Vestas announced more plans to further expand its American manufacturing presence, stating it will establish new blade and nacelle assembly factories in Brighton, Colo., with both to be producing units in 2010.

The nacelle factory will be Vestas’s first in the U.S. (located at the top of the tower, the nacelle is the turbine’s housing that contains vital components such as the gearbox, generator and transformer). The new blade plant will supplement the existing blade facility in Win dsor, Colo. Once fully operational in the first half of 2010, the blade factory will bring 650 new jobs to Brighton. The nacelle factory, which is expected to run at full capacity in mid-2010, will create an additional 700 jobs.

Among the reasons for choosing Brighton for the new plants are the city’s central location, easy access to rail services and highway infrastructure, and proximity to the plant in Win dsor, Vestas said. Creating manufacturing efficiencies and access to a large pool of qualified workers were also important factors in selecting Brighton, according to the company.

“I am delighted that we have found the location for our new blade factory, and we look forward to beginning operation in our first manufacturing cluster in the USA,” said Ole Borup Jakobsen, president of Vestas Blades A/S. “I am confident we will maintain our good relationships with the authorities in Brighton and Weld County as we continue to develop this new Vestas site.”

In order to establish a complete supply chain for the factory in Brighton, Vestas Nacelles will set up a purchasing office in Chicago, Ill., allowing the company to have a presence close to the extensive northeast network of suppliers. A combined Technology and Production Engineering office will also be established at the Brighton facility.

“We are extremely pleased to be building Vestas’s largest nacelle assembly factory to date,” said Søren Husted, president of Vestas Nacelles A/S. “ Denver and the surrounding areas give us direct access to a large, qualified workforce, and this was one of the primary reasons for choosing Brighton. Our new factory will be designed according to the most efficient Lean manufacturing principles, and we expect Brighton to become the center for Vestas Nacelles’ activities in the USA.”

The nacelle assembly factory will have an annual production capacity of 1,400 nacelles. With an output of 1,800 blades per year, the blade factory in Brighton will match the annual output of the Win dsor plant, boosting the company’s production capacity for wind turbine blades in the U.S. to 3,600 per year. Vestas’s tower factory, also to be built in Colorado, will have a production capacity of 900 towers per year.

“On behalf of the people of Colorado, I am grateful that Vestas has chosen to once again invest in our state,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter (D). “This is a tremendous boon for all of Colorado, not just Brighton. By bringing more than 1,350 additional jobs here, Vestas is cementing its standing as one of Colorado’s pioneering partners in the New Energy Economy. I look forward to continuing the relationship for years to come. My administration has worked closely with Vestas to make the Brighton project a reality. This only ad ds momentum to our efforts to diversify our economy and grow these modern-energy industries of the future.”

 

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Duke Energy and American Electric Power (AEP) formed a 50-50 wholly-owned joint venture to build and operate 240 miles of extra-high-voltage, 765-kV Indiana transmission lines and related facilities that would connect more than 3,000 MW of wind energy planned for the region.

The project, called Pioneer Transmission, LLC, would link Duke Energy’s Greentown Station (near Kokomo, Ind.) with AEP’s Rockport Station (east of Evansville, Ind.). As is often the case with new transmission that benefits wind, the project will also strengthen the overall system, improving reliability and efficiency of both the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) and PJM Interconnection, LLC, the region’s two transmission operators. High-voltage lines are viewed as both a key to smart wind power development as well as modernizing the nation’s fragmented and outdated transmission grid, which is generally considered inefficient by today’s standar ds.

Building more extra-high voltage 765-kV transmission lines in Indiana provides significant economic and environmental benefits, as they require less land to carry more power than lower-voltage lines, the companies noted. A 765-kV transmission line also operates more efficiently than lower-voltage lines, reducing the amount of electricity that nee ds to be generated by cutting “line loss,” or electricity lost during transport.

Pioneer Transmission will be regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Since the project, which has an estimated $1 billion price tag, benefits both MISO and PJM, it is anticipated that the cost would be allocated to MISO customers in 15 states and the Canadian province of Manitoba, along with PJM customers in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

“This is Duke Energy’s first 765-kV power line project, and we are pleased to work with an experienced partner such as AEP,” said James L. Turner, president and COO of Duke Energy U.S. Franchised Electric and Gas. “Pioneer Transmission has significant economic and reliability benefits for the MISO and PJM region, which includes our 1.6 million retail electric customers in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. It can also play a key role in bringing Indiana’s wind energy potential to markets across the region.”

AEP and Duke Energy will submit the Pioneer Transmission proposal to PJM and MISO for consideration in their electric transmission expansion plans later this year. The joint venture will operate in Indiana as a transmission utility and seek rate approval for the project from FERC in the third quarter of this year.

The in-service date for the project will be determined by the MISO and PJM planning processes, with the earliest possible completion in the 2014 or 2015 timeframe. An extensive public outreach effort will be conducted in 2009 and 2010 before the final path for the transmission line is selected, the companies said.

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Acciona Energy’s 180-MW Tatanka Wind Farm in the Dakotas went online July 25, the company announced.

The facility is located in Dickey and McIntosh counties, N.D., and McPherson County, S.D. Powering the facility are Acciona’s 1.5-MW turbines, the first to be deployed in the U.S. for the turbine manufacturer-developer. The project is also the company’s first U.S. wind farm that it developed and now owns and operates.

Construction of the $381 million project, the largest in the Dakotas, began in April 2007. Financing was secured through equity partnerships with GE Energy Financial Services and Wachovia Investment Holdings, LLC. The transaction is GEFS’s first wind equity investment in the Dakotas.

“Acciona’s Tatanka Wind Farm is representative of yet another step in harnessing the abundant wind energy reserves available in America’s rural Midwest,” said Acciona Energy North America CEO Peter Duprey. "This land and its pioneering population, long known for providing crops and livestock to feed a country, now meet an urgent and monumental American need—energy independence. We’re so proud and grateful to partner with the people of North and South Dakota on this project.”

The Tatanka Wind Farm is composed of 120 wind turbines, 59 in South Dakota and 61 in North Dakota. The electricity generated at the plant is sold into the Midwest Independent System Operator system.

The facility has created 21 new permanent jobs; more than 250 people were employed during construction. Additionally, the Tatanka Wind Farm will provide increased revenues for nearby North and South Dakota communities through investments in local infrastructure, lease arrangements with local landowners, and tax revenues paid to Dickey and McPherson counties.

Acciona, a relative newcomer to the U.S. market, now has “an aggressive development pipeline” of projects in California, Nevada, Oklahoma, Illinois and New York, said spokesperson Micaela Whelan. At least two more projects are currently under construction: the 123-MW Red Hills Wind Farm in Roger Hills and Custer counties, Okla., and the 100.5-MW EcoGrove Wind Farm in Stephenson County, Ill.

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Otter Tail Power Buys 49.5-MW Portion of Luverne Wind Facility in North Dakota

Utility Otter Tail Power entered into an agreement with locally owned developer M-Power, LLC, to purchase a 49.5-MW portion of the Luverne Wind Farm under development in east central North Dakota.

M-Power is currently requesting site and transmission route approval from the North Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC) for the full 157.5-MW project. The companies expect to close the approval late this year, subject to NDPSC approval.

M-Power’s 10-year plan calls for further development in the area of Griggs and Steele counties, which have about 500 MW of developable wind resources, according to the company. “We’ve been at this for about 10 years now,” said M-Power President and co-founder Keith Monson. “This is a significant achievement for us, especially to be able to strike a deal with a local utility.”

Otter Tail Power President Chuck MacFarlane said his company is committed to diversifying and balancing its supply mix. “While the sale is contingent on receiving various approvals and permits, completing the Luverne Wind Farm would increase the amount of economical wind-generated electricity owned or purchased by Otter Tail Power Co. to 179.5 MW,” he said. “That’s enough to power approximately 52,000 homes.”

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A final report issued by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle’s (D) task force on global warming recommends that the state institute a more ambitious renewable electricity standard (RES), reform the wind farm siting process, address transmission issues to foster wind power growth, and take various other measures.

The report recommen ds that Wisconsin’s RES, which currently calls for 10% of electricity to come from renewables by 2015, require the state to achieve that target two years earlier. Longer-term benchmarks include 20% renewables by 2020 and 25% by 2025. Of the renewable resources used to meet those targets, at least 6% by 2020 and 10% by 2025 would have to be Wisconsin-based.

To enable electric providers to meet a more aggressive RES, the revised RES would streamline the regulatory approval and siting process, encourage proposals that encompass multiple projects, provide additional resources for the WPSC to process applications, encourage larger electric providers to partner on projects with smaller electric providers, and remove existing siting and equipment transportation barriers.

The task force also calls for the state to initiate a study group to evaluate changes to the statewide and regional electric transmission system that would facilitate increased electric generation by clean energy sources. That effort would include working with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as well as other states on regional transmission planning and cost allocation issues.

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The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) in Nebraska inten ds to expand its power supply by adding additional wind-powered resources to its generation resource portfolio. OPPD seeks proposals from bidders for up to 80 MW of wind-powered generation capacity, associated energy, and environmental attributes.

Those submitting bi ds must file a notice of intent to submit a proposal by August 29, and bi ds are due October 10. For more information and a copy of the request for proposal, contact Christene Bywater, project manager, email cbywater@oppd.com , phone 402-636-3316.

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The only community college on the West Coast offering training for wind energy technicians has established a new scholarship fund, thanks to the contributions of three wind energy companies.

Columbia Gorge Community College Foundation, a non-profit organization based in The Dalles, Ore., created the Renewable Energy Technology Scholarship Fund to assist students in the college’s renewable energy technology (RET) program. Three companies—Iberdrola Renewables, Suzlon Wind Energy Corp., and Vestas—stepped up with significant contributions to the new fund, which will provide assistance to RET students beginning this fall, according to Columbia Gorge Community College. The RET program offers a one-year certificate and two-year associate of applied science degree in renewable energy technology.

“Suzlon is always looking for innovative schools, training programs, and people to help the industry quickly move toward first-class wind technicians, and Columbia Gorge Community College has done so with their RET center and scholarship program,” said Suzlon spokesperson Michelle Montague. “We are truly excited about being a leading sponsor of the scholarship program and look forward to supporting Columbia Gorge’s future graduates through job opportunities at Suzlon wind projects in the region.”

First-round applications are due August 22; an application form is posted on the college’s Web site at www.cgcc.cc.or.us . Selected applicants will join other scholarship applicants for initial interviews on Sept. 3, followed by interviews specific to the RET program on Sept. 9. Recipients will be announced on Sept. 10.

“Rapid growth of Iberdrola Renewables and the wind industry in general increases the need for a skilled, safety-conscious workforce,” said Scott Buehler, wind operations and maintenance training manager for Iberdrola Renewables. “ Columbia Gorge Community College is the ideal institution to help us achieve our goals given the quality of its wind technician training program and the school’s location near our existing and future wind plants.”

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Wind Energy News Roundup

New members-only online community for small wind

A new online tool is now available to those members of AWEA interested in the small wind industry. The “e-community” resource is open to all levels of AWEA membership and enables users with similar interests to share information and ideas, collaborate on projects, and communicate securely online. 

AWEA offers other e-communities pertaining to turbine siting, utilities, industry statistics, human resources, and AWEA’s leadership council.

 To access the e-community, log in to the Members Only site at http://www.awea.org/membercenter/login.html and select “e-communities” from the left navigation box.  For more information on features and how to use the site, see the e-communities reference guide at http://www.awea.org/reference-guides/AWEA_ecommunities_Reference_Guide.pdf .

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In its ongoing efforts to meet the expanding needs of the growing wind energy industry, AWEA is moving to a new office. AWEA’s phone system, as well as certain AWEA Web site functions such as registration, will likely be down from approximately 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27 through the close of business on August 29. In addition, staff may not be easily accessible for the remainder of the week. The office will resume regular business hours Tuesday, September 2.

Our new address is 1501 M St. NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20005. Office phone numbers will remain the same.

 

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With an outstanding lineup of speakers already confirmed and even more being added, AWEA’s Offshore Wind Power Workshop , September 9 – 10, 2008 in Wilmington, Delaware, will provide a national picture of the offshore wind energy market, the regulatory framework, technology considerations, and lessons from Europe.

Designed for developers, state and federal regulators, component suppliers, consultants, and academics, the program includes speakers from various wind energy organizations.

Here is a sampling:

• Benjamin Bell , President/CEO, Garrad Hassan America Inc.
• Maureen Bornholdt , Program Manager, Minerals Management Service (MMS)
• Daniel Cohen , President, Fisherman’s Energy of New Jersey
• Andrew Dzykewicz , Commissioner, Office of Energy Resources State of Rhode Island
• Walt Musial , National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)
• Soren Peterson , Director, Ramboll
• William Whitehead , Executive Director, PJM Interconnection
• Greg Watson , Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC)

Program Chairperson:
Hunter Armisted, Babcock & Brown

Early registration for the AWEA Offshore Wind Power Workshop is quickly approaching on August 18 th.  Register at http://www.awea.org/events/offshorewind/registration.html prior to August 18th to save!

For questions about upcoming AWEA events, visit www.awea.org/events or contact conference@awea.org or (202) 383-2512.

 

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Only a few spaces remain

AWEA, along with Energynautics, is co-sponsoring the 2008 presentation of the comprehensive Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG) short course, Wind Generation in Power Systems: A Short Course on the Integration and Interconnection of Wind Power Plants into Electric Power Systems, September 9-12 2008 at the La Playa Hotel, Carmel, Calif.

This course addresses issues related to interconnecting wind generation to electric utility power systems. Covered topics include wind turbine generator technology, modeling for power system analysis, and conducting planning and operating studies.

Specific highlights include:

• Costs and benefits of large scale integration of wind power
• Wind turbine design concepts
• Capacity value and cost of ancillary services
• US and European experiences with wind power integration
• Evaluation and management of the uncertainty of short-term power variations
• Wind forecasting
• Voltage control, power quality and protection issues
• Grid codes and recent US and European experiences
• High penetration issues
• Introduction to wind turbine modeling and simulation
• Wind turbine control issues
• Dynamic simulation studies related to wind power

For more information, including details on agenda, registration and accommodations, visit the UWIG web site at http://www.uwig.org/shortcourse2008.html or contact Sandy Smith, 865-218-4600, extension 6141 or e-mail sandy@uwig.org. The advance registration deadline is September 1 and registration is limited to the first 35 attendees. Only a few spaces remain available.

 

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