September 24, 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
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Wind Energy Tax Incentive Wins Extension to End of 2005
Congressional Action Should Pave Way for Strong Industry Growth Next Year
AWEA Press Release - www.awea.org

Washington, D.C.--The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said
today that the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC)--a critical
factor in financing new wind power installations--will be reinstated
through 2005 as part of a major tax package (H.R. 1308) extending a
number of individual and business tax provisions. The House and Senate
approved the bill last night, and President Bush is expected to sign it
into law. The PTC provides a 1.5 cent-per-kilowatt-hour tax credit
(adjusted annually for inflation) for electricity generated with wind
turbines.

The PTC, which had expired December 31, 2003, will be extended
retroactively from that date to December 31, 2005. AWEA also continues
to support a longer-term extension (to December 31, 2006) now included
in the corporate tax/JOBS (Jumpstart Our Business Strength) bill (H.R.
4520) still pending before Congress. The JOBS bill also calls for
creation of a new tax credit to encourage the use of small wind systems
for homes, farms and small businesses.

"The American wind energy industry welcomes Congressional passage of a
15-month extension of the wind energy production tax credit," said AWEA
deputy executive director Tom Gray. "This action by Congress and the
expected signature of President Bush mean that about $3 billion in wind
energy investments forecast over the next several years are now back on
track across the country. More importantly, hundreds of furloughed wind
industry employees can now go back to work building and installing new
high-tech wind turbines.

"We believe wind energy can provide 6% of U.S. electricity by the year
2020, or about as much electricity as hydropower generates today, and
this action allows us to go forward toward that goal. AWEA will continue
to pursue policies--such as a long-term PTC extension and a renewables
portfolio standard (RPS)--that will move the wind industry beyond the
boom-and-bust cycles that have resulted from short-term PTC extensions
in the past."
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S&P PROMOTES WIND POWER AS ENERGY SOURCE

  Credit rater Standard & Poor said Tuesday wind energy could be a
  viable alternative to oil amid higher petroleum prices.
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ENERGY FIRM TO BUY WIND-POWER FARM NEAR ELLENSBURG, WASH.

  Puget Sound Energy plans to spend up to $300 million to buy a
  wind farm near Ellensburg, the first wind-power resource the
  Bellevue-based  utility would own.
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PSE ANNOUNCES INTENT TO BUY 220 MEGAWATTS OF WIND POWER; UTILITY
SEEKING 100% OWNERSHIP OF PROPOSED WIND FARM IN EASTERN KITTITAS COUNTY

  Puget Sound Energy recently signed a letter of intent with
  Houston-based Zilkha Renewable Energy to obtain 100-percent
  ownership of Zilkha's proposed 220-megawatt Wild Horse Wind Power
  Project located in the eastern part of Washington state's Kittitas County.
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NEW PROGRAM FROM UTILITY NEVADA POWER TO DEVELOP 'GREEN' RATES

  Nevada Power Co. will be developing a proposal for "green" rates
  that allows customers to pay higher rates to support the use of
  alternate  power sources, such as wind and solar energy.
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MAGRATH WIND POWER PROJECT PLUGS INTO ALBERTA ELECTRICAL GRID

  Premier Ralph Klein today joined business leaders and local
  dignitaries in Magrath, Alberta to celebrate the opening of the
  province's newest wind power project.
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TVA'S 'GREEN POWER' SAPPED -- PROGRAM RUNNING DEFICIT, ACCORDING TO
INTERNAL AUDIT

  The Tennessee Valley Authority's renewable energy program, the
  largest in the Southeast, is selling far more premium- priced
  "green power" than it is producing, according to an internal audit.
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MORE TURBINES IN THE WIND

  Another 104 wind turbines are planned for the Manawatu skyline.
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OVER 20 BIG PROJECTS ARE BEING PREPARED IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

  Czech Venti, involved in the building of wind-power plants, wants
  to build a wind-power park with 180 towers in the region Chomutov
  by the end of 2006.
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Cleveland Science Center Proposes New Wind Turbine
Local Ohio newspaper the Plain Dealer recently reported that the Great Lakes Science Center has proposed constructing a 135-foot-tall, 65-kilowatt (kW) demonstration wind turbine adjacent to the Cleveland Browns Stadium in Ohio.

According to the paper, the Science Center has requested that the Cleveland Foundation provide the $160,000 needed to fund the wind turbine project, which would contribute electricity to the Cleveland Public Power system.

"It makes the statement that Cleveland is interested and ready for alternative energy sources," said Great Lakes Science Center president and executive director Linda Abraham-Silver. "It's making the science accessible for the public. We don't think about where our power comes from."
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WIND FIRMS CRY FOUL

  Wind energy companies are seeing red over a secret taxpayer-
  funded U.S. Government guarantee for a new gas-fired power station when
  there is no similar support for wind.
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ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIF., DELAYS HEARING ON WIND TURBINES

  The Alameda County Board of Supervisors has delayed until at
  least October a hearing about future operation of Altamont Pass'
  wind turbines.
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FERC CHIEF SAYS STATE COULD INFLUENCE WIND POWER DEVELOPMENT

  A bit of prodding from the state could be the catalyst needed to
  boost development of wind energy projects in Kansas, a federal
  regulator says.
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