While much of the nation’s economy is on shaky ground right now, places in the Midwest, such as Iowa, seem to be doing all right… thanks to wind energy and biofuels, such as biodiesel and ethanol. This story from the Burlington (IA) Hawk Eye says Mike Tramontina, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development, recently told a group in …
Alternatives Could Create More Jobs Than Petroleum
A report issued by the the Sierra Club, United Steelworkers, the Blue Green Alliance, Natural Resources Defense Council and Audubon New York says that investment in the biodiesel and ethanol industries, wind energy, and solar power could produce four times the number of jobs as compared to investing that same amount in the petroleum oil sector. And this article from …
Feds Approve First Offshore Wind Projects
The federal government has granted leases for America’s first offshore wind projects. This story from CNNMoney.com says officials with the U.S. Mineral Management Service (MMS) have moved ahead with plans to lease the outer continental shelf to several companies: Maureen Bornholdt, program manager of the MMS offshore alternative energy program, said the Interior Department remains on track to complete drafting …
Regulators Approve $4.6 Billion Wind Energy Deal
Regulators on New York’s state Public Service Commission have voted unanimously to approve the buyout of Energy East by Spain-based world energy company Iberdrola for $4.6 billion. This article from Forbes says there are some caveats to New York’s approval: For example, the commissioners required Iberdrola to put aside $275 million to offset future rate increases. That’s compares with the …
Wind Power Stored as Compressed Air
New Jersey-based Energy Storage and Power says it is investing $20 million over the next three years to develop an underground compressed-air storage system for wind turbines and other power sources. This story from C|Net.com says Energy Storage and Power is a joint venture formed by energy developer PSEG Global and Michael Nakhamkin, who designed the only compressed air-storage facility …
Wind Energy Needs Superhighway
Right now, the U.S. gets just one percent of its energy needs from wind power, but experts say that could be increased 20-fold in a short time. This story from the New York Times says the current electrical grid was thought up 100 years ago… designed to be kind of a system of “streets, avenues and country roads:” “We need …
Dem Convention Runs on Biodiesel, Solar & Wind
If you’ve been watching any of the Democratic Convention you’ve been seeing plenty of windy people talking up a storm (hey, they’re politicians… Republicans will spew plenty of hot air next week!). But wind energy (the kind that turns turbines), along with solar and biodiesel, is helping behind the scenes. National Geographic’s Green Guide blog has details: This week’s Democratic …
$100 Million Ad Campaign to Raise Wind Awareness
Wind turbine maker Vestas Wind Systems has launched a $100-million ad campaign. But, as CNNMoney.com reports, the company isn’t trying to convince everyone in the country to pick up one of its 100-ton wind energy machines: Instead, the world’s largest seller of wind turbines sees the need to raise Americans’ awareness of wind energy’s potential. To that end, Vestas budgeted …
Future of Wind Energy Could be Offshore
While Congress debates whether America should drill for more oil along the coasts of the country, a more valuable, greener source of energy could be offshore. The idea of massive wind farms off the coasts of California, New England, the mid-Atlantic, Washington state, the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico could be appealing as winds are strong and more …
Clark Headlining Wind Energy Forum
General Wesley Clark, the former Supreme Allied Commander of military forces in Europe and former presidential candidate, will be leading the opening day’s session at the HUSUM WindEnergy trade show and congress in Husum, Germany Sept. 9-13, 2008. Clark will be speaking at the “Wind Power Forum: The New Energy Economy,” at the conference. HUSUM is the world’s largest, longest-running …