Getting inspiration from a fish, researchers are looking at making wind turbine blades out of advanced materials that will change shape to make the systems more efficient and longer lasting. This article from U.S. News & World Report says the blades with changing aerodynamic profiles will best suit whatever the prevailing wind conditions bring: “The idea was born from a …
More Green Collar Jobs for Iowa
Iowa Governor Chet Culver is taking action to create more green jobs in Iowa. Culver signed an executive order last week which creates the Iowa Green Jobs Task Force. “In recent years, thanks to our efforts in biofuels and wind energy, we have created thousands of green-collar jobs for Iowans,” said Governor Culver. “However, if we are to expand these …
NREL Installs Two Giant Wind Turbines for Testing
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado has installed two of the biggest wind turbines ever tested at the facility. The video above shows workers putting up the 220 tons of wind turbine parts for the 253-foot diameter blades. This story in EnergyCurrent.com says they’ll be able to generate 1.5 megawatts of power: “This turbine is a modern, utility-scale machine …
Wind Company Getting Into Biodiesel Biz
A Texas wind energy company is getting into the bioidesel business. The Houston Business Journal says National Wind Solutions Inc. has just bought a biodiesel plant for $3 million: The plant, located in Atascosa County just south of San Antonio, produced biodiesel for commercial transportation uses before being mothballed due to high soybean oil prices. Houston-based National Wind intends to …
Colorado Offers Grants for Small Wind Turbines
The state of Colorado is offering businesses the opportunity to apply for grants for small wind turbine installations.Colorado residents and businesses have until August 28, 2009 to apply for the New Energy Economic Development (NEED) grants. The grants provide funds to purchase and install small wind turbines (or other renewable energy systems). These NEED grants help Colorado residents (or businesses) …
Feed-In Tariffs Could Help Small Solar, Wind Power
A proposal that would require utilities to buy power from small-scale renewable energy producers could end up being a boon for solar and wind power in America. The New York Times reports that two Democrats in the U.S. House have introduced a bill to do just that: Reps. Jay Inslee of Washington and Bill Delahunt of Massachusetts are preparing a …
Mass. Hands Out $2.2 Mil in Wind Energy Grants
The State of Massachusetts has handed out $2.2 million to fund nine new wind energy projects. This press release from the state’s Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs says the agency’s secretary, Ian Bowles, made the announcement of the grants awarded by the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust through the new Commonwealth Wind Community-Scale Wind initiative: “Wind energy is a …
Wind Energy Continues on Fast Growth Pace
The U.S. wind energy sector has added 4,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity in the first six months of this year, outpacing the first half of 2008’s 2,900 MW. The American Wind Energy Association’s second quarter (Q2) market report released today says the U.S. added 1,200 in this most recent quarter, with Missouri showing the greatest growth of all the states. …
Texas Set to Become Offshore Wind Energy Leader
While bureaucrats on the East Coast argue about if they’ll allow green, offshore energy wind turbines (remember the eight-year long battle that continues over a proposed wind farm off the coast of Cape Cod?), Texas seems to be on the fast track to getting the nation’s first offshore wind farm. CleanTechnica.com reports that last week, the Texas General Land Office …
Andrew Young Discusses Wind Energy at IFMA17
Wind energy is an up and coming technology in the U.S. and central Illinois. Attendees of the International Farm Management Association 17 Congress (IFMA 17) got a chance to learn more about this current, complex energy issue. Andrew Young, CDO of Horizon Wind Energy, addressed the IFMA 17 Congress today in the Brown Ballroom at Illinois State University. Young’s presentation …