The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Additional Great Lakes regional stories available in the Windpower Monthly archives:

1. April, 2003 : A county with its eye on the future -- Oswego officials pull out all the stops to lure manufacturer
Oswego County in upstate New York is not only making a strong play to host a North American prototype of GE Wind's 3.6 MW turbine, officials are also keen to make the region a wind turbine manufacturing base and are even looking positively on plans for a small offshore wind farm in Lake Ontario. "It seems natural to diversify our power generating base with wind," says Michael Treadwell, Oswego County's chief economic development officer.


2. February, 2003 : Wind cheaper than gas in United states
From Dave Bradley, Buffalo, New York, US. The situation in the US regarding the cost of electricity from wind power and from gas is the opposite of what you describe in your cover story ("Annual power cost analysis: wind has only gas left to beat," January 2002). Electricity from wind is cheaper than the fuel cost of plants using natural gas and oil, even combined cycle ones where the fuel efficiency is 55%. This is especially true for areas of moderate wind speeds, such as the Great Lakes shoreline and near-shore regions, where our average wind speed is 7-8 m/s at turbine hub heights of near 80 meters.


3. July, 2001 : Bladerunners blow into Capitol Hill
Until last month "bladerunner" was slang for a wind technician in the field, but with hundreds of American Wind Energy Association conference delegates running the gauntlet of politicians on Capitol Hill, the term took on a whole new meaning. Instead of clashing swords on the hill, many found themselves sheathing their blades as congressmen agreed with them that it is time for action -- particularly on the task of extending the federal Production Tax Credit for wind energy. It seems the political tide is finally turning in wind's favour.


4. September, 1999 : United States Northeast provides new role model
America's north eastern states are showing themselves to be some of the most progressive in the country in making sure that electricity market deregulation also makes renewable energy available to all who want it. Nearly 200 MW of wind plant could well be up and running, or contracted, in the region within the next three years. In such a populated area of the US, this amount of development is bound to boost wind's profile considerably.


5. December, 1997 : Climate still low priority as emissions go on rising
Falling energy prices due to deregulation are making it so hard for renewables to penetrate the market that figures for future US emissions were being revised upwards only days after Clinton announced them. Most Americans do not consider the climate debate urgent and rank the threat of global warming well behind other environmental concerns, according to a recent survey. Only 25% say they worry a great deal about global warming.


6. October, 1997 : Great Lakes request for proposals


7. June, 1996 : SIGNS OF NEW LIFE IN A DEAD US MARKET
In America, major delays in proposed wind farms or the complete withdrawal of planned projects has reached virtually epidemic proportions with a number of large scale wind farms stagnating in uncertainty. Meantime a series of promising new markets are opening up. They include the huge potential for developing clusters of wind turbines across the Great Plains, the burgeoning interest in buying renewable energy under green pricing programmes and the keen interest being shown by Native Americans in using wind to become self sufficient in electricity supply. This major article assesses the current status of planned projects and discusses the liklihood of a new era for wind power in America away from mega-scale developments.potential for development of However, the new markets for wind will not realise their full potential without fundamental changes in both national attitude and the way electricity markets are structured. Even more important is the barrier of the unknown market; the US electricity business is undergoing a massive restructuring--not a climate conducive to investment in new power plant. Most experts agree that it will be a good three to four years before there is much movement in the country-wide market.