Expect 1,500 MW from Offshore Wind Energy in Germany

Expect 1,500 MW from Offshore Wind Energy in Germany
Hamburg, Germany [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]
According to the CEO at REpower Systems AG, Professor Fritz Vahrenholt, it is realistic to expect offshore wind farms with an output of 1,500 megawatts (MW) in Germany by the end of 2011.

Vahrenholt also announced a short-term decision on Bremerhaven as the site for the serial production of the offshore turbine REpower 5M, to start as early as 2007.

During the National Maritime Conference in Hamburg, Vahrenholt welcomed Germany's resolution to adjust the infrastructure law so that grid-connection costs are borne by the grid operators.

Vahrenholt also announced a short-term decision on Bremerhaven as the site for the serial production of the offshore turbine REpower 5M, to start as early as 2007.

The dimensions of the 5M, whose nacelle has the measurements of a single family home and weighs approximately 290 tons, place particular demands on the size and infrastructure of the production site.

The first 5M was thus manufactured at HDW shipyard in Kiel and four subsequent 5Ms were produced at the J. Kramer shipyard in Bremerhaven. All other REpower Systems AG wind turbines are manufactured in Husum and Trampe/Brandenburg.

Wind-powered System Under Way to Purify Water

Wind-powered System Under Way to Purify Water
Niskayuna, New York [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

GE Global Research is partnering with Texas Tech University (TTU) to develop affordable water desalination systems to increase the quantity and quality of clean water in arid areas around the world.

"Developing cost effective technologies that address improving water quality and availability are of critical importance to many water stressed areas in this region."

-- Dr. Dean Smith, Texas Tech University, VP for Research

The GE-Texas Tech partnership will focus on the integration of renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines, with membrane desalination processes. The development of the integrated renewable energy-water system can reduce the cost of creating new sources of freshwater from impaired resources, such as brackish water, by directly addressing the major component of operating cost of desalination systems - energy.

"Up to fifty percent of the operating costs of desalination is derived from energy consumption," said Dr. Minesh Shah, project leader, GE Global Research. "With the potential for large variability in energy costs due to fuel price volatility, desalination systems can have significant operational costs. The integration of wind energy provides an opportunity to mitigate this variability and allow for a lower cost desalination system."

"Developing cost effective technologies that address improving water quality and availability are of critical importance to many water stressed areas in this region," said Dr. Dean Smith, Vice President for Research at TTU. "We are pleased to partner with the GE Global Research Center to work together on this problem of both regional and world-wide importance."

The focus of the research partnership will be the integrated control and optimization of the two systems to improve operations, reduce capital cost and reduce energy consumption. This would help to improve the commercialization of a renewable energy-water system. The program aims to develop a commercial scale demonstration within the next several years.

The partnership is part of GE's company-wide ecomagination initiative, in which GE has pledged to more than double its level of investment in the development of cleaner energy technologies, from $700 million to $1.5 billion, over the next five years.

Knight & Carver Builds First STAR Blade for the DOE

Knight & Carver Builds First STAR Blade for the DOE
November 15, 2006
San Diego, California [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]

Knight & Carver's Wind Blade Division has completed the first in a series of 27.5-meter wind blades as part of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) project that ranks as an advance in wind energy production. The Sweep Twist Adaptive Rotor (STAR) blade's characteristic is a gently curved tip, which, unlike the vast majority of blades in current use, is specially designed for low-wind-speed regions.

"Depending on the wind farm's site, this blade will capture between 5 and 10 percent more energy."

-- Gary Kanaby, Knight & Carver's Blade Division Manager

Instead of the traditional linear shape, the blade features a curvature toward the trailing edge, designed to relieve pressure on the blade and turbine drive train. The blade, which takes maximum advantage of all wind speeds, including marginal speeds, is scheduled for static-testing at Knight & Carver's onsite test facility in San Diego during December. A second blade will be built before the end of the year.

"Depending on the wind farm's site, this blade will capture between 5 and 10 percent more energy," said Gary Kanaby, Knight & Carver's Blade Division Manager.

The project is a cooperative effort among several companies and institutions including Knight & Carver YachtCenter, Sandia Laboratories, Dynamic Design, MDZ Consulting, University of California at Davis, and NSE Composites.

Last April, Knight & Carver's Wind Blade Division was honored by the U.S. DOE for research and development on the STAR blade project.

Texas, private partners to invest $10 billion in wind energy

Texas, private partners to invest $10 billion in wind energy
San Antonio Business Journal - 11:19 AM CDT Tuesday
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The state of Texas will partner with private-sector parties to invest more than $10 billion in new wind energy infrastructure, Gov. Rick Perry said Monday evening in Dallas.

The wind energy initiative will diversify the state's energy production, clean up the air and help Texas surpass its renewable energy goals, Perry said during an appearance at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.


Under the partnership, private companies will make the capital investments in wind energy generation and the Public Utility Commission will direct the construction of additional transmission lines to deliver the power.

For every 1,000 megawatts generated by new wind sources, Texas will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 6 million tons over the next 20 years, according to the governor's office. The investment also will provide a boost to the economy, Perry said.

"With this $10 billion announcement, the economic ripple will be more like a tidal wave as these companies pour millions of dollars into wages and salaries for Texas workers," he said.

The Texas Energy Council, which was developed in 2003 and charged with developing a long-term energy plan for the state, issued a report in December 2004 stating that 10 percent of the state's power needs come from renewable sources.

The council recommended that the Public Utility Commission take steps to overcome transmission obstacles that limit the development of renewable energy sources.

"This is a monumental investment that will make our air cleaner and our people healthier," Perry said.

Private companies participating in the initiative include the following:

AES Wind Generation
Airtricity Inc.
Babcock & Brown LP.
Gamesa Energy Southwest
Horizon Wind Energy
John Deere Wind Energy
Orion Energy LLC
PPM Energy
Renewable Energy Systems (USA)
Shell WindEnergy Inc.
Superior Renewable Energy
D.H. Blattner
GE Energy LLC
Mortenson
Siemens
Trinity Structural Towers Inc.
Vestas-Americas Inc.

Suzlon Now Supplies John Deere Wind Energy with 530 MW

Suzlon Now Supplies John Deere Wind Energy with 530 MW
September 25, 2006

Pune, India [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] A new order from John Deere Wind Energy (JDWE) nearly doubles its wind turbine capacity with another 247 megawatts (MW) from Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark (SEAS), international arm of Suzlon Energy Limited. JDWE's Suzlon wind turbine portfolio now exceeds 530 MW in capacity. 30 units of the S64-1.25 MW turbine and 100 units of the S88-2.1 MW turbine will be delivered throughout 2007.

"John Deere is relatively new to the industry, but has already made great strides and continues to extend its business model."

-- Per Hornung Pedersen, SEAS, CEO "We are confident our investment in the U.S., along with our customer-focused approach, has contributed to repeat orders," said Tulsi R. Tanti, Chairman & Managing Director, Suzlon Energy Limited.

Suzlon's relationship with JDWE began in 2003 with its investment in several Minnesota wind power projects, but quickly expanded to Texas and recently Missouri. JDWE's latest order builds upon previous orders, including an order for 238 MW of capacity placed in early 2006.

"We view this latest agreement as a reaffirmation of our belief and investment in the U.S. market, and our manufacturing strategy," said Andris Cukurs, CEO of Suzlon Wind Energy Corporation (SWECO). "John Deere's commitment to purchasing these turbines further confirms our long-term strategy to focus on partnerships and production capabilities."

Commenting on the order, David Drescher, VP of JDWE, said, "John Deere Wind Energy is very pleased that we came to terms with Suzlon and have procured turbines for numerous projects throughout the U.S."

"John Deere is relatively new to the industry, but has already made great strides and continues to extend its business model," added Per Hornung Pedersen, CEO of SEAS.

ACCIONA, Enbridge and Suncor Open 30 MW Wind Power Project

ACCIONA, Enbridge and Suncor Open 30 MW Wind Power Project
September 28, 2006


Taber, Alberta [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Acciona Wind Energy Canada Inc., Enbridge Inc., and Suncor Energy Products Inc. announced the opening of the 30-megawatt (MW) Chin Chute Wind Power Project, which consists of 20 1.5-MW turbines. Power is expected to be available to the grid in late October 2006.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to expand zero- emission electricity generation through renewable energies, and to cooperate with the authorities and businesses in expanding initiatives that address climate change."

-- Peter Duprey, Acciona Energy North America, CEO The companies are currently focusing on safely commissioning each turbine and completing the 20 kilometer (km) transmission line. Once in full service, Acciona will operate the CDN$60 million wind farm, located 20 km southwest of Taber.

"The opening of the Chin Chute Wind Power Project increases and consolidates Acciona's presence in Canada, where we already have a wind farm in operation in Alberta," said Peter Duprey, CEO of Acciona Energy North America.

"We are honored to have the opportunity to expand zero-emission electricity generation through renewable energies, and to cooperate with the authorities and businesses in expanding initiatives that address climate change," said Duprey.

Chuck Szmurlo, President of Enbridge Wind Power, said, "Developing Chin Chute and our other wind power projects is consistent with our commitment to sound environmental stewardship."

Acciona, Enbridge and Suncor also own the 30-MW Magrath Wind Power Project in southern Alberta, which was commissioned in 2004 and is now operated by Acciona. Enbridge and Suncor also own the 11-MW SunBridge project near Gull Lake, Saskatchewan, which Enbridge operates.

The companies expect to receive funding from the Canadian government's Wind Power Production Incentive, which supports wind power development in Canada.

Floating Ocean Windmills Designed to Generate More Power

Floating Ocean Windmills Designed to Generate More Power
Ker Than LiveScience Staff Writer
LiveScience.com

Windmills that would float hundreds of miles out at sea could one day help satisfy our energy needs without being eyesores from land, scientists said today.

Offshore wind turbines are not new, but they typically stand on towers that have to be driven deep into the ocean floor. This arrangement only works in water depths of about 50 feet or less—close enough to shore that they are still visible.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have designed a wind turbine that can be attached to a floating platform. Long steel cables would tether the corners of the floating platform to a concrete-block or other mooring system on the ocean floor, like a high-tech ship anchor. The setup is called a "tension leg platform," or TLP, and would be cheaper than fixed towers.

"You don't pay anything to be buoyant," said Paul Sclavounos, an MIT professor of mechanical engineering and naval architecture who was involved in the design.

The floating platforms to sway side to side but not bob up and down. Computer simulations suggest that even during hurricanes, the platforms would shift by only about three to six feet and that the bottom of the turbine blades would revolve well above the peak of even the highest wave. Dampers similar to those used to steady skyscrapers during high winds and earthquakes could be used to further reduce sideways motion, the researchers say.

Like the offshore windmills currently in use, the TLP's would use undersea cables to shuttle the electricity to land.

The researchers estimate their floater-mounted turbines could work in water depths ranging from about 100 to 650 feet. This means that in the northeastern United States, they could be placed about 30 to 100 miles out at sea. Because winds are stronger farther offshore, the floating windmills could also generate more energy—5.0 megawatts (MW), compared to 1.5 MW for onshore units and 3.5 MW for conventional offshore setups.

To save money, assembly of the TLP's could be done onshore—probably at a shipyard—and towed out to sea by a tugboat, the researchers say.

Sclavounos estimates that building and installing the TLP's should cost a third of what it costs to install current offshore tower windmills. Another advantage of using floating platforms is that the windmills could be moved around. If a company with 400 wind turbines in Boston needs more power in New York City, it can unhook some of their windmills and tow them south.

The researchers plan to install a half-scale prototype of their invention south of Cape Cod.

"We'd have a little unit sitting out there to show that this thing can float and behave the way we're saying it will," Sclavounos said.

Giant wind farm gets permit from BLM

Idaho's Economic Answer: Blowin' In the Wind
Giant wind farm gets permit from BLM

BY TONY EVANS
Boise-based Windland, Inc. working in partnership with Shell Wind Energy recently completed a four-year permitting process with the Bureau of Land Management to OK a massive wind turbine power project on BLM land in the Cotterel Mountains near Albion, Idaho. Once completed, the Cotterel Wind Power Project will comprise 98, 300-foot-tall towers equipped with swirling white propellers stretching along 14 miles of ridgeline. Cotterel will provide enough energy to power 50,000 homes, roughly the number of homes in Twin Falls and Jerome and Gooding counties combined. If completed, the project will be the largest wind farm built on federal lands in the last 25 years.

Mike Heckler of Windland, Inc. says he is "very pleased" with the completion of the BLM review. Before construction begins on the project, Windland faces the task of acquiring a power purchase agreement from one of three utility companies in the region; Idaho Power, Altavista, or Rocky Mountain Power.

"All three have expressed an interest in adding wind generation to their energy portfolios," says Heckler, who attributes the renewed interest in wind power to a recent increase in the cost of natural gas and rapid technological advances in wind turbine technology. According to Heckler, the huge and powerful 1.5 to 3.0 megawatt wind turbines planned for Cotterel, each capable of generating enough power for 500 homes, have only been available in the last six years.

Gerald Fleischman of the Idaho Energy Division counts 42 wind farm projects in various stages of development around the state with a combined potential output of 1,500-2,000 megawatts when completed.

"Many of these are on private lands and are in the 10-20 megawatt range. Most of them keep a pretty low profile," Fleischman says.

The BLM seems eager to spread word of Cotterel's permit, perhaps because it will help meet the goal set by Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005. That document calls on the secretary of the Interior to seek approval of projects on federal lands which generate 10,000 megawatts of energy from non-hydro-powered renewable sources, in the next nine years. The BLM estimates 3,200 megawatts of wind power are available in the nine Western states. Idaho ranks 13th in its potential for wind energy.

But despite the current interest in wind energy, Idaho Power's supply of energy comes primarily from hydropower, followed closely by natural gas and coal-fired power plant sources, according to Dennis Lopez.

Idaho Senate Minority Leader Clint Stennett organized opposition last year to Sempra Energy's proposed coal-fired power plant, which would have provided 600 megawatts of power, one-third of Cotterel's capacity.

"We have enough wind to supply our new energy needs in Idaho," says Stennett. "I am hoping that Idaho will pursue a renewable energy portfolio, including wind, solar, geothermal and biomass. If utilities would consider our hydropower as a solid source of base-load capacity, we certainly would not have to rely on coal in the future."

Doing so, he adds, would require a quantum leap in thinking by the utilities companies. Wind power, Stennett admits, has a huge up-front cost, "but you don't have to wonder about the price of coal and oil 20 years down the road."

"These projects are also great for providing a tax base and some rural economic development," Stennett says.

Cotterel is expected to generate up to $12.5 million in local sales tax revenue once operations are fully underway. According to a BLM report, Cassia County could also benefit from property taxes on the project's $197 million in property improvements.

Iowa Will Consider Building 40,000-Acre Wind-Energy Farm

Iowa Will Consider Building 40,000-Acre Wind-Energy Farm
BY Associated Press
September 1, 2006

Northern Iowa could have one of the nation's largest wind farms by Iowa Winds LLC wants to build a 200- to 300-megawatt farm covering about 40,000 acres in Franklin County.

A county zoning board will consider approving permits for the $200 million project next month.

"It's something new and renewable," a spokeswoman for the Iowa Falls-based company, Amber Schwarck, said. "It's great for national security, so we can start depending on ourselves and the wind."

Iowa ranks third in the nation in wind energy behind Texas and California, according to the American Wind Energy Association. The Franklin County Wind Farm would help Iowa keep pace with those states and create between 30 and 40 technical jobs maintaining turbines, Ms. Schwarck said. A pay scale was unavailable.

Company officials said the farm could be the nation's largest — depending on the permits and the county's power grid infrastructure. The project would be built near Bradford and involve 193 landowners in the townships of Grant, Hamilton, Ingham, Lee, Morgan, Oakland, and Reeves.

If the county approves the project, construction would start next spring and take about a year, Franklin County Supervisor Michael Nolte said

FAA gives go-ahead to three Minnesota wind projects

FAA gives go-ahead to three Minnesota wind projects
Posted 9/14/2006 7:56 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Aviation Administration has given the go-ahead to three Minnesota wind power projects, after concluding that they don't interfere with military radar.
The approvals were announced Thursday by Sen. Norm Coleman, a Minnesota Republican who urged the FAA to approve the projects. The FAA confirmed the projects had been given the go-ahead.

More than a dozen wind developers in the Midwest had been told earlier this year that their projects might not get safety permits because of the potential impact on military radar.

The three Minnesota projects that have been approved are: PPM Energy, enXco Energy and Wind Energy Developers.

Jan Johnson, a spokeswoman for PPM Energy, said the company got a determination of "no hazard" from the FAA a couple of weeks ago. That will pave the way for construction to begin this year on a 150-megawatt project in Lincoln County in Minnesota, and Brookings County, South Dakota, she said.

Johnson said that the project would provide enough energy to power about 45,000 homes a year.

Officials with enXco Energy and Wind Energy Developers did not return telephone messages left Thursday.

The enXco project would be built near Chandler. Spokespeople for the FAA and Coleman's office weren't immediately sure where the Wind Energy Developers project is located. The company's website and state and local government records indicate the company is developing projects in both Cottonwood and Murray counties.

"Hundreds of millions of dollars in wind development, much-needed jobs in southwestern Minnesota, and abundant clean, renewable energy can now become a reality thanks to the FAA clearing the way for three Minnesota wind projects," Coleman said in a statement.

FAA spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere confirmed the three had been given clearance.

"There were some issues with those projects, but we worked very closely with the applicants to mitigate any safety factors so that they could go ahead with their projects," said Spitaliere, who did not have details on the specifics of the mitigation.

The American Wind Energy Association, a Washington trade group, ranks Minnesota fourth in the nation in the amount of wind energy installed.

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center Completes 662 MW

Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center Completes 662 MW
September 14, 2006


Juno Beach, Florida [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] FPL Energy completed 662 megawatts (MW) of the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas in the end of August. When the last phase of the project is complete later this month, the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center will have a total capacity of 735 MW, making it the largest wind farm in the U.S.

"Because of the strong support we have received in Texas, this year alone we have invested more than $1 billion to expand our wind business in the state and bring the benefits of this clean, renewable energy source to tens of thousands of Texans."

-- Jim Robo, FPL Energy, president The Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center is comprised of 291 GE 1.5 MW wind turbines and 130 Siemens 2.3 MW wind turbines spread over nearly 47,000 acres in Taylor and Nolan County, Texas.

The first phase of the project consisting of 213 MW was completed in late 2005; phase two consisting of 223.5 MW was completed in the second quarter of 2006; and phase three consisting of 299 MW, of which 225 MW are already operational, is expected to be completed by the end of September. Once Horse Hollow is complete, FPL Energy will operate more than 1,600 MW of wind in Texas alone.

"Projects like Horse Hollow are possible because of the pro-business environment that exists in Texas today as well as tremendous support from the local community," said Jim Robo, president of FPL Energy. "Because of the strong support we have received in Texas, this year alone we have invested more than $1 billion to expand our wind business in the state and bring the benefits of this clean, renewable energy source to tens of thousands of Texans."

FPL Energy, through its subsidiaries, operates 47 wind farms in the U.S. with a gross capacity of 4,002 MW. Since July 2005 FPL Energy has added 880 MW of new wind and expects more than 220 MW to reach commercial operation by the end of the year. FPL Energy plans to add at least 1,500 MW to its portfolio, excluding acquisitions, over the course of the 2006/2007 period.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

U.S. DOE Funds Research on Modular Technology for Large Wind Turbines

U.S. DOE Funds Research on Modular Technology for Large Wind Turbines
September 12, 2006


Waitsfield, Vermont [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Development of 5- to 8-megawatt wind turbines by Northern Power is moving forward thanks to a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

"Over the last several years, our wind experts have focused on developing large-scale, direct-drive wind turbine generator and power converter systems to address the cost, utility interconnection and equipment implementation issues that are prominent in the multi- megawatt wind market today."

-- Darren Jamison, Northern Power, president The Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant will allow the company, a subsidiary of Distributed Energy Systems Corp., to continue development of key modular construction approaches necessary to build the turbines.

With blade lengths of 60 meters or greater and tower heads often weighing more than 450 tons, shipping, installing and maintaining larger turbines is a challenge.

Northern Power's Phase 2 contract with the DOE covers manufacturing and assembly for permanent magnet generators and power converters, to improve the viability of large-scale wind power both on- and offshore. The project's emphasis on modular designs is intended to permit easier subassembly transportation, less weight per component, partial power capabilities and more flexibility in providing onsite service.

"Over the last several years, our wind experts have focused on developing large-scale, direct-drive wind turbine generator and power converter systems," said Darren Jamison, Northern Power's president, "to address the cost, utility interconnection and equipment implementation issues that are prominent in the multi-megawatt wind market today."

The first phase of the competitive, three-phase SBIR program is the startup phase, during which exploration is funded based on the technical merit or feasibility of a technology. Phase II grants enable development of the technology and evaluation of its commercial potential, and Phase III moves the product from the laboratory into the marketplace.

Wind's Economic Value

Wind's Economic Value


September 11, 2006

Xcel Energy's experience with wind energy is whipping up support for alternative fuels. A new study says that energy consumers in Colorado will save more than $251 million over the next 20 years because of the utility's current fleet of wind plants.
Ken Silverstein
EnergyBiz Insider
Editor-in-Chief

By today's standards, wind is competitive with other forms of generation. But, even more compelling is the fact that its costs are more stable than natural gas. But if wind is to reach its full potential -- the U.S. Department of Energy has its eyes on 20 percent of the nation's generation mix in a couple decades -- then some critical barriers must be overcome. And those primarily include the extension of transmission lines into remote areas where wind resources are plentiful.

"Most utilities enter into a fixed and known price for wind or other renewables," says Ryan Wiser, a researcher and analyst at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "Wind contracts are offered at known prices that may escalate with inflation. Conversely, most of the natural gas generation is indexed to the price of natural gas. And that imposes some risk to utilities and their rate payers."

Wiser, who has written extensively about wind as a hedging tool for utilities, goes on to add that while coal is relatively cheap at 5 cents per kilowatt hour, it may become subject to carbon caps that would increase its overall price. Natural gas, by comparison, is now about 6-8 cents a kilowatt hour, although it has sold for substantially more. Meanwhile wind energy is 4-7 cents per kilowatt hour.

Wind's predictability is a selling point. While the fastest growing fuel form is natural gas, wind is the second largest source for new power generation in the country for two years running, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. There are now 10,000 megawatts of installed wind capacity, representing about 0.6 percent of the nation's generation mix.

In Xcel's case, the savings comes from operating wind plants instead of using natural gas. Beyond the economic value, the study released by Interwest Energy Alliance in Denver, says that by adding wind generation to its option, carbon dioxide emissions tied to global warming would be cut by 14.7 million tons.

"Wind energy is providing new electricity supplies that work for our country's economy, environment, and energy security," says Randall Swisher, executive director of the American Wind Energy Association. "With its current performance, wind energy is demonstrating that it could rapidly become an important part of the nation's power portfolio."

The Potential

Swisher adds that wind's growth can also be attributed to the renewal of the production tax credit, a federal incentive extended in the Energy Policy Act signed a year ago by President Bush. Previously, the credit had been allowed to expire three times in seven years, discouraging investment in wind turbine manufacturing. The association is calling for a long-term extension of the credit before it is scheduled to expire at the end of 2007.

Increasing wind's role is possible. Europe, which has inferior wind resources compared to this country, is a pacesetter. Germany and Spain, for example, are on route to producing at least 10 percent of their power generation from wind while Denmark has passed the 20 percent threshold. In this country, the potential is in those states with the greatest wind speeds and in those places that are dependent on gas but where it is in short supply.

So what's stopping development? At present, the demand for wind exceeds the supply of wind turbines and the various components that go into production. That's why the price to generate wind has risen in the last few years. Manufacturers are cranking up production but it will take a few years to build up. At the same time -- and more significantly -- the transmission infrastructure is not adequate. That is, such places as North and South Dakota are rich with wind resources but are not able to harness the resource because would-be developers cannot connect to the grid.

Despite some of the hurdles, about 20 percent of all utilities nationally in regulated markets now offer green energy options. Altogether, roughly 600 utilities give 40 million customers in 34 states the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion of their electricity needs -- a proposition that has resonated with some Wall Street analysts.

Critics say, however, that the current build out of wind farms is a direct function of the lucrative tax breaks given to developers. Without those incentives, they add that wind would not be economically viable. Proponents are quick to counter that fossil fuels receive far more government support.

But, moreover, wind advocates say that detractors are missing the point. That is, the overall push is to move toward more sustainable fuel sources and away from those with the greatest emissions. And like any emerging technology, wind power -- for now -- needs federal assistance to get it into the mainstream.

"If you think of wind as an added variable -- not something in isolation -- but in the context of running an entire portfolio, it is attractive," says Brian Parsons, with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. "We are displacing gas and other fuels. That's the main value." By today's standards, 10,000 megawatts of wind power saves about 0.6 billion cubic feet per day, or about 3.5 percent of the natural gas used nationwide to generate electricity.

Clearly, wind's promise is derived from its potential economic value as well as its environmental benefits. Utilities know all too well that gas prices have gyrated while coal plants are under constant pressure to modernize.

As such, utilities now see wind power as a tool to balance cost, reliability and fuel diversity. And if the use of wind energy is going to expand, then the technology to produce it must continue to advance while the country's transmission infrastructure must accommodate an ever-increasing demand.

AWEA Wind Power Finance & Investment Workshop

AWEA Wind Power Finance & Investment Workshop
October 4 - 5, 2006
New York, New York

The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is pleased to announce additional details for the AWEA Wind Power Finance & Investment Workshop taking place October 4 - 5, 2006 in New York, NY. This two-day workshop is the premier financing workshop in the industry, designed to delineate the state-of-the-art financial structures available in the market today, and to demonstrate the issues project developers and financiers are able to solve through thoughtful presentations and amicable negotiations. The workshop will survey the advantages associated with tax credit monetization transactions and explore the ins-and-outs of partnership flip structures. This is AWEA's third event in New York City, and promises to bring a detailed look at wind project financing and investment while remaining interesting, thought-provoking, and controversial.

Why Attend?

Has the time arrived for merchant wind? Is a merchant wind deal financiable? What about a power purchase agreement - do you still need one? These and many more questions will be examined and answered by a panel of experts, populated by long-term practitioners in renewable energy finance in general and wind power finance in particular.

Have you ever wished you could watch a financing negotiation unfold - without the responsibility for the outcome? Well, we are staging just such an event as part of our two-day workshop. Consider a Greenfield wind power generation project that is ready for construction / long-term financing. A panel of developers will present their case to a panel of lenders and the negotiations will begin! Watch as the key points reveal themselves and both sides work to close the deal while keeping the parameters "market." Will it close?

Come to the AWEA Wind Power Finance & Investment Workshop to find out!


Workshop Topics

The Future of Wind Energy Financing
CFOs and General Counsels Panel
Environmental Update
Equity Panel
Real Estate Update
Legislative Outlook
Regulatory Update
Advisers Panel
Debt Panel
Mock Debt Negotiation
Monetization Mock Negotiation
Wind Studies
Tax Update
Other Capital Sources

Who Should Attend?


Financial Service Firms
Project Finance Banks
Portfolio Managers
Fund Managers
Institutional Investors
Venture Capitalists
Foundation Managers
Investment Banks
Project Developers
Wind Project Operators
Law Firms
Insurance Companies
Utilities
Construction / Transportation Companies
Turbine Equipment Suppliers
Service Providers
Academic Institutions
Government Agencies
Landowners


More information, including more detailed program content, registration costs, online registration, and housing and travel details, please visit http://www.awea.org/events/finance2006oct. Speakers to be announced shortly.


Reserve your hotel room at the New York Marriott Financial Center by September 18th to receive the discounted AWEA room rate of $269. Call (800) 228-9290 and indicate you are with the American Wind Energy Association.
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AMERICAN WIND ENERGY ASSOCIATION
Conference & Education Department
1101 14TH Street NW, 12th Floor
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 383-2512
Fax: (202) 383-2505
Email: conference@awea.org
Web: http://www.awea.org/events

Bureau of Land Management Announces Final Approval of Wind Energy Project in Idaho

Bureau of Land Management Announces Final Approval of Wind Energy Project in Idaho
Kathleen Clarke, Director of the Bureau of Land Management, today announced completion of an environmental review of the largest wind energy project on Federal land in the last 25 years. Approval of the Record of Decision (ROD) and right-of-way grant for the Cotterel Wind Power Project on 4,500 acres of BLM-managed public land clears the way for the installation of up to 98 turbines on a ridge in south-central Idaho five miles east of Albion in Cassia County.

The 200 megawatt (MW) project will generate enough electricity to supply approximately 50,000 homes. Promoting wind energy is a high priority for the Bureau in its efforts to enhance energy security by expanding opportunities for developing alternative, domestic sources.

“This project represents the kind of diversification of America’s energy supply that is a key component of President Bush’s energy policy,” Clarke said. “We are committed to encouraging wind energy production on public lands, while at the same time minimizing environmental impacts.”

The Cotterel right-of-way grant includes important measures for mitigating the effects of wind generation on wildlife resources. Best Management Practices (BMPs), offsite mitigation, and adaptive management strategies will be incorporated into the project to address impacts to sage-grouse, raptors, bats, and migratory birds. An interagency team of Federal and state biologists developed the mitigation plan and will continue to monitor wildlife impacts. Power generated from the project will be distributed through the existing regional power grid.

The Cotterel project will also help meet the goal Congress set in Section 211 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which calls on the Secretary of the Interior to seek (by 2015) to approve projects on Federal lands generating at least 10,000 MW of electricity from non-hydropower renewable sources.

The project is expected to bring economic benefits to the local area. Construction activity is projected to generate up to $12.5 million in local sales tax revenue and more than half a million dollars annually once operations are fully underway. Cassia County will also benefit from property taxes on the project’s $197 million in property improvements.

Wind energy is the world’s fastest-growing energy source. Technological advances in the design and siting of turbines have increased their generating capacity while continuing to reduce their impact on the environment. Because there are no emissions involved, wind energy’s environmental impact per unit of electricity generated is significantly lower than that of more common forms of electricity generation.

In addition, wind energy is not subject to the same price fluctuations as natural gas and oil. Electricity production from wind energy in the U.S. is expected to increase six-fold by 2020. By the end of 2006, the production of electric power using wind is projected to conserve more than 500 million cubic feet of natural gas per day nationwide, relieving demand pressures on that supply of energy.

BLM-managed lands in nine Western States have the potential to generate an estimated 3,200 MW of wind energy – enough to provide electric power for nearly one million homes. Public lands administered by the Interior Department produce approximately five percent of the wind energy, one-half of the geothermal energy, and 17 percent of the hydropower generated in the United States.

Wind farms to increase in Australia

Wind farms to increase in Australia
Newscom

August 20, 2006

The officials in Victoria, Australia have approved the construction of a wind farm in the southwest Mount Gellibrand area.

The AUD380 million ($228.9 million) project involves building 116 giant turbines and will produce enough power for 133,000 homes.

Victoria Planning Minister Rob Hulls said the project will generate more power than any other in the state.

This is great for the environment and great for the economy, he told a news conference.

He added that the government of Victoria is on track to meet renewable energy targets.

That means ensuring that 10 percent of electricity, 10 percent of power is generated from renewable energy over the next 10 years and we believe that will mean about AUD 2 billion ($1.5 billion) worth of investment, Hulls said.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

U.S. Wind Power Reaches 10-Gigawatt Milestone

U.S. Wind Power Reaches 10-Gigawatt Milestone
August 14, 2006

Wind turbines at the Searsburg Wind facility in Vermont supply power to about 2,000 homes in the state.

Washington, DC [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] As the U.S. wind energy industry stayed on pace for another record year, Texas for the first time supplanted historic leader California as the top state in cumulative wind power capacity, according to the American Wind Energy Association's (AWEA) Second Quarter Market Report.

AWEA forecasts that the industry remains on track to install more than 3,000 MW of new wind capacity, which would decisively eclipse the previous record of 2,431 MW set in 2005. The report also shows that U.S. developers brought online a capacity total of 822 megawatts (MW) in the first half of the year. With the strong growth, the U.S.'s cumulative wind power capacity surged to 9,971 MW -- within close striking distance of the 10-gigawatt (10,000-MW) milestone. (For a listing of projects completed and under construction, see link below.)

A recent update from AWEA shows the industry has since surpassed the 10-gigawatt mark. The news in Texas, however, comes as perhaps a greater surprise as California had historically been the strongest state market, by far.

Texas 's cumulative total now stands at 2,370 MW of capacity -- enough to power more than 600,000 average American homes -- followed by California's 2,323 MW. Texas edged ahead of California by adding a total of 375 MW, about half of the total amount installed in the country since the beginning of the year.

It's a historic moment. California has led the nation in installed wind capacity uninterruptedly for nearly 25 years, ever since the first wind farms were built there in late 1981, and at one time the Golden State was host to more than 80 percent of the wind capacity in the entire world. However, energy and electricity prices tanked during the global oil glut of the 1980s, putting California's wind power boom on hold.

But Texas by no means has been the lone state busy developing wind power projects. In fact, while Texas took the capacity crown from the perennial state leader, development activity in California has not exactly been dormant, with PPM Energy's (PPM) 150-MW Shiloh Wind Project in Solano County and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District's 24-MW project near Rio Vista coming online earlier in the year.

Developers continue their steady advance in project activity while the industry confronts a series of inevitable challenges, one being the interplay between wind turbines and military radar. At AWEA's annual conference, the WINDPOWER 2006 Conference & Exhibition in June, industry players gathered for a siting panel on military issues, an event that brought together stakeholders from all sides of the radar issue. At the session Lt. Col. William Crowe, chief of airspace for the U.S. Air Force, offered to serve as a point of contact for the industry as the various parties work through the challenges and concerns.

Meanwhile, the industry forges ahead, despite delays in some projects due to radar issues. AWEA forecasts that the industry remains on track to install more than 3,000 MW of new wind capacity, which would decisively eclipse the previous record of 2,431 MW set in 2005. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that slightly less than 10,000 MW of new natural gas plants will be brought online in 2006, and that less than 400 MW of new coal- and oil-fired generating plants will be added, making wind power second only to natural gas in new capacity and new power generation for the second year in a row.

With this robust climate serving as a backdrop, wind energy leaders are thinking both short- and long-term. At WINDPOWER 2006, AWEA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and National Renewable Energy Laboratory committed to develop an action plan focused on providing up to 20% of the nation's electricity from clean, renewable wind energy, the potential of which was highlighted in the Advanced Energy Initiative released by President George W. Bush in February. The process will solicit input from key stakeholders including environmental groups, utilities, policy planners, investors, educators, communities, and others, with the action plan being unveiled at the WINDPOWER 2007 Conference & Exhibition in Los Angeles, Calif., June 3-6, 2007.

To reach the 20% benchmark and for the strong industry growth to continue even in the short term, the federal production tax credit, which expires at the end of 2007, needs to be extended in a timely fashion before it expires; furthermore, a long-term extension is needed to allow wind energy businesses to operate and invest in a stable environment and to further reduce costs. Added transmission capacity will also be needed to ship large amounts of power from windy areas to market.

BP Makes Major Wind Power Investment

BP Makes Major Wind Power Investment
August 17, 2006


London, United Kingdom [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] A large wind power investment by BP Alternative Energy's move on the wind power market was nearly obscured by recent operational problems and investor lawsuits over the forced shutdown of its Prudhoe Bay, Alaska oil operations.

"This purchase gives BP Alternative Energy immediate access to a large number of high quality wind development projects across the country..."

-- Steve Westwell, BP Alternative Energy, chief executive This week, BP acquired all the shares of Greenlight Energy, a US-based developer of wind power generation projects, for approximately $98 million (excluding working capital and tax adjustments).

Greenlight is a developer of large-scale wind energy projects across the USA. Founded in 2000 and based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the company has a portfolio of some 39 mature and early stage development projects across the USA with a potential total power generating capacity of 6.5GW. This portfolio contains a number of projects, which BP expects to be able to develop over the next five years.

The acquisition comes among a recent series of BP investments and commitments in the renewable energy realm. In July, BP Alternative Energy announced it had reached agreement with the wind project developer and turbine manufacturer Clipper Windpower to acquire a 50 percent stake in a 2 gigawatt (GW) wind development portfolio in the USA as well as an agreement for the supply of turbines with a generating capacity of up to 2.25 GW over the next five years.

"This purchase gives BP Alternative Energy immediate access to a large number of high quality wind development projects across the country, including a number of projects we expect to be able to develop over the next few years," said Steve Westwell, chief executive of BP Alternative Energy. "We look forward to working closely with the Greenlight team, who have built the company over the past six years."

Shell WindEnergy and Ulupalakua Ranch Announce Plans for New Maui Wind Farm

Shell WindEnergy and Ulupalakua Ranch Announce Plans for New Maui Wind Farm
Friday June 30, 7:00 pm ET
Hawaiian Electric Companies Welcome Shell WindEnergy to Hawaii


HOUSTON, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Shell WindEnergy Inc. (Shell) today announced plans to develop its first wind farm in the State of Hawaii. The project's first phase may provide up to 40 MW of wind power. If approved, the Auwahi wind project will provide wind-generated electricity for thousands of homes on Maui.
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Shell plans to develop the Auwahi wind project on Maui's Ulupalakua Ranch. The turbines would stand in a remote corner of the 20,000-acre ranch. The site was chosen because of its exceptionally strong winds and because it was felt that there would be minimal visual impact.

The project may also combine wind and hydroelectric power. Pumped hydro storage technology could store power from the wind turbines during off-peak periods, which could then be used to help meet peak demand. The concept of integrating this wind project with pumped hydro storage was advocated by Renewable Hawaii Inc., a subsidiary of Hawaiian Electric Company.

Today's joint announcement by Shell and Ulupalakua Ranch was welcomed by Hawaiian Electric Company and Renewable Hawaii Inc.

Hawaii pays among the highest utility rates in the United States and is seeking to produce more power from renewable sources. When the Auwahi wind project is in operation -- the first phase is expected to be completed by 2008, subject to planning permission -- close to 20% of Maui's energy could come from wind turbines. The total project is expected to cost more than $200 million and take from three to five years to complete.

"This is great news for Ulupalakua Ranch, Maui and Hawaii," said Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle, a former mayor of Maui County. "It is an important step toward reducing Hawaii's dependence on imported fossil fuel and meeting our goal of having 20 percent of our energy come from renewable sources by the year 2020. Our thanks go to Ulupalakua Ranch, the Hawaiian Electric companies and especially to Shell WindEnergy for its confidence in Hawaii's potential for renewable energy."

John Hofmeister, president of Shell Oil Company, said he hoped Auwahi would be the first of several renewable energy projects involving Shell in Hawaii. "We are proud to be a part of this effort," he said. "Shell has a strong commitment to renewables, including wind energy. Shell has already demonstrated that modern, technologically-advanced wind farms work well on the Mainland and we believe developing wind farms in Hawaii could be a model for island communities around the world."

"This project and the arrival of Shell WindEnergy into the Hawaiian Islands represent a win all around, especially for Hawaii and our key goal of reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels," said Mike May, president & CEO of Hawaiian Electric Company, the parent company of Maui Electric Company and Renewable Hawaii Inc. (RHI).

"Three years ago, Renewable Hawaii Inc. began looking for opportunities to bring utility-scale, commercially viable renewable energy projects to Hawaii. That work is now paying off. If not for RHI's persistent hard work, this would not be happening," May said.

Dr. Karl Stahlkopf, president of RHI, said, "RHI's request for proposals signaled to the world that we wanted renewable developers to come to Hawaii and we were thrilled when Shell was one of the first to show an interest. We have enjoyed working with the great folks from Shell and look forward to many more years. They know their business, they are one of the biggest renewable players in the world and their interest in Hawaii is a strong sign of things to come," Stahlkopf said.

"This is a great opportunity for up-country Maui," said Sumner Erdman, president of Ulupalakua Ranch, Inc. "On the Mainland, wind energy has offered an economic boost to many ranches and farms and now this is happening here. This deal will provide income for the ranch to help us continue our diversification in an environmentally friendly way.

"The agreement will allow us to keep the paniolo (Hawaiian cowboy) culture alive and keep ranch land open and in agriculture rather than in urban development. And we will be careful to respect the rich Native Hawaiian cultural history of the area, and the environmental and other concerns of our friends and neighbors on Maui," Erdman said.

Shell is currently applying for permits to set up meteorological monitoring towers on the site to measure the available wind resource.

Shell Oil Company, including its consolidated companies and its share in equity companies, is one of America's leading oil and natural gas producers, natural gas marketers, gasoline marketers and petrochemical manufacturers. Shell, a leading oil and gas producer in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, is a recognized pioneer in oil and gas exploration and production technology. Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group, a global group of energy and petrochemical companies, employing approximately 109,000 people and operating in more than 140 countries and territories.

Global Marine Begins Work on Pioneering UK Wind Energy Project

Global Marine Begins Work on Pioneering UK Wind Energy Project
August 4, 2006

Chelmsford, United Kingdom [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Global Marine Systems Limited has begun subsea cable installation work on the Beatrice Wind Farm Demonstrator Project (Beatrice Project), a flagship project for offshore wind energy development, states the release. The initial project will use two wind turbines 25 kilometers off the east coast of Scotland to test the viability of the Beatrice Oil Field as a future site for a commercial deep-water wind farm.

Global Marine's experience in the renewable energy sector includes working on the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm in summer 2005; Horns Rev, the world's largest offshore wind farm in 2002; and wind farms at Blyth Northumberland in 2000. Global Marine partnered with Talisman Energy (UK) Limited, Scottish & Southern Energy and the Department of Trade and Industry on the project.

It is hoped the Beatrice Project will help in addressing the fact that up to one third of the UK's oil and gas generating capacity will reach the end of its life over the next 20 years, as reported in July's Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Energy Review. The DTI's strategy is to increase the proportion of electricity generated from renewables to 20% -- a five-fold increase from today's level.

"Beatrice is an important project involving industry, academia and government collaboration which we are pleased to be part of as Global Marine continues to diversify its core telecom cable installation experience into other sectors, such as renewable energy," said Ian Gaitch, Renewable Energy Manager at Global Marine.

Using its Cable Ship Sovereign, Global Marine will install two main cables, each comprising a power and fiber optic cable, to connect the two 5-megawatt (MW) turbines to Talisman's Beatrice Alpha oil platform. The cable installation will enable Talisman to power Beatrice Alpha using energy generated from the turbines and also remotely control and monitor certain aspects of the turbines' performance from the oil platform, such as altering blade pitch and sending back turbine performance data for analysis.

"Global Marine has a significant track record in providing cable installation to the renewable energy sector which, when coupled with their industry leading expertise and technology, made them a natural partner of choice for this project," said Allan MacAskill, Wind Farm Project Director at Talisman Energy.

Global Marine's experience in the renewable energy sector includes working on the Kentish Flats offshore wind farm in summer 2005; Horns Rev, the world's largest offshore wind farm in 2002 and wind farms at Blyth Northumberland in 2000.

Plans Announced for Belgium's Largest Offshore Wind Farm

Plans Announced for Belgium's Largest Offshore Wind Farm
July 20, 2006

The offshore wind farm at Kentish Flats in the UK undergoes construction using a specialized construction ship. A similar offshore wind farm will be constructed off the coast of Belgium.

Utrecht, Belgium [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Belwind, part of the Econcern group, plans to build an offshore wind farm on Bligh Bank, 46 kilometers from the Belgian port of Oostende. With 66 five-megawatt (MW) wind turbines, the 330 MW project represents an investment of Euro 800 million [US$1 billion].

"After receiving the concession from the Federal Ministry of Energy, we will need permits from the Federal Ministry of the North Sea. In the most favorable situation, we would start building in 2009, and the wind farm would become operational in 2010."

-- Frank Coenen, Belwind Director "[The Bligh Bank project] is our largest project to date, and will also be one of Belgium's biggest sustainable energy investments," said Dirk Berkhout, member of the Econcern board, one of the project partners. "It's not possible to undertake such a project on your own, so to ensure it becomes a success we'll be engaging the right partners at the right time."

To develop the offshore wind farm Bligh Bank, Belwind was founded by Econcern, a European Top 500 growth company whose mission is to ensure 'a sustainable energy supply for everyone.' The Econcern group comprises Ecofys, Ecostream, Evelop and Ecoventures; together these companies deliver projects, products and services for a sustainable energy supply.

The Evelop subsidiary currently holds a wind-energy project portfolio of some 4,000 MW. This includes the Q7 offshore wind project (120 MW) in the Netherlands and the Sheringham Shoal project (315 MW) in the United Kingdom.

Belwind's application for approval to build a wind farm on Bligh Bank was submitted in April 2006. The turbines will be placed on the shoal, where the sea reaches depths of 20-35 meters. The site is located even further offshore than those of C-Power and Eldepasco, two wind projects whose approvals already have been granted.

As Belwind Director Frank Coenen explains, various phases need to be completed before the wind farm Bligh Bank can become operational:

"After receiving the concession from the Federal Ministry of Energy, we will need permits from the Federal Ministry of the North Sea. In the most favorable situation, we would start building in 2009, and the wind farm would become operational in 2010."

U.S. Senators Flex Muscles on Wind Power, Radar Issue

U.S. Senators Flex Muscles on Wind Power, Radar Issue
July 28, 2006

Senators Durbin and Obama are exercising their congressional power to try and speed up a solution to the radar / wind interaction issue that has resulted in putting many wind projects on hold.

Washington, DC [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] U.S. Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that they will put a hold on the nomination of Andrew Steinberg to be Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issues a conclusive determination as to whether the operation of wind farms under construction in the Midwest will interfere with radar systems. A hold has the effect of blocking a nomination.

"Wind farms are an important part of our ongoing efforts to make the United States more energy independent, which is why the FAA needs to immediately clarify its position so that investors feel comfortable putting their money into these projects and construction crews can get to work."

-- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) "The Administration's promised response on windmill construction is long overdue. It is time for a straight answer," said Durbin. "Windmills have become an important source of clean alternative energy throughout the country and are particularly important in the Midwest, which has more cumulative wind energy potential than any other area in the country. If there are real problems, we should find ways to mitigate, reduce or eliminate them, but our wind farm owners deserve an answer today."

The 2006 Defense Authorization Act called for the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a report to Congress on the effects of windmill farms on military readiness. In particular, the report sought to determine whether wind farms could interfere with military radar.

On March 21, 2006, DOD and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a joint interim policy on the proposed windmill locations that states, "The DOD/DHS Long Range Radar Joint Program Office Interim Policy is to contest any establishment of windmill farms within radar line of site of the National Air Defense and Homeland Security Radars."

The Midwest Regional Office of the FAA sent "notice of presumed hazard" letters to wind farm sites that they had determined are in the line of site. The FAA defined "in the line of site" as any windmill within a 60-mile radius of a radar center or radar tower.

By this definition, much of the nation is now in the radar line of site, and this interim policy has had a sweeping effect that has stalled or stopped the development of wind energy facilities across the country, including more than a dozen in the Midwest.

Senators Obama and Durbin said they will block Mr. Steinberg's nomination until the FAA works with DOD to clarify whether these sites will be able to operate. Without this certainty, potential investors will fear the loss of their resources.

"While I take very seriously any concerns that these structures could interfere with military readiness, I also believe that with mounting instability in the Middle East and energy prices at record levels, we must begin investing in alternative energy sources today," said Sen. Obama. "Wind farms are an important part of our ongoing efforts to make the United States more energy independent, which is why the FAA needs to immediately clarify its position so that investors feel comfortable putting their money into these projects and construction crews can get to work."

One of the stalled projects is located in Bloomington, Illinois. If completed, the wind farm would be the largest source of wind energy in the nation, generating enough power to serve an estimated 120,000 Chicago-area homes.

On June 2, 2006, Senators Durbin, Obama, Russ Feingold (D-WI), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Byron Dorgan (D-ND) wrote letters to officials at DOD and FAA voicing their support for the responsible development of wind power.

New Wind Power Project Destined for Iowa

New Wind Power Project Destined for Iowa
July 31, 2006


Des Moines, Iowa [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Most renewable energy news coming out of Iowa these days is on the ethanol front, but this week enXco Development Corporation and Mid American Energy Company signed an agreement to develop and construct a 123-megawatt (MW) wind facility located in Pocahontas County, North central Iowa. Construction of this project is scheduled to begin later this year and is scheduled to be completed prior to the end of 2007.

"We're scheduled to have the project in Carroll and Crawford counties online by the end of this year, and construction is expected to get underway at the Pocahontas County site later this year."

-- Tom Budler, MidAmerican Energy, wind project manager In April 2006, MidAmerican announced a 99-MW wind project in Crawford and Carroll counties in west central Iowa following Iowa Utilities Board approval of the company's plan to build up to 545 MW of new wind-powered electric generation in Iowa before the end of 2007.

"We're pleased that construction is underway at the project in Carroll and Crawford counties," said Tom Budler, MidAmerican Energy's wind project manager. "We're scheduled to have the project in Carroll and Crawford counties online by the end of this year, and construction is expected to get underway at the Pocahontas County site later this year."

The ultimate size of MidAmerican Energy's 2006-2007 wind expansion project, its overall cost and possible additional locations have not been finalized, but electric rates -- the cost per kilowatt hour of electricity -- in Iowa for MidAmerican customers will remain at current levels through at least 2010 pursuant to the Iowa Utilities Board order approving the project. The last time MidAmerican's customers experienced an electric rate increase was 1995.

The 123-MW wind facility site in Pocahontas County will be developed and constructed by enXco Development Corporation and will use 82 GE Energy 1.5-MW wind turbines.

Invenergy Wind Development Iowa LLC is constructing the 99-megawatt wind facility in Carroll and Crawford counties that will use 66 GE Energy 1.5-MW wind turbines.

MidAmerican currently owns and operates 360.5 MW of wind energy facilities in northwest and north central Iowa that have the capability to produce enough electricity to power 100,000 homes.

Vail Resorts Chooses Wind Power for 100% Of Electricity Use

Vail Resorts Chooses Wind Power for 100% Of Electricity Use - Becomes Second Largest Corporate Wind Power Purchaser In U.S.
Tuesday August 1, 12:00 pm ET
Vail Resorts to provide free lift tickets to guests who purchase wind power for their family's homes


DENVER, Aug. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN - News) announced today that the Company will offset 100 percent of its energy use by purchasing nearly 152,000 megawatt-hours of wind energy for its five mountain resorts, its lodging properties including RockResorts and Grand Teton Lodge Company, all of its 125 retail locations (operated through Specialty Sports Venture) and its new corporate headquarters in Broomfield, Colo. By purchasing renewable energy credits equal to the Company's entire electricity use, Vail Resorts becomes the second largest purchaser of wind power of all corporations in the United States.

Vail Resorts announced this initiative as part of the Company's ongoing environmental efforts. Vail Resorts' commitment to clean and renewable wind power will avoid over 211 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions every year, which is equivalent to taking 18,000 cars off the road or planting over 27,000 acres of trees, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

"Our core mission is to provide extraordinary vacation experiences in spectacular mountain settings," said Rob Katz, chief executive officer of Vail Resorts. "By embracing wind power as a clean and renewable source for 100 percent of our company-wide electricity use, we want to reinforce our commitment to the natural environment in which we operate and be a leader on this critical effort within the travel industry."

Vail Resorts is also asking its employees and guests to join in the Company's renewable energy efforts by launching a Ski With the Wind promotion. Under this new promotion, Vail Resorts is offering a free one-day ski lift ticket, valid at any of its five mountain resorts, to anyone who purchases wind power for their family's residence for one year with Renewable Choice Energy. The Company also announced that each of its executives has personally signed up to purchase wind power for their homes. More details about the Ski With the Wind promotion, including applicable restrictions, and Vail Resorts' wind power purchase program can be found at www.snow.com.

Vail Resorts will work with Boulder, Colorado-based Renewable Choice Energy as their wind power provider. Renewable Choice Energy is a leading national provider building the market for clean and renewable sources of energy.

Since it is physically impossible to deliver electricity straight from a wind farm to Vail Resorts, renewable energy credits make purchasing wind power possible. Wind energy credits ensure that the amount of electricity Vail Resorts uses is replaced onto the power grid with wind power. Wind farms sell renewable energy credits to better compete with fossil fuels, allowing consumers to choose clean sources of electricity. Vail Resorts' purchase is significantly contributing to the growth of wind power across the United States.

"Renewable Choice Energy is proud to be working with an environmental leader like Vail Resorts to make this landmark wind power purchase possible," said Quayle Hodek, Renewable Choice Energy chief executive officer.

"Vail Resorts' commitment is the second largest corporate purchase of wind power in the country," said Matt Clouse, program director of EPA's Green Power Partnership. "EPA applauds Vail Resorts for their environmental leadership with this green power purchase. We hope their commitment will encourage others in the travel and hospitality industry to also embrace clean, renewable sources of energy that further reduce the risks associated with climate change."

Vail Resorts' long-standing dedication to environmental stewardship includes initiatives in energy and water conservation, water quality management, waste reduction and recycling, air and visual quality, wildlife habitat management, and education and outreach.

About Vail Resorts

Vail Resorts, Inc. is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado, Heavenly in California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN - News). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.

About Renewable Choice Energy

Based in Boulder, Colo., Renewable Choice Energy (www.renewablechoice.com) is a leading national provider and marketer of wind power. Renewable Choice plays an integral role in connecting wind power producers with the wind power consumer. Renewable Choice Energy is certified to sell wind energy credits anywhere in the United States and has a diverse customer base that includes Fortune 500 companies, retailers, manufacturers, cities, universities and residential consumers. As a pioneer in wind power marketing, Renewable Choice Energy has helped develop many industry standards and best practices, and is the leading supplier to LEED certified green building projects. Renewable Choice Energy does not just serve existing demand for wind power, but actively grows the potential market for wind power with innovative marketing strategies.

About the U.S. EPA Green Power Partnership

The Green Power Partnership (www.epa.gov/greenpower) is an EPA voluntary program working to standardize green power procurement as part of best practice environmental management. Partners in the program purchase green power for a specified minimum portion of their electricity needs in return for EPA technical assistance and public recognition. The Green Power Partnership has more than 600 Partners including Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations and universities -- collectively purchasing over 4 billion kilowatt hours of green power annually.

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Source: Vail Resorts, Inc.

Spanish company to build $400m wind farm

Spanish company to build $400m wind farm
July 18, 2006
SPANISH renewable energy company Acciona will build Victoria's second biggest wind farm – a $400-million project with 128 turbines – at Waubra in Western Victoria.
The project, generating 192 megawatts from turbines on land leased from farmers, was approved more than a year ago by the State Government when the Melbourne-based firm Wind Power was the developer.

The Spanish company took over the project last year.

Brett Thomas, managing director of its Melbourne arm, Acciona Energy Oceania, said the company had acquired the project "on the belief" the Government would impose a mandatory renewable energy target on the state's energy sector.

Mr Thomas said yesterday's announcement of the 10-per-cent target "has given us the confidence" to invest $50 million in the first stage of the project.

Mr Thomas said there was no further development of renewable energy possible under the Federal Government's target, now capped at 2 per cent.

But the Victoria's new target meant energy retailers must tap at least 10 per cent of their power from renewable sources – such as wind, solar and hydro generators – by 2016.

"That places a demand on the market for renewable technology (and) renewable generation," he said.

Work would begin on the project in September this year with completion due in 2008.

Victorian Energy Minister Theo Theophanous said the project would not have gone ahead without the imposition of the renewable target.

"This scheme is what will drive renewable energy such as what we've seen with Acciona announcement today."

Wind farms now produce only 104MW of energy in Victoria currently, but there is approval for another 491MW, including a 195MW wind-power generator at Portland on the south-west coast.

BP and Clipper Windpower Enter Into Strategic Alliance

BP and Clipper Windpower Enter Into Strategic Alliance
14 July 2006

The Liberty turbine.
Clipper Windpower and BP Alternative Energy have entered into a strategic alliance for a long-term turbine supply agreement and the joint development of five of Clipper’s wind energy projects in the USA.

The five wind projects, with an anticipated total generating capacity of 2,015 MW, are located in New York, Texas, and South Dakota. Under the long-term supply agreement, BP has secured a mix of firm and contingent orders of up to 2,250 MW of additional Clipper turbines in its global wind portfolio.

The Clipper/BP Alternative Energy joint development portfolio will be developed over a five year period. Each project will deploy Clipper’s advanced Liberty wind turbines. The projects will be jointly owned by the two companies with Clipper serving as the project operator in two projects and BP Alternative Energy serving as the project operator in the other three.

We believe the Clipper turbine is a break-through in reducing the total cost of renewable energy and we are pleased to be the first large customer for this innovative technology. Our strategic relationship with Clipper represents an important step in expanding BP’s low-carbon power business.

—Steve Westwell, CEO of BP Alternative Energy

The Liberty 2.5MW wind turbine is Clipper’s fourth-generation machine. It is based on Clipper’s patented Quantum Distributed Generation Power-train, DGEN-Q. DGEN-Q uses a compact two-stage helical distributed design. A total of four high-speed output shafts split torque loads from the rotor mainshaft to the generators by a factor that is four times greater than standard gearboxes, according to Clipper.

Liberty also employs two pre-loaded, low-speed tapered-roller main bearings to absorb thrust loads, preventing damage, minimizing downtime and extending turbine life. There is no problematic axial motion or mainshaft mis-alignment in Liberty as both are also stabilized through her two robust tapered roller main bearings.

Liberty’s high-speed gear sets are in cartridge form and can be easily replaced with the on-board hoist without the removal of the gearbox, further reducing costs.


Each turbine uses four permanent magnet (synchronous) generators rated at 660 kW each. Liberty’s generator control technology supports a wide range variable rotor speed, improving turbine aerodynamic efficiency by adjusting to ever-changing wind velocities, briefly storing and releasing energy from wind gusts while also reducing torque spikes. The turbine will continue to operate even with a generator outage.

As part of the long-term turbine supply agreement, BP Alternative Energy has committed to the purchase of 100MW of Liberty turbines in 2007 and 200MW in 2008 which it will use on other projects in BP’s global wind business. These orders represent the initial firm deliveries under the long-term supply agreement for up to 900 Liberty turbines over the next five years.

In recognition of the long-term strategic relationship between Clipper Windpower and BP Alternative Energy, BP has acquired a five-year share option for a 10% equity interest at £3.77 (US$6.92) per share in Clipper Windpower (subject to final approval of the Clipper Shareholders).

BP has agreed to acquire a 50% interest in the project portfolio along with an option to acquire an interest in Clipper Windpower Plc representing 9,596,681 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company and a turbine supply option, for a total of $30 million. In addition, BP has agreed to pay Clipper up to US$30 million upon successful completion of the development projects. BP will also make a US$30 million down payment for the 300MW Liberty turbines for delivery in 2007/2008.

Clipper Windpower designs advanced wind turbines, manufactures its 2.5-MW Liberty wind turbine and actively develops wind power generating projects in the Americas and Europe. Clipper’s project development activities include approximately 6,000 MW of wind resource rights, with new project sites being actively pursued.

BP, Clipper Windpower enter U.S. wind energy deal

BP, Clipper Windpower enter U.S. wind energy deal
Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:22am ET

LONDON, July 14 (Reuters) - California-based wind-power company Clipper Windpower (CWP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and oil giant BP Plc (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) said they have entered a five-year supply and development agreement involving five wind energy projects in the United States.

The news boosted shares in Clipper Windpower by 23 percent to 335 pence shortly before the close of trading in London.

The projects, with an anticipated total generating capacity of 2,015 megawatts, are in New York, Texas, and South Dakota.

BP has secured a mix of firm and contingent orders of up to 2,250 megawatts of additional Clipper turbines in its global wind portfolio, the companies said in a statement on Friday.

"This strategic alliance provides both Clipper and BP an unparalleled opportunity to capture a major foothold in the U.S. wind energy market," said Clipper Windpower Chief Executive James Dehlsen.

"With active negotiations for other turbine and portfolio sales currently taking place, it is possible that further contracts will be announced before the Clipper EGM and at that stage an update will be given on our business plan," he added.

Patent Conflict Resolved, REPower Enters U.S. Wind Market

Patent Conflict Resolved, REPower Enters U.S. Wind Market
July 12, 2006

Hamburg, Germany [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Having smoothed over a patent conflict with GE Energy, Germany-based commercial-scale wind turbine manufacturer REpower Systems is entering the U.S. market with a substantial order of turbines.

"Due to the general change in thinking in American energy policy, which involves moving away from oil and towards alternative forms of energy, the USA is now a large, attractive market for wind energy."

-- Fritz Vahrenholt, REpower Systems AG, Chairman of the Executive Board Fifty-six MM92 turbines are to be supplied to wind project developers enXco Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles in 2007. According to REpower, this will not only be REpower's first U.S. turbine order, but also the company's largest order yet worldwide.

An option for a further 19 turbines of the same type was also arranged. enXco is to install the wind turbines on the West Coast of the United States. The REpower development centre in Rendsburg (Schleswig-Holstein, Germany) has created a technical solution for a 60 Hz version of the MM92 turbine that corresponds to the requirements of the American electricity network.

REpower is also able to enter the U.S. market through a cross-license agreement concluded with its competitor, GE Energy, in regard to the use of several patents.

"The license agreement concluded with GE is the foundation for a successful growth story in the USA. Dimensions are traditionally bigger there -- so it is fitting that our first U.S. project is also the largest single order in the history of REpower," said Fritz Vahrenholt, Chairman of the Executive Board of REpower Systems AG.

The two companies, previously at odds over their respective wind turbine technology, were entered into litigation and patent negotiations over the past few years. This issue had prevented REpower from competing in the large U.S. marketplace.

"Due to the general change in thinking in American energy policy, which involves moving away from oil and towards alternative forms of energy, the USA is now a large, attractive market for wind energy," Vahrenholt said.

The turbines will be produced exclusively at the REpower production site in Husum and will be prepared for shipping from there -- either from Brunsbuettel or Hamburg.

This U.S. order comes alongside a large Australian order, the second largest for REpower, according to Fritz Vahrenholt, Chairman of the Executive Board. The company was commissioned to supply 29 wind turbines by the Australian company Pacific Hydro Pty Ltd. Pacific Hydro is one of the largest Australian companies in the wind and water power sector.

REpower's MM82 turbines were chosen for the "Portland Stage II" project in the South-Eastern Australian state of Victoria and have a total rated power of 58 megawatts (MW). The Stage II project is part of a larger wind farm development in the Portland area, which has a planned total output of 195 MW and covers four different locations. A decision is yet to be made on the allocation of the orders for the remaining stages of the Portland wind energy project.

Canada Passes 1,000 MW of Installed Wind Energy Capacity

Canada Passes 1,000 MW of Installed Wind Energy Capacity
July 13, 2006


Ottawa, Ontario [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Canada has now become the 12th country in the world to surpass 1,000 megawatts (MW) of installed wind energy capacity. With 1,049 MW of installed capacity now in place, wind energy produces enough electricity to meet the needs of more than 315,000 Canadian homes.

"Canada's provincial governments are now targeting to have a minimum of 9,000 MW of wind energy production in place by 2015 and many are currently examining the possibilities of going further."

-- Robert Hornung, Canadian Wind Energy Association, president As of June 2006, Canada had installed a record 365 MW of wind energy capacity this year, and this number will increase before the year is out.

"The 1,000 MW milestone is another clear signal that wind energy has moved from the margin to the mainstream in Canada, and our record-breaking 2006 is laying the foundation for much more significant growth in the years ahead," said Robert Hornung, president of the Canadian Wind Energy Association.

"Canada's provincial governments are now targeting to have a minimum of 9,000 MW of wind energy production in place by 2015 and many are currently examining the possibilities of going further. In fact, British Columbia is the only province that has no wind energy facilities operating or contracted at this time," Hornung added.

"Even though the growth of Canada's wind energy industry is impressive, we must not lose sight of the fact that wind energy continues to develop more quickly in other countries. Spain, for example, had 1,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity in 2000, and is now on track for 20,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity by 2010," said Hornung.

"With Canada's unparalleled wind resource, there are clear opportunities to do more to maximize the economic, industrial development, and environmental benefits associated with wind energy for Canada," he added.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA)'s goal is to have 10,000 MW of wind energy capacity either contracted on installed in Canada by 2010

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Under Construction

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Under Construction
July 10, 2006

Ishpeming, Michigan [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Construction is currently under way this month on a rare wind energy project, a 200 kilowatt (kW) vertical-axis wind turbine outside a large residential complex in Michigan.

"Pioneer Bluff is an all-electric facility, so electricity costs are quite high. The wind turbine will generate more than half of the electricity needed to run the facility."

-- Evelyn Valente-Heikkala, Ishpeming Housing Commission, executive director Vertical axis turbines, as opposed to horizontal axis turbines, are best described as looking like large eggbeaters, where a series of curved, swooping blades capture the wind to spin a centrally mounted, vertically oriented hub.

The reality is that the wind power industry worldwide has unilaterally chosen the horizontal axis configuration as the chosen design and all large scale turbines have evolved in that direction. This hasn't stopped entrepreneurial pioneers like McKenzie Bay International, whose WindStor Power Co. aims to prove that there is indeed more than one option for wind turbine design.

WindStor recently secured a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA)with The Ishpeming Housing Commission, which manages the Pioneer Bluff senior citizen apartment complex in Ishpeming, Michigan, where the new turbine will be installed. Contractors are putting the final touches on the large concrete foundation for the turbine and full installation is expected by the end of July.

The turbine is designed to rotate at a maximum speed of 50 rpm and reach its rated power output of 200 kW at wind speeds of 12m/s (26.84 mph), says the company, which expects the turbine to produce approximately 500,000 kWh per year in average wind speeds of 7m/s (15.66 mph).

"The wind turbine will generate electricity to be fed into the 88 unit low-income senior apartment building, serving as a supplement to the electricity currently supplied by the Upper Peninsula Power Co.," said Evelyn Valente-Heikkala, executive director of the Ishpeming Housing Commission. "Pioneer Bluff is an all-electric facility, so electricity costs are quite high. The wind turbine will generate more than half of the electricity needed to run the facility."

A state-based organization has helped move the project along. WindStor and more than 60 additional organizations and companies are a part of Michigan GREEN, a group of energy companies and energy consultants, together with government agencies and schools, colleges and universities that have joined forces to champion the cause of providing economic renewable energy generation and education at schools in Michigan and the nation.

The project isn't the first either. Since October of 2004, WindStor has had a similar, yet smaller, 100 kW vertical axis wind turbine operating at the Universite due Quebec en Abitibi-Temiscamingue in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada. This latest, however, will be twice the size and a further validation of the design.

U.S. Energy Giant Acquires UK Wind Power Developer

U.S. Energy Giant Acquires UK Wind Power Developer
July 7, 2006

Arlington, Virginia [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] The AES Corporation has acquired majority control of the Wind Energy Ltd. (WEL) group companies, a UK-based wind development company, with 640 megawatt (MW) of wind generation projects under development throughout Scotland. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"With global installed wind generation capacity expected to more than double over the next five years, we see tremendous growth opportunities in wind and we will continue to seek expansion projects worldwide."

-- William Luraschi, AES, Executive VP of Business Development "Through this transaction, AES gains a portfolio of wind projects in a market that has huge potential for growth," said Ned Hall, AES Vice President of Wind Generation. "The UK has one of the fastest growing and most attractive wind energy markets in Europe, where installed capacity is expected to increase fivefold over the next four years. In addition, Scotland enjoys some of the highest wind resources in the world, which allows for particularly efficient wind power generation."

AES has been in the wind generation business since 2004 and currently operates 600 MW of wind facilities. On April 17, 2006, the company announced plans to triple its investment in wind generation over the next three years, and currently is pursuing an additional 2,000 MW of wind projects in development, primarily in the United States.

"This acquisition is the first expansion of AES's wind energy business into Europe and represents a strategic step in our efforts to become a leader in wind generation development and operation worldwide," said William Luraschi, AES Executive Vice President of Business Development.

AES, one of the world's largest global power companies with 2005 revenues of $11.1 billion, said it is currently evaluating wind power projects in continental Europe, China, India and Central and South America, with an emphasis on countries with existing AES businesses. It is based in Arlington, Virginia.

"Growing our wind energy business is a key component of our expansion into alternative energy. With global installed wind generation capacity expected to more than double over the next five years, we see tremendous growth opportunities in wind and we will continue to seek expansion projects worldwide," Luraschi added.

Airtricity Buys 500 MW of Renewable Energy in GE Turbines

Airtricity Buys 500 MW of Renewable Energy in GE Turbines
July 5, 2006


Dublin, Ireland and Chicago, Illinois [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Airtricity plans to purchase more than 300 GE 1.5-MW wind turbines, with 500 MW capacity in an arrangement exceeding $550 million, which the company describes as unprecedented. The investment will support Airtricity's U.S. build program for 2008; turbines required for 2006 and 2007 have already been secured.

"Bearing in mind the intense competition that exists in acquiring turbines at a time of world shortage, we are delighted to have secured capacity to deliver a further 500 MW of renewable energy for our 2008 build program in the USA."

-- Eddie O'Connor, Airtricity "This 500 MW deal with GE Energy is testimony to Airtricity's commitment to begin the process of making electricity generation in the USA into a native sourced activity," said Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor.

In the U.S., Airtricity has a pipeline of 4,500 MW under way in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and New Mexico with an ambitious plan for 2008 and beyond, including advanced plans to develop in the California market.

"Bearing in mind the intense competition that exists in acquiring turbines at a time of world shortage," said Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor, "we are delighted to have secured capacity to deliver a further 500 MW of renewable energy for our 2008 build program in the USA."

Beyond the U.S., Airtricity has set its sights on the Canadian market, as well as considering similar deals for Ireland and the rest of Europe. For his own country, O'Connor said, "Airtricity is also installing 100 MW of GE wind turbines in Ireland this year and we look forward to continuing to work with GE."

Airtricity Buys 500 MW of Renewable Energy in GE Turbines

Airtricity Buys 500 MW of Renewable Energy in GE Turbines
July 5, 2006


Dublin, Ireland and Chicago, Illinois [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] Airtricity plans to purchase more than 300 GE 1.5-MW wind turbines, with 500 MW capacity in an arrangement exceeding $550 million, which the company describes as unprecedented. The investment will support Airtricity's U.S. build program for 2008; turbines required for 2006 and 2007 have already been secured.

"Bearing in mind the intense competition that exists in acquiring turbines at a time of world shortage, we are delighted to have secured capacity to deliver a further 500 MW of renewable energy for our 2008 build program in the USA."

-- Eddie O'Connor, Airtricity "This 500 MW deal with GE Energy is testimony to Airtricity's commitment to begin the process of making electricity generation in the USA into a native sourced activity," said Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor.

In the U.S., Airtricity has a pipeline of 4,500 MW under way in Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and New Mexico with an ambitious plan for 2008 and beyond, including advanced plans to develop in the California market.

"Bearing in mind the intense competition that exists in acquiring turbines at a time of world shortage," said Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O'Connor, "we are delighted to have secured capacity to deliver a further 500 MW of renewable energy for our 2008 build program in the USA."

Beyond the U.S., Airtricity has set its sights on the Canadian market, as well as considering similar deals for Ireland and the rest of Europe. For his own country, O'Connor said, "Airtricity is also installing 100 MW of GE wind turbines in Ireland this year and we look forward to continuing to work with GE."

California company plans wind farm in eastern Oregon

California company plans wind farm in eastern Oregon
Tuesday, July 4, 2006 - 12:00 AM

The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. – A California company has notified Oregon officials it plans a wind farm covering 32,000 acres with 300 turbines.

The Shepherds Flat Wind Farm would be the largest in the Columbia River Gorge. It would generate 750 megawatts of electricity, enough to power about 188,000 homes.

The developer, LifeLine Development Group of Sacramento, is a newcomer to the wind-energy boom in the gorge and hasn't developed any wind farms. It was formed expressly for Shepherds Flat, said Patricia Pilz, LifeLine's development vice president. She declined to identify corporate principals, except to say most were from California with strong backgrounds in wind energy.

LifeLine told the Oregon Department of Energy last week of its plans. A detailed application is due in September. A review by the state agency is required when wind projects exceed 105 megawatts.

"This is the largest one we've seen," said Diana Enright of the department. LifeLine would be built in phases of 250 megawatts each, Pilz said. The turbines, each with a 2.5-megawatt capacity, would hook into transmission lines leading to a Bonneville Power Administration interconnection that would take the power to population centers to the west.

The first phase of the project wouldn't be completed until 2008, when BPA expects to improve a substation to accommodate the new power generation. The site is near the Columbia River town Arlington in Gilliam and Morrow counties.

Clint Krebs owns most of the land, where he runs sheep and cattle. He's been advocating such a project for years.

"It's too windy, and the soil's too poor for farming," he said.

Other projects in the area, planned or under construction, are:

— A 450-megawatt farm that Oregon's largest utility, Portland General Electric, hopes to build in Sherman County. Last week, the state Energy Department approved a site certificate, clearing the way for development.

— A planned third phase of the Klondike wind farm in Sherman County, which would bring the capacity to 370 megawatts. The company, Portland-based PPM Energy, is one of the country's largest wind-power developers. PPM is owned by ScottishPower, based in Glasgow, Scotland.

— PPM's 200-megawatt wind farm called Big Horn, in Washington's Klickitat County.

— PPM's 100-megawatt Leaning Juniper wind farm near Arlington.

— The Stateline wind farm developed by Florida energy company FPL Group. It straddles Oregon and Washington in the eastern end of the gorge and has a 300-megawatt capacity. Plans call for 200 megawatts more.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

Lower bills may not be blowing in the wind

Lower bills may not be blowing in the wind

There is no guarantee that putting a turbine on your roof will produce enough electricity to make worthwhile savings, writes Terry Slavin

Sunday June 25, 2006
The Observer


Ever since David Cameron announced he was planning to put a wind turbine on his new house in London, demand for the gadgets has soared. But that is as nothing compared with the interest that will be whipped up next week when the government announces it intends to scrap the need for planning permission for domestic energy generators, including solar panels and wind turbines.
The government will propose that homeowners can install mini wind turbines without applying for planning permission. Yvette Cooper, the planning minister, will tell MPs that, subject to a consultation, the government intends to make it much easier for people to use their homes as generators by cutting red tape that has so far acted as a brake on renewable energy.

This move, combined with B&Q's aim to sell rooftop wind turbines at its 'Warehouse' stores for about £1,600, including installation, and with 30 per cent of the cost offset by a government grant, means you won't need to be a member of Cameron's Notting Hill set to afford one.

But renewable energy experts, including government-funded agencies, fear that roof-mounted turbines could be another double-glazing overselling debacle in the making. They are concerned that the unregulated technology has not been adequately tested and that devices claimed by some manufacturers to produce up to a third of the average family's electricity needs could produce a fraction of that. Some also fear the turbines could cause structural damage.

'There's a lack of independent, verifiable evidence to support the performance claims of turbines attached to buildings,' says Kirk Archibald of the Energy Saving Trust (EST). 'There's been a lot of hype and a lot of interest, but you could have a situation where they get rolled out and don't work.'

One consultant who sits on the government's renewables advisory board and has undertaken extensive testing of some of the turbines says: 'We found the performance of them is on average between 10 and 25 per cent of what the manufacturers are claiming.'

Unlike solar panels, which were thoroughly tested with government field trials before their introduction, rooftop wind turbines have seen very little such testing, says Archibald. They were assumed to perform like larger wind turbines on poles sited in exposed areas, but air turbulence caused by neighbouring buildings and obstructions such as trees can affect performance dramatically.

Windsave, which makes the turbine that will be sold by B&Q and will be selling directly via the internet from August, says its 1.75 metre turbine produces 1,000-2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year. Renewable Devices says its Swift 2 metre turbine produces between 2,000 and 3,000 kwH of energy a year, and could save the householder up to £300 a year, including the value of green energy generation certificates.

But Archibald says that low wind speeds in urban areas mean that most installations will never come near that. 'In better locations we'd expect wind speeds of six metres per second, but in urban areas, with lots of other buildings around, you're probably looking at four [metres per second], and that will affect performance considerably.'

Nick Martin of the Hockerton Housing Project, a sustainable development in Nottinghamshire, is a construction expert who has monitored performance of much larger, pole-mounted turbines and investigated the claims of the rooftop turbine makers. He says that Swift and Windsave's performance claims 'defy the law of physics' and that they will produce much nearer to 10 per cent of the average household's energy needs.

It is an awkward situation for the EST, which administers a new Department of Trade and Industry programme to fund 30 per cent of the cost of small-scale renewables. The Swift and Windsave turbines were accredited under a previous government scheme, Clear Skies, which did not require them to meet performance criteria, Archibald says. Clear Skies rolled over into a new scheme, the Low Carbon Building Programme, in April, meaning that the two turbines still qualify for grants - although the government has not yet announced the criteria that products will need to meet.

Scottish and Southern Energy has a stake in Renewable Devices and is looking to offer the Swift turbine to another 400-500 customers this year. Business manager Nigel Ellis stands by the 2,000-3000 kwH performance claim, which he says is based on wind speeds of between 4.4 and five metres a second, but agrees that 'output does vary' and that obstructions, such as nearby trees or buildings, will eat into performance.

David Gordon, chief executive of Windsave, also defends the performance claims. He says that even at four metres a second, the turbine will produce more than 500 kwH a year, taking £60 off the average bill. Consumers will also be eligible to get a green energy certificate worth £60 from the government, taking the annual value of the electricity up to £120: 'And that has to be worth having.'

Shoppers will not just be able to pop a wind turbine in their trolley and head for the tills at B&Q, Gordon pointed out. They will be sold to order, and the company's installers will put them up only if windspeeds are at least 3.5 metres a second. This will be judged using data from the DTI, which has windspeeds for every postcode in Britain.

But the Hockerton Housing Project's Martin, says the DTI windspeed data is misleading: 'The DTI computer generator looks at topography but doesn't take into account fences, trees and buildings, which affect windspeeds.' He also worries about structural damage to houses if they are not installed properly: 'If you bolt it to the end of the gable of a Victorian house made with lime mortar, it's going to come apart.'

The consultant on the government's renewables advisory committee also noted vibration problems with some turbines that were 'more than the building [they were being tested on] could take'.

Windsave's sales literature warns that its wind turbines are not suitable for some roof types, including lime mortar, and says every building will be tested by its installers for suitability. Neither are all house types suitable for the Swift turbine, and Scottish and Southern will require a full structural survey by its engineers before a rooftop device is installed. Ellis says the availability of trained installers is limiting how fast it can go in rolling out the devices.

Meanwhile, Cameron's wind turbine of choice, the 1.1-metre diameter Stealthgen by Eclectic Energy, is too small for grant funding under the previous Clear Skies regime, which only funded turbines bigger than 1.7 metres. The Stealthgen costs about £3,000, including installation, but Peter Anderson, managing director of Eclectic, says he hopes it will be accredited for a grant under the new scheme. 'Of the three companies, ours is the smallest turbine and the most appropriate size for domestic houses,' he says, adding that it can be put on any building and produce about 660 kwH a year.

But he fears that the entire industry could be tarred if the claims of makers of larger wind turbines are not borne out: 'This is a viable technology, but we're concerned about the varying claims. There's a strong desire on everybody's part to develop UK standards for consumers and for the industry to be on a level playing field so that it develops professionally and consumers are protected.'

Find out more

So what should you do if you want a rooftop wind turbine? You might be better off waiting until the situation regarding planning permission is clear, and the accreditation scheme for the Low Carbon Building Programme is in place, but if you want to start the process rolling now:

· Call your local council to find out how difficult - and expensive - it might be to get planning permission. If you live in a conservation area, it's unlikely you'll get it, but there are exceptions. David Cameron's Notting Hill house is in a conservation area, but Alex Michaelis, who designed the renovations to Cameron's house, hopes he will be given permission. His company has previously received planning permission for Stealthgen turbines in another conservation area in Hammersmith and Fulham.

· RWE Npower has a microgeneration scheme that helps customers to apply for planning permission and grants. But of 250 customers on the scheme, only half received planning permission, with many local authorities telling them not to bother to apply. Chris Tomlinson, of the British Wind Energy Association, warns that the cost of getting planning permission could be from £600 to £3,500. ·

· Check the BWEA small wind website, www.bwea.com/small/index.html. This has links to the Low Carbon Building Programme for grant information and to the DTI to calculate wind speeds in your area. The Energy Saving Trust helpline is 0845 727 7200, or visit www.est.org.uk/myhome/ for information about grants, manufacturers and installers.