Nearly 98% of all wind generation is owned by Big Corps – independent power producers and electric utilities. The rest - 2% to 3% - is owned by us little guys - farmers, ranchers, schools, towns, businesses, and colleges. The issues, policies, etc., of these two wind-generation ‘worlds’ are different. You need to understand the differences, and what does/does not apply to your own wind agenda so you can identify the best allies to support you and be prepared to answer your resistors. (more…)
Thinking of tapping into wind power by leasing your farm land to a wind developer? You may want to look into the Minwind Energy wind farm near Luverne, in the southwest corner of Minnesota first. “The real money to be made from wind power comes not from land rental, but from the generation of electrical power,” says Mark Willers, CEO of Minwind. (more…)
Depending on your source, Iowa is now either #3 or #4 in the country in wind energy generation. Add to that the Iowa Power Fund, Iowa’s $100 million renewable energy research and development initiative, and Governor Chet Culver’s mission to make Iowa “…the nation’s undisputed renewable energy leader.” Given all that, you’d think that Iowa is a GREEN POWER haven! Not so! There is a battle going on and you can help. (more…)
You can’t depend on wind they say. When you least expect it, the wind dies, the sails luff, the power goes. As we stretch to reach national 25×25 goals, there are plans afoot to tame the will-o-the-wind. The Iowa Stored Energy Park, a joint project of Iowa, Minnesota and the Dakotas, is one such effort. How do they plan to get wind energy on demand? Why, simply harvest the wind’s energy and store it for future use. And once again we see that grassroots organizing is so important! (more…)
Earth Day 2008 is a far cry from its launch in 1970. Then, Earth Day was a protest against corporate environmental misconduct and the stench of environmental pollution embraced as “the whiff of prosperity.” Today, Earth Day has become a marketing strategy to sell the ‘green’ side of everything from SUVs, to snack food, to 1-800-flowers. (more…)
Think “wind power” — and electricity, generators, light bulbs, and air conditioners all pop into mind. But the city of Seminole has a pilot project in the works that will use wind power to desalinate groundwater to make drinkable water. How will they do that you ask? (more…)
Ah, a few more entries in the Wind Songs hunt. Same song title - The Will of the Wind- two different takes; two different artists - both are on YouTube. The Will of the Wind by Jim Photoglo and The Will of the Wind live by Kenny Loggins are both worth a listen. Each is a beautiful piece that you will surely want to add to your positive wind music collection.
If your project is a large community wind project, a small to medium wind farm, or even a single turbine you want to connect back into the power grid, you may run into the Power Grid Debate. The national power transmission system is old, vulnerable, and inadequate. But will your project have any impact on the transmission grid where you aim to be connected? (more…)
Wind turbines, radio towers and tall buildings have the potential to affect radar. They are signal reflectors. If sited in the wrong location, wind turbines can impact the ability of radar to perform its mission. But to what extent is radar interference a large enough problem to halt wind farm development and how exactly do turbines interfere with radar? (more…)
In 2005, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its proposed regulations for connecting wind projects to the grid. The technical requirements it proposed recognized the proliferation of wind farms, and their special nature and potential impact on grid reliability. (more…)
