Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell was at the dedication of a new wind farm… the seventh one in the state. According to this press release posted on Rendell’s web site, the Locust Ridge project in Schuylkill County is part of the state’s aggressive push for wind power: At present, the state’s wind farms generate enough electricity to serve about 45,000 homes, …
Contentious Energy Bill Stalls in U.S. Senate
The U.S. Senate has hit an impasse over a proposed energy bill that makes larger allowances for alternative energy, in particular, wind power, than previous energy bills. This AP story from Forbes.com says Democrats had hopes for an early vote on the measure, but Republicans were against many of the measures in the omnibus bill: The impasse over renewable fuels …
Michigan Utility to Buy John Deere Wind Power
A Michigan utility has inked a 20-year deal to buy renewable energy from John Deere. According to this story on IndustryWeek.com, Wolverine Power Cooperative will get the power from Harvest Wind Farm, LLC… principally owned by John Deere: The wind farm, which has been under development for three years, is slated for Huron County, Michigan. John Deere Wind Energy is …
Wind Industry Dodges Bird Bullet
The wind generation industry in America breathed a collective sigh of relief when a U.S. Congressman from a coal-producing state pulled a measure that would have effectively killed wind power generation as an alternative to coal-powered plants. Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall, D-West Virginia had been pushing for regulations that would require the U.S. Interior Department to protect birds …
WindPower 2007 Underway in LA
Attendees to the American Wind Energy Association’s annual conference going on this week in Los Angeles heard that their industry faces quite a challenge to go from the current 1% of U.S. energy supplies to President Bush’s goal of 20% by 2030. In fact, it could be a half-billion-dollar challenge. This article from Reuters says delegates are trying to figure …
Traveling with the Wind
This past long weekend, I had the chance to travel back home to Iowa to one of my favorite fishing spots in the entire world: Spirit Lake. This natural lake is up in the northwest corner of the state, and it takes nearly 10 hours to get there from my home in Missouri. Full of walleyes, it is a destination …
Duke Energy Buys Wind Assets
North Carolina-based Duke Energy has acquired the wind power development business assets of Tierra Energy. According to this press release on Duke’s web site, it bought more than 1,000 megawatts of wind assets under development in the Western and Southwestern United States. About 240 megawatts in Texas and Wyoming will be up and running commercially by the end of next …
North Dakota Touted for Wind, Renewable Fuel Potential
Federal officials say North Dakota is poised to be an energy giant. This story in the Houston Chronicle quotes John Mizroch, the principal assistant secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, as the keynote speaker Monday at a renewable fuels conference at Bismarck State College: “This state, it seems to me in particular _ which does have …
Unique Wind Power Plant Planned for Iowa
A $200 million wind power plant is slated to be built near Dallas Center in Central Iowa. While that might not be that unique, the fact that much of the operation will be underground sure is. A unique underground rock formation in the area makes the Iowa Stored Energy Plant Agency idea possible. Gotta love that wind captured in a …
Thune to Hold Wind Summit
U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) will hold a wind energy roundtable this coming Monday, May 14th at 1:00 PM (CDT) at the Sheraton Hotel in Sioux Falls. From his press release: “South Dakota could and should be a national leader in producing electricity harnessed through our abundant wind supply, but until now, our state has lacked the necessary infrastructure …