Blackford County officials checking which way wind blows
By SETH SLABAUGH
MONTPELIER -- Not that many years ago, an ethanol "gold-rush" swept through East Central Indiana.
Ethanol plants costing several hundred million dollars were built in Randolph, Jay, Madison and Grant counties, while proposed construction in Blackford, Henry and Delaware counties never came to fruition.
Now we're seeing the same mentality in the wind-energy industry.
Subsidiaries of large Spanish and German companies, as well as Indiana Michigan Power, a subsidiary of American Electric Power, one of the nation's largest generators of electricity, are planning or discussing wind farms in Randolph, Jay and Delaware counties.
The latest wind prospector looking at East Central Indiana is Wecso Wind, a small, homegrown firm looking at Wells County and Blackford County, where officials are skeptical.
"I can tell you we are trying to do our homework," said Blackford County Commissioner Bob O'Rourke. "That's why we're bringing in the Indiana Farm Bureau, to educate citizens on what to look for when contracts are presented."
A Farm Bureau attorney and a Purdue Extension educator will be among the speakers during a meeting at 7 p.m. today in the Montpelier School gymnasium.
The meeting will provide tips to land owners about signing a contract to lease their land to a wind developer.
Like O'Rourke, Rob Cleveland, director of economic development in Blackford County, is skeptical of some of the claims made by Wesco, which says on its Web site that it is a grassroots wind development company that locates and develops wind farm sites in Indiana, Michigan and Ohio.
Wells County resident Ike Huffman, one of Wesco Wind's principals, says he delivered petroleum to farms, homes and businesses for 45 years before getting involved in wind energy.
He calls himself "a little man" who has helped put together wind farms.
"We are on the move with other companies just as big as Horizon," Huffman said in an interview. "I've already got four going with Apex Wind (Energy) out of (Charlottesville) Virginia."
Horizon Wind Energy, Houston, Texas (a subsidiary of a Spanish company, EDP Renewables) has leased land for a wind farm in Randolph County.
"You've got to have somebody like me out in the field doing this work," Huffman said. "I know the territories. I know the people. If you don't get the ground, it doesn't go. I'm trying to get 10,000 acres."
One wind farm can be a half-billion-dollar project, he said. "Instead of a gold rush, this is a wind rush."
MUNCIE STAR
http://www.thestarpress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20103220314
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Skyscrapers In Use
Solar panel development brings solar energy to large companies by switching from windows to solar panels. Skyscrapers can now run on energy from to sun in order to protect earth's nonrenewable resources.
Solar panel development brings solar energy to large companies by switching from windows to solar panels. Skyscrapers can now run on energy from to sun in order to protect earth’s nonrenewable resources.
Solar panels have now made their way to the exteriors of skyscrapers in large cities. They provide an energy efficient way to cover a building by the use of transparent solar panels for windows, while still allowing sunlight to efficiently shine into the building.
Companies participating in the solar movement are given unique opportunities to give back to the environment by saving on nonrenewable resources. Solar energy converts the suns rays into electricity with free flowing electrons in a circuit. This gives skyscrapers the opportunity to turn solar radiation from the sun into energy and then electricity. Up to 30% of the building’s power can be provided through solar cells and wind turbines on the roof.
Global warming is reduced with the use of solar energy on skyscrapers. Solar energy contains zero carbon dioxide, methane, and other emissions that are guilty of warming the atmosphere.
More companies are urged to take part in the going green and solar energy movement. If all skyscrapers were to consist of solar windows, the envi
Renewable Energy News
WESCO President Travels To D.C. To Meet The Senators
Indiana Residents Go to Washington
Business Leaders to Bring Hoosier Support for Clean Energy to Meet with Senator Bayh and Senator Lugar
[Indianapolis, IN]– Comprehensive clean energy and climate legislation can bring up to 45,000 jobs to Indiana and reduce our dependence on foreign oil – something that Elizabeth Nolan-Greven, Alan Loyd and Steve Estes want Senator Bayh and Senator Lugar to remember when they visit them this week in Washington D.C. On Wednesday, the Indiana residents will share their views of everyday Hoosiers and discuss the benefits of clean energy and climate legislation to Indiana.
“Clean energy jobs can help revive the Indiana economy and put us back to work,” said Elizabeth Nolan-Greven, President of Ecosource, Inc. “I’m going to Washington because I firmly believe that we need clean energy legislation at a federal level to incentivize a green economy for our future. “
“As a business operator, I watch our expenses closely,” Alan Loyd, Director of Health and Lifestyles Center in South Bend, said. “Energy costs can determine if we’re successful in any given year. Investments in clean energy would help minimize this risk.”
“If we continue to wait to adopt clean energy legislation, we will be behind the rest of the world in manufacturing infrastructure for renewable energy components,” Steve Estes, President of Star Distributed Energy, said. “This message needs to be carried to our senators—that investing in clean energy is an investment in our economic growth, as well as national security.”
Nolan-Greven, Loyd and Estes were a part of a ground breaking multimedia campaign centered around The Repower Wall, an interactive online destination, where more than 55,000 people and businesses have uploaded messages supporting a transition to clean energy.
Messages from The Repower Wall are also a part of an innovative new grassroots-driven television advertising campaign that provides everyday Hoosiers with the tools to make their voices heard in livings rooms throughout the state and in the nation’s capitol. By including video messages from The Repower Wall in television ads, the Climate Protection Action Fund’s Repower Indiana campaign is amplifying the voices that leaders in Washington D.C. need to hear – their constituents. And these are the voices calling for immediate action on clean energy.
Elizabeth Nolan-Greven is President of Ecosource, a small business in Columbus, Indiana that offers LEED-certified green business consulting and distributes and installs solar technologies.
Alan Loyd is a lifelong resident of Indiana and is Director of Health and Lifestyles Center in South Bend, Indiana.
Steve Estes, a resident of Markle, Indiana, has worked on renewable energy projects for the past 10 years, and has owned the renewable energy company Star Distributed Energy for the past three years.
RePower America
Recovery For Small Wind Firms
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Blade Snaps Off HUGE Wind Turbine
An investigation is under way at Europe's largest onshore wind farm in East Renfrewshire after a 150ft blade snapped off a turbine.
The incident, at about 0200 GMT on Friday, led to Whitelee wind farm, near Eaglesham, being temporarily shut down.
ScottishPower Renewables, which runs the site, said the cause was unknown but mechanical failure and a lightning strike were being considered. A safety check on all 140 turbines should be completed by Friday.
The damaged turbine was automatically shut down after sensors alerted the wind farm's 24-hour control room to the problem.
All turbines at the site were then taken offline while engineers began an inspection. "Highly unusual'
By Tuesday morning 65 turbines had been inspected and returned to operation. A full inspection of the wind farm is expected to be completed by 26 March.
Keith Anderson, managing director of ScottishPower Renewables, said: "This type of incident is exceptionally rare and highly unusual. "However, the safety of our people and the public is our first priority.
"While the investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing our engineers continue to conduct an internal and external examination of all turbine blades at the wind farm."
The Whitelee wind farm currently has 140 turbines. Approval has been granted for a further 39 turbines. The wind turbines, which are built by Siemens, are about 360ft high.
BBC NEWS
Wind Farm Plans Stir up Storm Over Military Radar
The U.S. military is growing increasingly concerned that proposed wind farms can disrupt or block radar designed to detect threats and protect America's skies, a problem that is stalling the alternative energy projects around the country.
A top U.S. general told Congress on Thursday that federal agencies need to work better together on a formal vetting process for the wind projects to prevent them from being built where they will interfere with radar defenses.
Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, head of U.S. Northern Command, said a number of projects raise "real concerns" involving radar interference, and he suggested that requiring companies to do early checks during the approval process for such obstruction may be needed.
"We've heard concerns that wind turbines may interfere with radar and impact military training routes," said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton, D-Mo. "While we must find new ways to meet our energy security needs, we must not compromise our national security."
While the radar interference issue is not new, it has become a bigger problem as more wind projects move through the permit process. Industry leaders and the Energy Department have said that wind power could provide as much as 20 percent of the nation's electricity by 2030.
Last month, Pentagon officials raised the issue with Congress, saying that they are devoting a lot of time and effort to the growing challenge of ensuring that energy projects don't conflict with military requirements. "The current process for reviewing proposals and handling disputes is opaque, time-consuming and ad hoc," said Dorothy Robyn, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment.
The Federal Aviation Administration reviews wind farm projects, looking at any interference with air navigation or radar systems. But while the FAA can flag problems during its review of a project, it cannot force a change or prevent a wind farm from being approved if a change is not made. Its recommendations, however, can sometimes affect a local zoning or other approval process.
ABC News
http://abcnews.go.com
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