August 12, 2004

Wind Harvest Company Wind News
A compilation of story leads from around the world.
By:  Kevin Wolf

Note:  These story titles and lead paragraphs predominantly come from Energy Central's daily posting of the world's energy stories. Others are sent to me by subscribers of Wind News.  Energy Central requires paid membership to read full stories.  You can often paste the headline into the Google search engine and find the original source of the story.   When I have them, I will include the URL.  Please send me stories that you find, and I will add them into the next edition of Wind News.  Thank you. Kevin
<><><><><><><><>

THIRTY TURBINES SOLD TO CANADA

  Thirty Turbines Sold to Canada (canadian association for renewable
  energies) Thirty 1.8 MW turbines have been sold for Euro 55
  million and will be installed this year at a windfarm in QC to be
  built by a partnership from Toronto and Montreal.
*************

ACC APPROVES NEW RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM FOR UNISOURCE CUSTOMERS

  In two separate decisions, the Arizona Corporation Commissioners
  acted to further encourage the adoption of solar and renewable
  technologies in both the Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and UniSource
  Electric service territories.
*************

WIND A SMART PART OF ENERGY FUTURE

  One key to the state's energy future is blowing in the wind.
  Washington must rapidly accelerate the development of wind energy.
*************

POWER FROM SOLAR RADIATION IS EXPENSIVE

  Czech Republic: According to a directive of the EU, this country
  must increase the share in power from renewable sources to 8% by
  2010 compared to 4% in 2004.
*************

WIND ENERGY TO GAIN MOMENTUM

  WIND farm opponents will face a stark choice as the world suffers
  from the serious effects of global warming, a British wind energy
  expert says.
*************

WIND POWER IN ARIZONA SOARS TO TOP OF FEDERAL ENERGY PUSH

  Developing energy from biomass materials still has a way to go on
  transportation costs, and solar energy's future is bright but
  still needs work.
*************

NATURAL GAS SUPPLIES TIGHT; HIGHER PRICES LIKELY THIS SUMMER

  Consumers should prepare to spend more for natural gas this
  summer. The Natural Gas Supply Association says the big chill of
  last winter, high energy prices in 2003 and 2004, a forecast of a
  warm summer and only slight production increases in natural gas -
  and absence of a national energy policy - all point to higher
  natural gas prices.
*************

SECOND QUARTER MARKET REPORT:  AMERICAN WIND INDUSTRY NEEDS CONSISTENT BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT TO BRING WIND POWER'S PROMISE TO THE COUNTRY
Projects Across Country Await Renewal of Federal Tax Incentive
American Wind Energy Association
www.awea.org
Contact: Kathy Belyeu (202) 383-2520
Christine Real de Azua (202) 383-2508

Wind projects totaling more than 2,000 megawatts (MW) in capacity - enough to power more than half a million American homes - are awaiting the expected renewal of a major federal tax incentive, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its quarterly U.S. market outlook.

New projects in the pipeline amount to more than $2 billion in business, said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher, and they are ready to provide millions of dollars of badly-needed tax revenues and hundreds of skilled jobs to rural counties around the nation, once Congress renews the wind energy production tax credit (PTC).

Swisher pointed to the Colorado Green Wind Project, a large wind farm installed last year in eastern Colorado, as an example of the benefits that wind energy development can bring to rural areas. In rural Prowers County, population and jobs had been falling for years. Since the Colorado Green Wind Project was built, a chain reaction of economic development has added jobs, royalty payments for the property owners, and sharply-increased local and county tax revenues. The project is providing clean power for approximately 52,000 average American households.

Many companies, large and small, were involved in the construction, from the building of access roads, the pouring of foundations, to the electrical infrastructure for the project. At the height of construction, nearly 400 workers from across the country came to the area to build the project, boosting income for many local businesses such as motels and restaurants.

Owners of the property where the turbines are located will receive between $3,000 and $6,000 annually for each of the projects 108 turbines. The project has created 15-20 ongoing, full-time well-paying local jobs.

County sales tax revenues jumped 62% in one year, from $95,000 to $154,450. The tax base increased by 29%, resulting in annual increases of:

    $917,000 for the school district general fund;
    $203,000 for the school district bond fund;
    $189,000 to the Prowers medical center; and
    $764,000 to the county general fund.

The wind industry installed a near-record 1,687 megawatts (MW) in 2003, but most new wind energy projects are on hold this year because of the uncertainty created by Congresss delay in renewing the tax incentive, AWEA said. The industry has installed less than 30 MW of new capacity so far this year, and the trade group said it doesnt expect more than 350 MW total in new projects by the end of the year.
*************

Wind a Smart Part of Energy Future
Aug 09 - Seattle Post - Intelligencer

One key to the state's energy future is blowing in the wind. Washington must rapidly accelerate the development of wind energy.

Despite political games in Congress that have allowed a helpful tax credit to expire, the state is making progress toward more use of the environmentally friendly power. In part, high natural gas prices have made wind projects more cost efficient.

A test of the ability to maintain momentum will come in a first- ever state review of a wind farm proposed about 15 miles from Ellensburg. The Kittitas Valley Wind Power Project is the first to seek approval from the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council since its authority was expanded to cover wind.

Formal hearings could start this month. The council faces jurisdictional questions with Kittitas County, opposition from some neighbors and the challenges of dealing with wind farm questions for the first time.

But the proposal is strong, taking advantage of abundant winds in a sparsely populated area. Unless the council finds unexpected problems, it should quickly recommend approval of the project and Gov. Gary Locke, who has the final say, should authorize it. With Locke and other West Coast governors working on a promising global warming initiative, it's vital for the state to support reasonable wind power development.

The state has gotten a good start on wind power. As of January, Washington's generating capacity ranked seventh among all states, according to a trade group.

Aggressive development can reduce pollution and greenhouse gases from such sources as natural gas turbines. Payments for wind- generated electricity will stay largely in the state, unlike with natural gas from elsewhere. Wind energy will strengthen rural areas with new leasing fees for landowners and higher property taxes for counties at a time of tough farm economics.
That's a wonderful combination of benefits. The state needs to keep facing forward with this sustainable source of clean energy.
*************

Wind power in Arizona soars to top of federal energy push
The Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff --Aug. 8

Developing energy from biomass materials still has a way to go on transportation costs, and solar energy's future is bright but still needs work.

But proponents of wind energy aren't just full of air, according to Assistant Secretary of the Interior Rebecca Watson.

Watson was in Flagstaff Wednesday to speak at the Southwest Renewable Energy Conference to let attendees know what the Department of the Interior was doing to develop renewable energy markets, especially in Arizona.

While statewide, renewable energy development efforts have focused mainly on solar, wind energy's potential has caught interest at the federal level. The Bureau of Land Management, which falls under the authority of the Interior Department, has granted permits near Kingman and Safford for wind rights of way.

The permits allow users to establish windmill farms on BLM land. The agency has approved four permits covering 60,000 acres so far, with two more in the approval process that will cover 42,000 acres.

"Wind is the much better story to tell," Watson said.

Improvements in wind-power technology have made the cost for this power to be competitive with those of natural gas and coal-generated power.

That's sweet news to Andy Kruse, vice president and co-founder of Southwest Windpower, based in Flagstaff.

The trick to renewable energy is developing systems that pay for themselves in five to seven years. Large and small wind systems are now paying that initial investment back in about seven years, Kruse says.

A typical wind system for a house now runs about $12,000, but Kruse says new technology just around the corner will drop that cost closer to $4,000.

Kruse points to California as one of the best states for developing wind power. He credits that state's buy-down programs as an aggressive way California is pushing that renewable energy market.
"Arizona is pretty decent, actually," he said. "Not as aggressive as it could be though," That may be because solar remains Arizona's hot renewable energy market.

"The (solar) technology is there and it's getting better," said Donald Garrett, of Danneypat Solar in Flagstaff.

A typical solar-power system for a home runs $16,000 to $18,000 and will take care of all electrical needs for a northern Arizona home without air conditioning, Garrett said.

But a homeowner can cut that cost nearly in half through a state tax credit and APS' EPS Credit Purchase program.
*************