The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

SMALL WIND E-NEWSLETTER

December 2003
Issue No. 7, November 25, 2003

Editor: Larry Sherwood, Interstate Renewable Energy Council

The current Small Wind Newsletter is also available on the web at http://www.irecusa.org/smallwindenergy/e-newsletter.html. If you have trouble with the links in this e-mail message, try the web version of the newsletter.

Article summaries follow the Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NEWS
(1) FERC Denies Iowa Co-op Waiver – Orders Net Metering
(2) Illinois Wind Grants and Rebates
(3) Small Wind Installer Task Analysis Proposed
(4) Wisconsin Site Assessment Program
(5) Wisconsin Site Auditor Certification
(6) Public Renewables Partnership
(7) Upcoming Small Wind Events

INTERCONNECTION AND NET METERING
(8) Jacksonville (FL) Utility Offers Net Metering for Wind

INCENTIVES
(9) New Vermont Incentive

RESOURCES
(10) School Wind Energy Project Ideas
(11) Acoustic Tests of Small Wind Turbines

LINKS TO SMALL WIND IN THE NEWS
(12) Detroit News
(13) Enterprise (Brockton, MA)
(14) KXMC-TV (Minot, ND)
(15) Harwich (MA) Oracle
(16) South Bend Tribune

ABOUT THE SMALL WIND NEWSLETTER
Includes information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe.

NEWS

(1) FERC Denies Iowa Co-op Waiver – Orders Net Metering
In two strongly worded decisions, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) denied a request of an Iowa G&T cooperative to have a waiver of PURPA requirements and ordered the subsidiary distribution cooperative (Midland Electric) to offer net metering to a customer with a small wind generator. Full article.

(2) Illinois Wind Grants and Rebates
Illinois has both a grant and a rebate program for wind projects. Grant proposals are due December 22, 2003 and the wind rebate program will start around January 2004. Full article.

(3) Small Wind Installer Task Analysis Proposed
Renewable Energy Vermont (REV) proposes to facilitate the development of a Task Analysis for practitioners who specify, install and maintain small wind (i.e., 100 kW or less) power generation systems and equipment nation-wide. REV will partner with the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners to coordinate the development of the Small Wind Task Analysis. Full article.

(4) Wisconsin Wind Site Assessment Program
Small businesses and homeowners in Wisconsin have an innovative program to help them determine if wind power can meet their energy needs. The Wisconsin Wind Site Assessment Program provides low cost wind system consulting and site assessments for people who purchase their electricity from utilities who are participating the Focus on Energy program. Full article.

(5) Wisconsin Site Auditor Certification
Wisconsin certifies wind site assessors through a program administered by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. Full article.

(6) Public Renewables Partnership
The Public Renewables Partnership is an initiative to enable public organizations, co-operatives, and Tribal utility authorities to effectively integrate renewable energy into their power portfolios and business strategies. PRP's primary objective is to better inform utility decision makers about renewable energy technology options and potentials. Small wind is one of the renewable energy technologies that PRP promotes. Full article.

(7) Upcoming Small Wind Events
Listing of upcoming small wind events.

INTERCONNECTION AND NET METERING

Headlines from the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Connecting to the Grid web site.

(8) Jacksonville (FL) Utility Offers Net Metering for Wind
JEA (Jacksonville, FL) offers net metering for residential PV and wind generation systems up to 10 kW. JEA will install a meter that runs backward when a customer's system generates more electricity than the customer uses. Customers receive credit at the full retail rate for electricity generated by eligible systems. If a system generates more electricity than its owner consumes during a billing cycle, the customer pays only the basic charge for service, and the excess credit is carried forward to the following billing cycle. Full article.

INCENTIVES

New Incentives reported by DSIRE. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. To access state-by-state incentives and policies that promote wind energy technologies, click here and select "wind" from the drop-down menu.

(9) New Vermont Incentive
Launched on October 24, 2003, Vermont incentives are now available for qualifying solar electric, solar hot water, and small wind systems. Solar electric system and wind incentives for systems installed by a Vermont Solar and Wind Partner are $2.50/W up to 40% of total installed cost, not to exceed $12,500. For other installers, the incentive is set at $1.50/W up to 40% of the total installed system costs, with a maximum amount of $7,500. The program is expected to support the installation of approximately 120 to 150 new renewable energy systems in the state within a 12- to 24-month period. Full article.

RESOURCES

Click here for archived articles and links to Small Wind Resources.

(10) School Wind Energy Project Ideas for Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) Settlements
This two-page fact sheet from the U.S. Department of Energy provides a list of 10 school wind project ideas for Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP) settlements. Some of the ideas on the list are appropriate for small wind systems. Full article.

(11) Acoustic Tests of Small Wind Turbines
Eight small wind turbines ranging from 400 watts to 100 kW in rated power were tested for acoustic emissions at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Rigorous test procedures based on international standards were followed for measurements and data analyses. Full article.

LINKS TO SMALL WIND IN THE NEWS

(12) Detroit News, November 20, 2003, Wind energy firm signs its first state customers. Full article.

(13) Enterprise (Brockton, MA), November 20, 2003. Turbine at new W-H approved. Full article.

(14) KXMC-TV (Minot, ND), October 25, 2003, Wind turbine planned. Full article.

(15) Harwich (MA) Oracle, November 18, 2003, Town officials weigh wind power’s possibilities. Full article.

(16) South Bend Tribune, November 18, 2003, It’s written on the wind. Full article.

ABOUT THE SMALL WIND NEWSLETTER

The Small Wind Newsletter is published electronically every month by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. The Small Wind Web Site contains news, resources, and links.

To subscribe, go to http://www.irecusa.org/smallwindenergy/newslettersub.html, fill in the subscription form, and then click on subscribe. There is no fee for subscriptions.

If you have comments or news items, please send them to Larry Sherwood.