use our products since what we provide is in place, and many times gone, long before power is generated by a turbine.”

Hill Country Wind Power is one of the developers that local representatives like Van Slyke were happy to see at the event. HCWP develops small to mid-sized wind farms. They are a non-traditional wind farm developer as they focus on selling retail electricity from their projects to large end-users like co-ops, school districts and hospitals.

John McNair, director of land acquisitions at HCWP, said their focus was to take care of the landowner first. He noted that selling electricity at retail benefits landowners, investors and local communities.

“At the expo I met primarily with landowners in areas we are targeting, some who represented target areas as far as two and a half hours from the expo location,” McNair said. “That speaks volumes about what CPWEA is doing, facilitating the introduction of developers to landowners in the windiest areas of Texas.”

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Lubbock AJ Write-up

The Lubbock Avalanche Journal posted this on their Web site yesterday. Looking forward to seeing more about our upcoming expo in the Wednesday AJ!

Floyd County hosts first Wind Energy Expo

ALYSSA DIZON / AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Monday, March 01, 2010

The recent snow and rain may help area producers save money on irrigation, but there is another natural source of income they could cash in on.

The Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association will host its first Wind Energy Expo to educate the public on the long-term benefits of wind energy in the South Plains.

The main benefactors of investing in wind energy in the region, but may not realize it, are landowners, said Justin Jaworski, executive director of the Floydada Economic Development Corporation.

“It’s a good way (for producers) to have supplemental income,” he said. “A way for them to be able to farm their land as they always have and make smart decisions about leasing out land to developers.”

Landowners, who lease their land to developers for wind turbines or transmission lines, will not use the energy generated on their land. Instead, they will generate money from the metropolitan areas that the energy is exported to and bring more money and business to West Texas, Jaworski said.

He said many people have already agreed to lease some of their land for wind energy development, and the expo will serve to further educate and prepare those individuals for future decisions.

Kelly Ayers, executive director for CPWEA, said this was the non-profit organization’s first big event that will bring wind energy developers and experts together with South Plains landowners.

Attendees will be able to meet energy developers, consultants, manufacturers and educators from Oklahoma, Amarillo, Big Spring, Sweetwater and Plainview.

While the majority of the CPWEA members live in Hale, Floyd and Motley counties, Ayers said the event is free and open to anyone interested in learning about or investing in wind energy.

By having the expo, Jaworski said members of the public can speak directly with the companies and get all of their questions answered.

“The more people, the more networking and connections, the faster things will happen,” he said.

Read more in Wednesday's Avalanche-Journal.


I found it here: http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/030110/upd_569390548.shtml

I hope to see you all at the expo on Thursday!

Free Like The Wind

You may have seen our recent press releases or flyers (or at least I am hoping you have, I don't write these things for nothing you see)!! But just in case you haven't here's the deal. Our association (Caprock Plains Wind Energy Association) is hosting a Wind Energy Expo on March 4, 2010. And here is the kicker, it's all free. Free and open to the public, free for companies who want to set up exhibits, free for community leaders, free for landowners, free for people interested in working in the wind energy field, free for high school students, for college students, for babies... okay, I'll stop, I think you catch my drift... It's free! And excuse my corniness but I got really excited when the title for this blog popped into my head so you'll just have to go along with me on this one, I'll just mention it one last time: THE EVENT IS FREE, FREE LIKE THE WIND!

In all seriousness, the event is free because we want to get as many people involved with the wind industry out to meet and network with local landowners and community leaders. Not to mention provide a venue wherein people within the industry can network amongst themselves. The goal is to spur development in our area and hopefully in return bring something back to the local communities.

Here's a little taste of some of the companies that have signed up to have a booth:
  • Sharyland Utilities
  • Cross Texas Transmission
  • Tri Global Energy
  • Hill Country Wind Power
  • Bureau Veritas
  • Integra Wind Services
  • AKL Wind Energy Scouting
  • Class 4 Winds
  • Plainview Chamber of Commerce
  • Underwood Law Firm
  • Kimley-Horn and Associates Inc.
And several more are in the works! It's not too late to be included either. If you are interested in being involved you can find an Exhibitor Sign-up Form on our Web site. And as always never hesitate to call the office if you have questions: (806) 983-2793.

For more information about the expo check out our Flyer or Press Release. And feel free to pass along this information to anyone that might be interested in attending.

Until next time...

Texas Renewables

It's no secret that Texas has become a leader in the renewable energy industry. Texas has the most MWs of installed wind capacity in the nation and industry leaders are working to make Texas a leader in solar development as well. The Texas Renewable Energy Industries Association (TREIA) recently celebrated the state's success at their 25th annual renewables conference, but they did more than celebrate 25 years of statewide progress with renewable energies. Industry professionals gathered to look toward the future for renewables in Texas and discuss how we get there.

There were three topics that stuck out to me at the conference and I just thought this would be the best venue for discussing them. I encourage anyone with comments or any insight into any of these topics to leave comments, please!!

Topic #1: Governor Perry's Keynote

This was my first time to ever hear Governor Perry speak in person and I was intrigued; apparently so much so that I didn't realize the local news station's camera crew that was obviously there. Check out this video posted on KXAN.com; and no you won't see me in the video, I checked!



You can find out more about Gov. Perry's luncheon address here.

Governor Perry was clear in stating that he thought the rest of the nation should look at what Texas has done with renewables as an example. He also noted that should a cap and trade bill make it through congress it would negate the progress that Texas has had, saying that an energy tax would cause all products that use energy to become more expensive. Perry voiced his concern that this new regulation would place our country at an unfair advantage. His suggestion was for the federal government to study the success that Texas has had and encourage entrepreneurs to be innovative.

Check out this article for more information:
Texas Gov. Perry tells renewable energy industry that cap-and-trade would hurt state

Topic #2: Looking at Solar

Now I am sure it is apparent from our association's name, but just in case you didn't notice our association focuses on promoting our area for WIND energy development. Over the past week I believe that I, as well as our board, may have seen the light (excuse the pun) when it comes to solar development and the potential it offers our area.

We all know that the wind resources in the Panhandle of Texas are good, but turns out the solar resources are pretty good as well! Who knew?! The TREIA renewable conference helped me to understand that an integration of both renewable sources is really the ideal situation because (to put it very straight forward) the sun shines when the wind tends not to blow.

I could talk more about the benefits of solar, but I think I will leave it up to the experts as its a fairly new topic to me and I feel like I should do some more research before I try to talk about it intelligently. I recommend this article in Solar Today Magazine ~ Texas: The Next Solar Superpower?


Topic #3: PUCT Docket # 37567

This topic probably wasn't one that got a lot of attention from many attendees at the conference and really there was only a brief mention of it during one of the breakout sessions, but it was directly related to wind development in the Panhandle of Texas so, of course, it got my full blown attention. A representative from the PUCT brought up the recent CREZ proceedings and the new petition that has been filed by the commission which is meant to determine whether or not there is sufficient financial commitment by developers in Panhandle A and Panhandle B CREZs to justify the PUCT's granting of CCN's to transmission service providers. In English, before the new transmission lines in the panhandle area are going to be built the PUCT wants to make sure that developers in the area are serious about going forward with wind developments that merit the build out of transmission to the Panhandle.

After doing a little research on the topic when I got back to the office last week I found that as of the PUCT's latest schedule developers must submit an intent to file collateral by December 4th and then there will be a hearing at the commission on January 21st.

You can find all filings relevant to this particular PUCT proceeding by going to PUC Interchange, clicking on login and entering 37567 as the control number.

Of course they were many more topics discussed at the conference and many great industry contacts available to network with; if you attended the conference and have anything to add about what you learned at the conference please feel free to post your thoughts in a comment.

Until next time...

A Proposed West Texas Wind Farm

I recently received this news release and although there are numerous stories concerning the proposed West Texas development that have come out recently I felt it was appropriate to post this release. I do have a couple questions though and if you know the answer I would appreciate it if you left a comment or contacted me directly.

#1 Has the land for this project already been leased?
AND
#2 Where exactly is the location in which the project is being planned?

Here's the release...


U.S. RENEWABLE ENERGY GROUP AND SHENYANG POWER GROUP ANNOUNCE LARGEST PRIVATE CHINESE-AMERICAN INVESTMENT EVER IN U.S. RENEWABLE ENERGY

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Renewable Energy Group (US-REG) and Cielo Wind Power LP today announced a partnership with the Shenyang Power Group (SPG) to construct a $1.5 billion, 600 megawatt, wind energy plant across approximately 36,000 acres in west Texas. This is the largest joint investment by American and Chinese companies ever made in the U.S. renewable energy sector, and will be the country’s second largest wind energy plant. In total, the project is expected to produce enough electricity for 180,000 homes, create hundreds of American jobs, and generate millions in revenue for local communities.

At an event held today in Washington, DC, Chinese leaders, U.S. leaders, and top executives from US-REG, SPG, A-Power Group, and Cielo Wind Power, LP gathered for a signing ceremony to finalize the largest private Chinese-American investment ever in renewable energy in the United States. The ceremony included the Vice Mayor of China’s Municipal People’s Government Yang Yazhou, SPG Chief Operating Officer John Lin, US-REG Managing Partner Cappy McGarr, US-REG Managing Partner Ed Cunningham, and Cielo Wind Power, LP Vice President of Finance and Business Development Joe Stark.

The ceremony was hosted by US-REG (www.US-REG.com), a U.S.-based private equity firm that mobilizes and facilitates the participation of international financing and investment in utility-scale renewable energy projects within the United States. US-REG provides American businesses with access to international investment options and works with strategic partners to identify domestic-based clean energy projects.

“US-REG, Shenyang Power Group, and Cielo Wind Power are combining investment, expertise, and resources to bring clean, reliable, and affordable renewable technologies to the marketplace,” said Cappy McGarr, US-REG Managing Partner. “This historic $1.5 billion investment in wind energy will spur tremendous growth in the renewable energy sector and directly create hundreds of high-paying American jobs.”

Shenyang Power Group is based in Shenyang, China, and through its partnership with the A-Power Group, is China’s largest provider of distributed power generation systems focusing on energy-efficient and environmentally friendly projects. SPG’s $1.5 billion investment is China’s largest investment to date in American energy, underscoring the enormous potential and attraction of the U.S. renewable market.

“Today, we demonstrated our commitment to clean, renewable energy with the largest private Chinese-American investment ever made in a U.S. renewable energy project,” said Vice Mayor Yang Yazhou, who oversees all environmental protection and economic growth and development of the city of Shenyang. “We all share the common goal of bringing cost effective and environmentally responsible renewable energy to millions of homes across the world, and this project will greatly benefit both the Chinese and American economies.”

“The Shenyang Power Group is committed to renewable energy and we are excited about the growth potential of American renewable energy,” said John Lin, Chief Operating Office of Shenyang Power Group. “We are proud to partner with the U.S. Renewable Energy Group and Cielo Wind Power to make this major investment in American wind energy.”

“Though some will describe this project as a large-scale, U.S.-China venture, it is in fact a cooperation, based on respect and friendship, between the best and brightest women and men from both countries working together for a new energy future, addressing the global climate crisis and creating new high-paying jobs on both sides of the Pacific,” said Ed Cunningham, Managing Partner of US-REG.

Cielo is one of the most successful wind farm developers in the United States, accounting for over 1,100 megawatts of wind energy. Cielo is committed to developing, owning and operating the most cost-effective and environmentally responsible wind power facilities for many load-serving entities throughout the southwestern United States. Texas is the American leader in wind energy and produces over 7,118 megawatts of electricity.

“A $1.5 billion wind energy project that produces 600 megawatts of renewable electricity will be one of the largest undertaking of its kind anywhere in the world,” said Cielo CEO Walt Hornaday. “Cielo is excited to be part of this historic partnership that will not only generate clean, homegrown, renewable energy, but also create a robust economy with new jobs and revenue.”
Earlier this year President Obama and the U.S. Congress created the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to promote innovation and investment in renewable energy. This legislation is clearing the way for increased capital formation and significant clean energy investment. By opening doors to global investment, America is positioning itself as the leader in developing innovative, renewable technologies and bringing clean energy to market.

“It is important to give credit where credit is due,” said Joe Stark, Vice President of Finance and Business Development with Cielo. “Without the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, this joint venture with SPG would not be possible. Never has there been a more favorable outlook for wind energy investment in the United States.”

US-REG’s mission is to integrate renewable and environmentally sound energy technologies into the American marketplace, while generating tremendous returns with a range of smart and strategic investments in clean energy. US-REG is devoted to strengthening America’s energy independence, environmental quality, and economic vitality through investments in utility-scale projects in wind, hydro, geothermal, solar, and bioenergy.

For More Information Or To Schedule An Interview, Please Contact Bill Riggs at (202) 429-4929 or BillRiggs@Rational360.com.

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About US-REG: The United States Renewable Energy Group mobilizes and facilitates the participation of international financing and investment in renewable energy projects within the United States. By facilitating the expansion and development of business strategies through managing risks and complexities associated with foreign financing and investment, USREG provides American businesses with access to international investment options, fosters economic development of the U.S. renewable energy industries and generates new high paying jobs for Americans. To learn more about US-REG visit www.US-REG.com.


About Cielo Wind Power, LP: Cielo is a privately held company based in Austin, Texas, that provides services to develop, own and operate wind power facilities in the southwest. Wind RanchTM is a registered trademark licensed to Cielo and represents the ideals the company embraces in taking necessary steps to minimize the impact of wind projects on farming, ranching and natural uses of the land. To learn more about Cielo Wind Power, LP visit www.CieloWind.com.

About Shenyang Power Group: Shenyang Power Group (SPG), through its partnership with the A-Power Group, is the largest provider of distributed power generation systems in China, focusing on energy-efficient and environmentally friendly projects of 25MW to 400MW. In 2008, A-Power entered the wind energy market and has built China's largest wind turbine manufacturing facility, located in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, with technologies licensed from German FUHRLANDER AG and Denmark-based Norwin, and a total annual production capacity of 1,125MW. In March 2009, A-Power entered into an agreement to establish a Joint Venture partnership with GE Drivetrain Technologies to produce wind turbine gearboxes in Shenyang. A-Power also has strategic relationships with Tsinghua University in Beijing and the China Academy of Sciences in Guangzhou to develop and commercialize other renewable energy technologies. To learn more about Shenyang Power Group visit www.APowerEnergy.com.

AWEA's 3rd Quarter Report

This afternoon AWEA held an hour long webinar in which they presented their 3rd Quarter Market Report. The report in its entirety can be found here. Just in case you don't have time to read over the entire report, I thought I would share a couple tidbits of information that I took away from the webinar this afternoon. You can also find a summary of the report in this recent press release.

  • Over 1600 MW of wind capacity has been added this quarter with 436 MW of additions in Texas this past quarter. Texas is still number one in total capacity with 8,787 MW.

  • The fastest growth in wind development is being seen in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Wyoming and New Mexico.

  • Manufacturing continues to fall behind 2008 levels. Twenty four manufacturing facilities have been built, announced or expanded to date this year. That is in comparison to 36 at this time last year.

  • The grant program that has come out of the ARRA has proved to be a key for unlocking financing for wind developments. Fifteen different projects representing over 1700 MW of wind have received grant money.

  • There is over 300,000 MW of wind development in queues throughout the U.S. This represents general interest in wind developments, from developments that are in early planning stages to projects that are close to being fully operational. Over 63,000 MW of that is in Texas.

  • There are some new names that will be showing up on the top 20 list of developers in the industry when the list comes out at the end of the year.

  • AWEA's focus now is on what they have been referring to as mid-term action (as their immediate action items have been checked off the list); it is to secure the passing of comprehensive legislation that will create a National Renewable Electricity Standard and include national transmission legislation that will upgrade reliability of the grid and also aid in the delivery of more renewable energies from coast to coast.

  • Approximately 50% of the value of wind turbines is being manufactured domestically.

  • Wind development growth in 2010 really depends on legislation that is currently in the works. Many state policies are helping to spur development currently but these need to be replicated on a national level.
That's all for now, until next time...

Today's Wind Headlines

Well it's been a couple days since the last post, so I thought I would share some links to wind in the news and a wind fact of course!

Prairie Chicken's mating dance puts Texas wind power at risk

Landowners meet with utility over power lines


Energy firm to meet with public over lines

A battle between wind and beauty

The science gets it right - AWEA Blog

WIND FACT

"For landowners with wind turbines on their property, some wind leases provide bonuses and installation payments, but the primary form of payment is in the form of royalties, also called rent, operating fees or monthly production payments, usually paid to the landowner quarterly. In 2007, the standard royalty was about 4 percent of gross revenues but the amount a landowner receives can depend on many factors, including the number and size of wind turbines installed; the area’s wind capacity; the turbines’ annual hours of operation; the availability of transmission lines; and the price the electric utility company pays per kWh."

Source: The Energy Report 2008: Chapter 11, Wind Energy

Today's Wind Headlines

I have discovered that there really isn't any fun, intriguing way to say this so I'll just keep it straight forward, here's some links to wind news:

In Texas, electricity costs go down because of wind energy - AWEA Blog

The most inaccurate article ever printed about wind
- AWEA Blog

Measuring the worth of wind energy - AWEA Blog

Decision belongs to landowners - a landowner's point of view on wind development

New study sheds light on the growing U.S. wind power market


Oncor towers going up to deliver wind power to North Texas


WIND FACT

"Wind projects bring significant economic development to their host communities through property taxes, new jobs, and work for local contractors."
Source: Windusty FAQs

Today's Wind Headlines

Current Headlines:

Company working with Tech on new wind farm

U.S. Used Less Energy in 2008 But More Renewable Energy


Wind and wildlife: Panhandle Power

WIND FACT
"Electricity being generated by the nation's existing wind power fleet would require burning more than 29 million tons of coal or 90 million barrels of oil per year."
Source: AWEA's 2009 Calendar

Today's Wind Headlines

Check out the links below:

Wind Power So Expensive? Not

Fighting Against Impact of Economic Crisis, U.S. Wind Energy Industry Installs 1200 MW in Second Qtr.

West Texas wind power waits for power lines


WIND FACT

What is community wind?

"Locally-owned, commercial-scale wind projects that optimize local benefits. Locally-owned means that one or more members of the local community has a significant direct financial stake in the project other than through land lease payments, tax revenue, or other payments in lieu of taxes. The term "community wind" refers to the method and intention of development rather than the size of the project."
Source: Windustry: Community-Wind

Today's Wind Headlines

Just another quick reminder for members: the annual membership meeting will be on August 13th at 7pm (sign-in starting at 6:30). Featured speakers will include representatives from Venti Energy and Cross Texas Transmission. Plus don't forget we are voting on changing the membership dues structure. Contact the office for more information.

Check out links below for some recent wind news:

Saving Rural America, One Small Town at a Time
- City of Matador leases land for wind development

Renewable Electricity Standard Won't Create Jobs Unless Strengthened

2008 Wind Technologies Market Report

Myth: Wind Farms Pose High Risk to Birds and Other Wildlife - National Wind Blog

WIND FACT

"The Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) would require each company that generates electricity in the U.S., or in a given state, to obtain part of the electricity it supplies from renewable energy sources such as wind. To meet this requirement, the company could either generate electricity from renewables itself or buy credits or electricity from a renewable generator such as a wind farm. This "credit trading" system has been used effectively by the federal Clean Air Act to require utilities to reduce pollutant emissions."

Source: AWEA: Wind Energy Policy Issues

Today's Wind Headlines

There's a lot going on in the wind industry! Check out these links for some current headlines:

Pampa's Future Role in the Wind Industry

Climate Legislation now faces Senate Heat

Wind Energy Promotion Act Introduced in Congress

The Benefits of a "Transmission Superhighway"


What Happened to the Wind? Actually, Nothing Happened
- AWEA Blog

PUCT Proceedings - Project No. 34577 - proceedings to establish policy relationg to excess development in competitive renewable energy zones

If you are a member...
Don't miss the annual membership meeting to be held August 13th, 7pm at the Floyd County Friends Unity Center. We will be voting on some important issues and there will be featured speakers you don't want to miss. Contact the office with any questions.

Today's Wind Headlines

Several links today, enjoy:

20% Wind Report Card: B Overall, Transmission lags at C-


Guidelines for Renewable Energy funding Released

U.S. Wind Energy Industry Welcomes Renewable Energy Grant Guidance Issued by Treasury


Transmission Holding Back Not Only Pickens' Plans But All US Wind

USDA Grants Small Wind Turbine Funding for Farmers


WIND FACT

"In 2008, with over 8,500 megawatts (MW) installed, wind power provided 42% of all the new generating capacity added in the U.S., according to initial estimates, up from less than 2% of new capacity added in 2004."
Source: Power of Wind, Fact Sheets

Today's Wind Headlines

Just a couple of headlines that are definitely worth checking out:

Pickens paring down wind farm project

House and Senate Move to address Climate and Energy: Mixed Bag for Clean Energy

WIND FACT

"If your land is wind class 3 or higher, clear of trees and buildings, and higher than surrounding obstructions, then you can confidently look further into your wind project. You will then need to undertake some site-specific meteorological studies which will help you and your banker determine the economic feasibility of the project."

Source: Windustry - Introduction to Wind Development

Today's Wind Headlines

Here are a couple headlines for you before you take a break to celebrate the 4th!

NACEL Energy Announces Fifth Texas Wind Project

Obama Administration on Rural Tour

Setting the Record Straight: Costs of Wind Vs. Nuclear Power - AWEA Blog

Getting the Most From Wind - National Wind Blog


Enjoy the holiday!

Today's Wind Headlines

Here's some headlines from the past couple days:

House passes climate bill

AWEA Statement on House Passage of Energy and Climate Legislation


ITC: House Climate Bill Lacks Necessary Transmission Reforms

How Utilities Integrate Wind Energy


The House of Representatives Passes an RES - National Wind Blog


And don't miss these releases about the CPWEA symposium last week!! ...

CPWEA Hosts Wind Symposium, Provides Updates

Floyd County Wind Energy Symposium Fairs Well

Today's Wind Headlines

A couple of recent headlines:

If you have land in Briscoe, Carson, Cottle, Childress, Collingsworth, Donley, Gray or Hall County you might be interested in checking this out:
Cross Texas Transmission Public Meetings
Cross Texas will be building transmission lines in the counties mentioned above as a part of the CREZ build out.

AWEA Applauds FERC Decision on Transmission Cost Allocation in Southwest Power Pool

Scandia Wind Southwest Announces Mariah Project - (Parmer County, Texas)

WIND FACT
"The U.S. currently lacks a modern interstate electricity transmission grid to deliver the clean electricity generated in remote locations to customers in heavily populated areas of the country. This is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the long-term growth of wind power and other renewables."
Source: Power of Wind: Current Issues

Today's Wind Headlines

I haven't posted wind news links in the last couple of days as I have been pretty swamped with preparations for our free symposium on wind energy. The first link below has more details about the event.

Free Symposium to Highlight Wind Energy Issues

Area's Potential strong for alternative energy

Parmer County eyed for giant wind farm


National Wind Blog - some interesting blog posts.

WIND FACT

"The most common turbine installed in 2008 was the GE 1.5-MW turbine, which has a 70.5- to 77-meter rotor diameter on a tower with heights ranging from 52.6 to 100 meters."

Source: AWEA: Fact Sheet, Wind Industry Value Chain

Today's Wind Headlines

Wind news links:

Frequently asked questions on wind energy

Show Your Support for Wind Energy on Global Wind Day, June 15

Will wind energy follow ethanol's path?

2009 Texas Legislative Session Summary

WIND FACT

"Diversifying the power supply by developing America’s homegrown renewable energy resources would help shield consumers from spikes in energy prices. According to a major study by a widely respected energy research firm, a national RES would save American consumers as much as $100 billion in lower electricity and natural gas bills."
Source: AWEA: RES Factsheet

Today's Wind Headlines

Not as many links so far this week, especially in comparison to last week. Regardless, check these out if you get a chance:

A Call to Action on Peak Oil
* I found this article very enlightening and definitely recommend reading it.

Consultant Sees Wind Energy Rebound in 2010 - AWEA blog entry

WIND FACT
"The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) 20% Wind Energy by 2030 Technical Report calculated that obtaining 20% of our electricity from wind energy by 2030 would cut cumulative CO2 emissions by over 7.6 billion tons"
Source: AWEA: Backup Power and Emission Fact Sheet