The aging transmission infrastructure across the US is indeed the bottleneck for renewable energy. But in our rush to “fix” this problem, we need to avoid making the same mistakes in building out the transmission grid now that were made in the 1970s. (more…)
Texas wind power cheerleader Jerry Patterson, takes on Ted Kennedy, the Audubon Society, environmentalists and the oil folks. With a gun in his boot, this Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office tells all about the future of oil and the Texas Wind Rush. (more…)
No matter what T. Boone Pickens thinks about wind power, the Town Board of Lyme New York just doesn’t share his enthusiasm. It recently enacted a local zoning law that effectively puts the kibosh on what could be a “boone” for local residents. But, Voters for Wind won’t let their idea just blow away. (more…)
Despite the 8-year hoo-hah over Cape Cod’s off shore wind farm, a 50% jump in off-shore construction costs in the last three years, and the failure of Congress to renew tax credits for wind power, Georgia is looking out to sea for more than the fishing and swimming. (more…)
Observing the energy produced in just one day from a small wind turbine attached to his house this UK entrepreneur says there is no difference between a house-attached turbine and a satellite dish And many of his neighbors agree. (more…)
The war over off-shore wind power in the US may soon be over! The first large-scale US off-shore wind project has been stalled for nearly eight years by a very rich and famous NIMBY campaign of resistors. Yet despite every effort to kill the Cape Wind project, it may be just months away from finally starting construction. (more…)
Gaining cooperation from individuals and groups within the same organization is never easy. Gaining support from diverse individuals and groups who do not share the common ground of the same organization is a challenging and complex social process. Wind advocates who are trying to harness the support of diverse stakeholders for agendas that are often contentious face a true test of skill in interpersonal relationship building. How do you get your wind project supported? (more…)
Huge wind turbines are easy to find now across the U S. But smaller residential wind generators, a bit less easy to find, are also appearing across the US landscape. Small Wind is now considered a “tiny but red-hot market.” And about 45 US manufacturers are producing systems to service the small wind market here and abroad. In rural, suburban and even urban areas “small wind” is catching on. (more…)
In the unfolding case study of off-shore/on-shore wind power projects in the Delaware area, the battle continues between Bluewater Wind and Delmarva Power. Tommy Wonk, a.k.a. Tom Noyes, is keeping tabs on the stakeholders, advocates and resistors. His latest post leaves you shaking your head. (more…)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) just released a first-of-its-kind report examining the technical feasibility of wind energy’s potential to provide up to 20 percent of the nation’s total electricity needs by 2030. This 248 page report is a must read for wind project advocates. If you want the real story on wind power potential you need to do your homework. (more…)