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| 30 Sep 2009 10:44:51 pm |
 Wisconsin Governor Doyle signs siting law |
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Wisconsin continues to lead in wind energy initiatives. Today Gov. Jim Doyle signed legislation that directs the Public Utilities Commission to set more uniform standards for construction and operation of wind projects.
"This bill is a clear signal to the wind industry that Wisconsin is open for business and will create more jobs for hardworking Wisconsin families," Doyle said. |
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Category : AWEA News
| Posted By : Chris Madison |
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| 29 Sep 2009 09:17:43 pm |
| Governors' Wind Energy Coalition adds R.I. Gov. Carcieri |
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Rhode Island Gov. Donald Carcieri today was named Vice Chairman of the Governors' Wind Energy Coalition. Iowa Gov. Chet Culver is the chairman. Carcieri's appointment broadens the coalition's scope to include potential for offshore wind. Rhode Island has significant offshore wind resources, and Carcieri has pledged to develop them.
In a statement, AWEA CEO Denise Bode said, "Governor Carcieri, who leads a state with significant offshore wind, together with the Coalition’s chairman, Iowa Governor Chet Culver, will help the Coalition develop and advance the balanced policies needed to use all the nation’s wind resources, which will spur continued growth and job creation. We look forward to working with Governor Carcieri." |
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Category : AWEA News
| Posted By : Chris Madison |
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| 29 Sep 2009 05:30:20 pm |
| More evidence that bat-turbine clashes can be reduced |
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Earlier this year, a study by the Bats and Wind Energy Cooperative (BWEC) concluded that bat fatalities could be reduced by from 54-78% if turbines are not turned on at low wind speeds.
Now, a new study from researchers at the University of Calgary has reached similar conclusions, finding that fatalities could be reduced by 60%. In both cases, power losses were marginal when turbines were not turned on during periods of low wind speed.
The latest study was published in the Journal of Wildlife Management and conducted by University of Calgary biology professor Robert Barclay, with PhD student Erin Baerwald of the same university as well as with Jason Edworthy and Matt Holder of TransAlta Corporation. The study was reported in Science Daily.
Laurie Jodziewicz, AWEA's specialist on wildlife impacts, said, "This is encouraging, but we are still in the research phase; we can't say it's a bona fide solution until we do further study."
Jodziewicz added, "It's also not something we would need to implement at every wind project because some do not have high bat fatalities. Finally, we don't know if this works for cave-dwelling bats such as Mexican freetails in the Southwestern United States."
The impact of turbines on wildlife has long been a concern not only in the wildlife conservation community, but also among industry representatives. Wind industry representatives helped form the BWEC as well as other forums, such as the National Wind Coordinating Collaborative and the American Wind Wildlife Institute, that bring together environmentalists and wind industry representatives to study wind-wildlife impacts and search for solutions. |
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Category : AWEA News
| Posted By : Chris Madison |
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| 28 Sep 2009 07:23:21 pm |
| How wind helps a rural school district |
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The anti-windies are forever exclaiming that wind energy doesn't really benefit the local communities. The school kids in Bloomfield, Nebraska, who live near the new Elkhorn Ridge wind farm, might give you an argument.
According to a story in the Omaha World Herald, the Elkhorn Ridge project has increased the assessed valuation of property in the small school district by $122 million--the current value is $340 million. That will translate into about $20,000 in additional revenue for the schools, the district estimates. For a school system with just under 300 students, that could go a long way.
The 81 MW project consists of 27 Vestas turbines and the power is being sold to the Nebraska Public Power District. |
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Category : AWEA News
| Posted By : Chris Madison |
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| 28 Sep 2009 10:56:13 am |
| Tom Friedman sees the world more clearly than most of us |
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| In case you missed it New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman spells out the implications of China's increased focus on renewables. Read it here. |
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Category : AWEA News
| Posted By : Chris Madison |
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