U.S. WIND INDUSTRY TO INSTALL OVER 3,000 MEGAWATTS OF WIND POWER IN 2007

The American Wind Energy Association ^ | May 10, 2007 | AWEA press release

[alnitak]

U.S. WIND INDUSTRY TO INSTALL OVER 3,000 MEGAWATTS OF WIND POWER IN 2007: FIRST QUARTER MARKET REPORT

Texas could account for about two thirds of the new capacity, demonstrating
that Renewables Portfolio Standards (RPS) can play key role in
accelerating development

The U.S. wind energy industry is on track to install over 3,000 megawatts (MW) of wind power generating capacity nationwide in 2007, with Texas likely to account for about two thirds of the new installations, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) said today in its first quarter market report. Over 100 MW have newly come online in the U.S. so far this year, and over 1,000 more are under construction in Texas alone, according to AWEA. One megawatt of wind power produces enough electricity on average to serve 250 to 300 homes.

“Clean, cost-effective, inexhaustible, and readily available, wind power is an essential element of the solution to both climate change and America’s increasing demand for electricity,” said AWEA executive director Randall Swisher. “ Texas recognized this business opportunity and successfully spurred wind power development with a Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) and other forward-looking policies.”

“The moment has come for the U.S. government to build on the example set by Texas and many other states, and enact a national RPS as part of any energy legislation it considers this year,” added Swisher.

Fifty U.S. Senators recently called for a “strong” national RPS and it is likely that the U.S. Congress will consider RPS legislation this summer. A Renewables Portfolio Standard uses market mechanisms to ensure that a growing percentage of electricity is produced from renewable sources.

”Already one of our nation’s top agricultural producers, Texas is now reaping the benefits of being a top wind producer,” said Ned Meister, director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities for the Texas Farm Bureau. “ Texas’ RPS is fueling new economic and environmental benefits for Texas farmers and ranchers.” Wind farms revitalize the economy of rural communities by providing steady income to farmers, ranchers, and other landowners. Each wind turbine contributes $3,000 to $5,000 per year or more in farm income, while 95%-98% of the farm’s land remains free for crops or grazing.

As Governor of Texas, George Bush signed the state’s RPS into law in 1999. Texas is today the state with the largest amount of wind power in operation, providing income to rural communities, new business and jobs, as well as clean, renewable energy for its economy. A report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) suggests that the 2,000 MW of new wind power anticipated this year would avoid over 3 million tons of CO 2, annually, at a rate of about 0.48 tons of CO 2 per MWh of wind -- reducing the carbon footprint of every man, woman and child in Texas by more than 250 pounds per year.

Twenty-two states now have an RPS, and, given the economic success of the policy and the urgency of addressing global warming, several have recently moved to strengthen their requirements. In the past few months alone, New Mexico and Colorado both increased their renewable energy requirement to 20% by 2020, and Minnesota adopted an RPS of 25% by 2025.

The first hundred megawatts installed this year were completed in Oklahoma (60 MW), Maine (33 MW), Texas (10 MW), and Hawaii (21 MW). Cumulative wind power generating capacity in the U.S. now stands at 11,699 MW. This capacity will generate an estimated 31 billion kilowatt-hours this year, enough to serve the equivalent of nearly 3 million average households.

Projects announced to be under construction in Texas include:

Project name:	Project size:	Project developer
Sweetwater, phase IV	240.8 MW	Babcock & Brown
Buffalo Gap, phase II	232.5 MW	AES
Lone Star	200 MW	Horizon, RES
Wildorado	160 MW	Cielo/Mission
Camp Springs	130.5 MW	Invenergy
Sand Bluff	90 MW	Airtricity
JD Wind IV	80 MW	John Deere

[alnitak]

Last year the US installed 2400MW. This year Clipper Windpower will ship about 600MW of additional wind turbines into the US market (last year shipped none) so 3000MW could be an underestimate. Other producers also opened new factories.

[alnitak]

ping2

[xcamel]

But not in any place or location that can be seen from a Kennedy Compound

[sitetest]

Ping!

[sitetest]

Oh, sorry - didn’t see your ping. Not enough coffee, yet. ;-)

[aft_lizard]

The area I am originally from in Kansas is starting to get a few wind farms, it is also becoming a hub for ethanol production(something it can’t really afford IMO because of water resources), it seems red-states are leading the way for green energy.

[mathluv]

Texas has a lot of wind. I did not realize that a headscarf was not required to be worn until I briefly moved to Canada during college years.

[alnitak]

US wind power installations at end 2006, figures in MW.

[Tribune7]

These things should be built only in the richest neighborhoods.

[ryan71]

“As Governor of Texas, George Bush signed the state’s RPS into law in 1999. Texas is today the state with the largest amount of wind power in operation, providing income to rural communities, new business and jobs, as well as clean, renewable energy for its economy. A report by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) suggests that the 2,000 MW of new wind power anticipated this year would avoid over 3 million tons of CO 2, annually, at a rate of about 0.48 tons of CO 2 per MWh of wind — reducing the carbon footprint of every man, woman and child in Texas by more than 250 pounds per year.”

And all Gore can do is fly around, make ludicrous movies, and buy his own “credits”.

[smoketree]

All this primitive wind power makes us lood like we are either too stupid or too scared to use nuclear which is far more efficient and doesn’t destroy landscapes.
Nuclear is the power of the future but a small group of envirowackos are insecure so the rest of us can’t make progress.

[alnitak]

It’s interesting to note that if Texas does install 2GW that would make them larger than most countries - only Germany, the USA and Spain (once, in 2004) have ever installed more than 2GW in a single year.

[coloradan]

The Solar Fraud: Why Solar Energy Won't Run the World, Second Edition

(Amazon's "search inside" link is live.)

[bennowens]

If you believe in the Conservation of Energy, which holds that energy cannot be created or destroyed, then you will see that windmills derive some of their energy from the earth’s rotation. Continued installation of these will slow down the earths rotation. If you remember, an additional second had to be added to atomic clocks at the end of 2006.

[kabar]

What percentage of our national power usage is 3,000 MEGAWATTS? I know that California uses up to 45,000 megawatts daily.

[cake_crumb]

2010 headline: MASSIVE EATHQUAKES CAUSED BY HARMONICS FROM WIND POWER WILL DESTROY EARTH

[aft_lizard]

I am surprised Kansas is that low, but I guess it’s customer base isn’t as broad as Texas. If I remember right Kansas is near the top for Windpower potential in the U>S> along with pretty much the entire northern great plains since we are all pretty blustery. Heck, Dodge City, where I am originally from, records the highest average daily windspeed in the US for a populated town.

[alnitak]

If you follow this link to the AWEA it will let you click on the individual states, from where it will tell you their ranking in wind power potential. North Dakota is first. The problem in the great plains is that the wind power is a long way from the load centres, which creates a chicken and end type situation w.r.t. building transmission. The area around Chicago is supposed to be a “coming area” though.

[alnitak]

Sorry, this link http://www.awea.org/projects/

[aft_lizard]

According to that list the two largest windfarms in Kansas are near Dodge City, which makes sense. Kansas actually has over 1GW of proposed windfarms, and I believe more actually in construction or completed than the link you gave me. Here is the links for Kansas windfarms:

http://www.kansasenergy.org/wind_projects.htm