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| 26 Oct 2009 04:12:13 pm |
 More facts on Danish wind |
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Anti-wind groups have been on the attack in Europe, questioning the accuracy of wind use statistics, especially in those countries where wind is making a significant contribution--like Denmark. In response to recent attacks about its practice of exporting wind-generated electricity to its neighbors, the Danish government's wind agency published this comment in a local newspaper:
Quote : In reality part of the wind energy is ‘stored up’ in Norwegian and Swedish hydro-electric reservoirs and returned to the Danish consumers at other times. The Nordic electricity trade benefits all electricity consumers in Northern Europe.
Wind power is exported at market prices in line with all other forms of electricity and the revenue from the electricity trade is shared between Denmark and the recipient country. The average selling price for wind generated electricity was 0.04 to 0.07 DKr./kWh less than the selling price on electricity generated by centre and local cogeneration plants in the period 2005-2007. Consider this to be the price of storing wind power at the Nordic hydro-electric plants. That we would be giving the electricity away is a misapprehension.
Danish electricity consumers have supported wind power with an average of 1.3 bill DKr. a year from 2005-2008 corresponding to 0.035 DKr./kWh. For a household with an electricity consumption of 3.500 kWh this has meant an extra cost of 120 DKr. (≈ $24) a year – two or three times less than Weekensavisen claims using Sharman as source.
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Category : AWEA News
| By : Chris Madison |
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| 23 Oct 2009 10:00:19 pm |
| Wisconsin Anti-Wind Group Takes Some Hits |
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The following correspondence received today from Michael Vickerman, Executive Director of Renew Wisconsin, a group that has been pressing the case for clean energy in that state for a number of years.
Quote : Greetings--
As you know, I believe that the PSC [Public Service Commission of Wisconsin] proceedings on Wisconsin Electric's Glacier Hills wind project will generate much of the factual foundation for the forthcoming rulemaking on wind permitting standards. I would like to call your attention to testimony submitted by three expert witnesses hired on behalf of the applicant. These documents were filed this Tuesday. The witnesses are.
Richard Larkin - State Certified Real Estate Appraiser. His testimony rebuts CWESt property values "study."
William Roberts - PhD in Epidemiology, Former faculty member with the Medical College of Wisconsin (Dept. of Preventative Medicine), former Oklahoma State Epidemiologist. His testimony discusses Nina Pierpont's "research" and rebuts CWESt's acoustical consultant.
Geoff Leventhall - acoustical consultant, PhD in Acoustics. His testimony discusses low frequency noise and rebuts CWESt's acoustical consultant.
Even though these filings take the form of rebuttal testimony, they can stand on their own. You need not read the filings they rebut in order to make sense out of what they're saying. Of all the documents I've read over the years that address wind energy impacts on human health and property values, this group of submission is the strongest IMO. The value of these documents to future wind development in North America is inestimable.
These filings will be entered into the record when the technical hearings begin on November 2nd.
Michael Vickerman
RENEW Wisconsin
Wisconsin Wind Working Group
mvickerman@renewwisconsin.org
www.renewwisconsin.org
To paraphrase Harry Truman, we don't give the anti-wind folks hell--we just tell the truth, and they think it's hell. |
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Category : AWEA News
| By : Tom Gray |
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| 23 Oct 2009 08:02:12 pm |
| The news from New York's renewable scene |
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Guest blog by AWEA's Kathy Belyeu
At the fall conference of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY), the mood was mixed – a feeling of success in having 1,275 MW of wind installed in NY-- several years ago, NY had only 48 MW of wind energy--together with some apprehension about what it will take to fulfill the state’s renewable and climate change goals.
The good news is that a decision on additional funding and program changes is expected before the end of the year. And the state's Assistant Secretary for Energy, Kimberly Harriman, made it clear that the renewable portfolio standard (RPS) continues to have the strong support of Governor Paterson.
NY has an RPS target of 25% by 2013, which the Governor wants raised to 30% by 2015 to track more closely with his energy efficiency goal of 15% by 2015. The RPS target includes existing hydro (although it doesn’t receive RPS financial support) so the target is approximately 6.5% for new renewable generation, taking into account load growth and other exemptions. The RPS is administered by the State energy authority, which issues 10-year contracts for Renewable Energy Credits.
New York does face significant challenges including the need for more transmission and a streamlined siting process, both of which were addressed by the conference speakers. In addition, the RPS needs an infusion of cash, stronger state agency support, and some program changes to make it a more market-based system. ACE NY and its members are actively engaged in efforts to support the RPS and wind energy development.
The conference featured keynote addresses by Gil Quiniones, COO of the New York Power Authority and Kimberly Harriman, NY Assistant Secretary for Energy. In addition, a group of smart grid transmission and supply chain experts, including representatives from the US DOE, National Grid, the Long Island Power Authority, BP Solar, AWEA, and the Natural Resources Defense Council, made presentations.
The state also is seeing interest in offshore wind development and solar energy, although most renewable energy advocates and wind developers strongly believe that onshore wind resources offer the greatest short-term potential and are more cost effective. |
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Category : AWEA News
| By : Chris Madison |
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| 21 Oct 2009 08:40:37 pm |
| Bogus group strikes again, this time against Germany's wind |
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On October 19, the Institute for Energy Research (IER), an anti-clean energy group that produces bogus research aimed at derailing US policy away from clean, renewable sources of energy, struck again. This time the target was Germany, a global leader in wind energy; an earlier IER attack trained its falsehoods and flawed methodology on Denmark.
The latest IER attack is focused on Germany’s “feed-in tariff,” a system used outside the United States to encourage the development of renewable energy. Their report is called, "Economic impacts from the promotion of renewable energies: The German Experience." The report asserts that the feed-n tariff "has failed to harness the market incentives needed to ensure a viable and cost-effective introduction
of renewable energies into the country’s energy portfolio."
IER’s strategy clearly is to discredit wind energy in other countries at a time when the U.S. industry is growing, and U.S. policies are still being developed. This report goes so far as to include a state-by-state US map showing how much a German-style feed-in tariff would increase electricity costs in each state. The problem is that the United States is not considering a feed in tariff as a means to encourage wind development because it would not work. Instead, the US is considering a free-market based national Renewable Electricity Standard, and numerous studies have shown that an RES would decrease electricity prices.
Previous IER reports have been discredited by prominent international organizations and think tanks. You can find our responses to the earlier incorrect report here. But pushing back with facts the facts so far has not deterred IER's disinformation campaign, and we expect them to take on other countries that have successfully integrated wind into their energy mix. Stay tuned. |
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Category : AWEA News
| By : Chris Madison |
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| 20 Oct 2009 07:20:03 pm |
| Latest statistics show wind industry is still growing |
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Pessimism may be overrated, at least in the case of renewable energy. Despite the recession and other factors, AWEA’s Third Quarter Market Report shows the wind industry is continuing to grow. But new manufacturing facilities are lagging.
“Over 1,600 MW of new wind power capacity was brought online in the third quarter of 2009.” the report said. So far, in 2009 the industry has installed over 5,800 MW of new wind power, which is more than was added in the first three quarters of 2008.
However, it is already clear that the fourth quarter of 2009 will not equal 2008’s 4th quarter boom, when more than 4,000 MW were added, bringing the 2008 total to 8,358 MW.
The report said, “A major driving factor in the higher numbers of wind project development is the federal stimulus bill passed early this year.” The legislation provided grants as a temporary replacement for the production tax credit, which was not attracting investors because of the sagging economy. Other factors cited in the report are “state policies, attractive wind project economics and possibly the expectation of action on climate change.”
AWEA CEO Denise Bode said, “Wind power installations are up, and that is good news for America’s economy, environment, and energy security. But manufacturing, which has the potential to employ many more Americans in good, clean energy jobs, remains uncertain. A firm, long-term national commitment to renewable energy is still needed for the U.S. to become a wind turbine manufacturing powerhouse and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
AWEA is working to persuade Congress and the Obama Administration to include a strong renewable electricity standard in any energy package passed this year. |
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Category : AWEA News
| By : Chris Madison |
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