It is the sense of Congress in HR 2419 RH that—
(1) energy demand in the United States is projected to increase by more than 30 percent over the next two decades;
(2) increased production of renewable energy and growth of its infrastructure would assist the United States in meeting the growing energy demand;
(3) continued, and even accelerated, development of renewable energy inputs and technologies provide numerous benefits to the United States, including improved national security and economic growth;
(4) while it should be a priority of the Federal Government to continue to promote policies and in1centives to stimulate growth and development of renewable energy infrastructure, it should be recognized that the marketplace is also an important instrument to determine which renewable energy sources and technologies will provide the most efficient and effective energy production;
(5) renewable energy inputs and technology must be available in abundant quantities and provide energy at competitive prices in a reliable manner for the American consumer; and
(6) it is in the interest of the United States to diversify its energy portfolio and increase the energy independence of the United States by further developing alternative forms of energy.
In that context, then, important areas to explore include
Title VI—Rural Development
Sec. 6013. Rural entrepreneur and microenterprise assistance program.
Sec. 6021. Rural strategic investment program.
Sec. 6030. Guarantees for bonds and notes issued for electrification or telephone purposes.
Title IX—Energy
Sec. 9004. Energy audit and renewable energy development program.Sec. 9005. Renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements.
Sec. 9009. Energy Council of the Department of Agriculture.
Sec. 9011. Rural energy self-sufficiency initiative.
Nuclear power is government- and security-intensive. Wind and solar power and biodiesel production for local use are agricultural land-intensive. The latter empower rural Americans to develop the "Energy Basket" as they provided for the world's "Bread Basket." We have to act, not just plan.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Farm energy production is blossoming
A business opportunity in farm energy production is something I can't pass by. I will move most of my time from blogging to developing a business plan; even so, I will post twice each week- fully remembering what my Grandma Moen used to warn: "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!"- to spur wind development and its subsequent rural development.
As you know, farm energy production is harnessing renewable energy sources such as wind, oil seeds, solar, biomass, geothermal, and microhydro to reduce energy consumption and sell excess energy in the forms of electricity and biofuels.
Farm energy production is fostered by federal legislation and regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies such as IRS.
Here in South Dakota, which has the nation's fourth-best annual wind power potential of 1,030 billion kWh and marginal to good agricultural land, farm energy production is a superb fit into daily agricultural practices.
____________________________
In late May, former Senators Bob Dole (R-KS) and Tom Daschle (D-SD) released New Markets for American Agriculture, a report by the 21st Century Agriculture Project, sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The report highlights investing in biofuels and wind farms to provide farmers and ranchers with new and diversified sources of income.
"Today, America's farmers and ranchers are facing an array of new challenges. ... Amidst these many challenges, lay many opportunities...."
"A strong agricultural sector is a pillar of America’s growing economy,
• providing a secure domestic food supply
• helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil
• generating renewable energy
• increasing exports and
• providing needed income to rural communities."
____________________________
"Representatives Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) introduced major new clean energy development legislation for the next Farm Bill. Their bipartisan bill expands the size and scope of the already-successful Farm Bill Section 9006 clean energy program into a new "Rural Energy for America Program," or REAP. HR 2154 IH cited as the 'Rural Energy for America Act of 2007.'" Source.
____________________________
Information research, analysis, and writing are put to work developing visible knowledge for farm energy.
In the same vein of making knowledge visible, "roadmaps" can be developed and marketed to
• streamline application
• reduce paperwork
• ensure feasibility and achievability and
• clarify who is as well as what technologies are eligible for different programs.
Visible knowledge informs and guides potential participants to ensure compliance and strengthen the likelihood of successful outcomes. Ag business and rural small business people have severe time constraints and may not have ready access to the broad scope of information and expertise they need to take part in farm energy projects. Visible knowledge tackles those two problems.
____________________________
On March 8, 2007 - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus introduced Senate bill 828: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share payments for on-farm energy production under the environmental quality incentives program.
Cited as the "On-farm Energy Production Act of 2007."
SEC. 2. Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
(a) Purposes- Amends Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa).
SEC. 1240J. On-Farm Energy Production.
(a) In General- In carrying out the program under this chapter, the Secretary shall promote on-farm energy production by providing cost-share payments to producers that produce energy on the farms of the producers, including--
(1) solar energy;
(2) wind energy; and
(3) renewable fuel (as that term is defined in section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)).
On-farm energy production amendment to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
____________________________
On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy is in the March-April 2005 issue of the ATTRAnews newsletter.
• Solar-Powered Livestock Watering Systems
• Reaping What We Sow: A Long-Range View of Farm-Based Renewable
• Energy
• Biodiesel—A Primer
• ATTRA and NCAT Publications about On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
• The Realities of Wind Energy
• Resources for On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
• How Leaks and Worn Sprinkler Nozzles Cost You Money and
• ATTRA New and Updated Publications.
____________________________
A 24-hour summary of wind and temperature at Watertown, South Dakota.
'Til next time; Best Wind.
As you know, farm energy production is harnessing renewable energy sources such as wind, oil seeds, solar, biomass, geothermal, and microhydro to reduce energy consumption and sell excess energy in the forms of electricity and biofuels.
Farm energy production is fostered by federal legislation and regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other agencies such as IRS.
Here in South Dakota, which has the nation's fourth-best annual wind power potential of 1,030 billion kWh and marginal to good agricultural land, farm energy production is a superb fit into daily agricultural practices.
____________________________
In late May, former Senators Bob Dole (R-KS) and Tom Daschle (D-SD) released New Markets for American Agriculture, a report by the 21st Century Agriculture Project, sponsored by the Bipartisan Policy Center. The report highlights investing in biofuels and wind farms to provide farmers and ranchers with new and diversified sources of income.
"Today, America's farmers and ranchers are facing an array of new challenges. ... Amidst these many challenges, lay many opportunities...."
"A strong agricultural sector is a pillar of America’s growing economy,
• providing a secure domestic food supply
• helping to reduce our dependence on foreign oil
• generating renewable energy
• increasing exports and
• providing needed income to rural communities."
____________________________
"Representatives Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) introduced major new clean energy development legislation for the next Farm Bill. Their bipartisan bill expands the size and scope of the already-successful Farm Bill Section 9006 clean energy program into a new "Rural Energy for America Program," or REAP. HR 2154 IH cited as the 'Rural Energy for America Act of 2007.'" Source.
____________________________
Information research, analysis, and writing are put to work developing visible knowledge for farm energy.
In the same vein of making knowledge visible, "roadmaps" can be developed and marketed to
• streamline application
• reduce paperwork
• ensure feasibility and achievability and
• clarify who is as well as what technologies are eligible for different programs.
Visible knowledge informs and guides potential participants to ensure compliance and strengthen the likelihood of successful outcomes. Ag business and rural small business people have severe time constraints and may not have ready access to the broad scope of information and expertise they need to take part in farm energy projects. Visible knowledge tackles those two problems.
____________________________
On March 8, 2007 - Montana's senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus introduced Senate bill 828: To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to make cost-share payments for on-farm energy production under the environmental quality incentives program.
Cited as the "On-farm Energy Production Act of 2007."
SEC. 2. Environmental Quality Incentives Program.
(a) Purposes- Amends Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa).
SEC. 1240J. On-Farm Energy Production.
(a) In General- In carrying out the program under this chapter, the Secretary shall promote on-farm energy production by providing cost-share payments to producers that produce energy on the farms of the producers, including--
(1) solar energy;
(2) wind energy; and
(3) renewable fuel (as that term is defined in section 211(o) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7545(o)).
On-farm energy production amendment to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP).
____________________________
On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy is in the March-April 2005 issue of the ATTRAnews newsletter.
• Solar-Powered Livestock Watering Systems
• Reaping What We Sow: A Long-Range View of Farm-Based Renewable
• Energy
• Biodiesel—A Primer
• ATTRA and NCAT Publications about On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
• The Realities of Wind Energy
• Resources for On-Farm Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy
• How Leaks and Worn Sprinkler Nozzles Cost You Money and
• ATTRA New and Updated Publications.
____________________________
A 24-hour summary of wind and temperature at Watertown, South Dakota.
'Til next time; Best Wind.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
ATTRA and Farm energy
ATTRA
• is part of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
• provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
• services are available to farmers, ranchers, market gardeners, Extension agents, researchers, educators, farm organizations, and others involved in commercial agriculture.
Its "Farm Energy" sidebar link goes to a page listing publications, success stories, and additional links regarding "Renewable Energy" categories, which are discussed in the "Introduction"
• Biodiesel
• Ethanol
• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
• Anaerobic Digesters and Other Biomass Options
• Energy Co-ops and Local Ownership and
• Funding Opportunities.
• is part of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
• provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.
• services are available to farmers, ranchers, market gardeners, Extension agents, researchers, educators, farm organizations, and others involved in commercial agriculture.
Its "Farm Energy" sidebar link goes to a page listing publications, success stories, and additional links regarding "Renewable Energy" categories, which are discussed in the "Introduction"
• Biodiesel
• Ethanol
• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
• Anaerobic Digesters and Other Biomass Options
• Energy Co-ops and Local Ownership and
• Funding Opportunities.
This post focuses on the "Wind Energy" link. Future posts will cover more farm energy topics in greater detail.
Renewable Energy Opportunities on the Farm
• can be read online or as a PDF (20-page)
• is not a technical guide for designing or installing renewable energy systems
• is an overview that provides information on wind, solar, and renewable fuel technologies, cost and savings, site planning, and financial incentives
• introduces three renewable energy resources that can be attractive and economically feasible for the farm: solar, wind, and renewable fuels.
Renewable energy can prevent the release of pollutants into the atmosphere and contribute significantly to local economies, creating jobs and keeping energy dollars in the local economy.
__________________________________
Small wind turbines-
--Skystream 3.7, Southwest Windpower USA, MSRP: $5,400, residential wind generator that hooks up to your your home, Rated Power not provided, Peak Power 2400 W, Output/Month 400 kW @ 20 mph (9.5 m/s).
--Whisper 500, Southwest Windpower USA, The 3000-watt rated turbine will deliver in excess of 500 KWH per month in a 12 mph (5.2 m/s), Rated Power 3000 Watts, Peak Power 3200 W @ 27 mph (12 m/s), Output/Month 538 kW @ 12 mph (5.3 m/s).
--BWC Excel & Excel-R, Bergey USA, well suited for large rural homes, remote villages and facilities, Rated Power not provided, Peak Power 10 kW @ 31 mph (13,8 m/s), Output/Month 1500 kW (XLSheet) @ 12.5 mph (5.6 m/s).
--Wind Turbine Industries Corporation's 20Kw Jacobs® Wind Turbine, Rated Wind Speed (mph) 26 mph, in 16 mph wind may yield 60,665 kWh annually, Complete System with 120 ft. tower- $56,100.00, Grid Intertie System option.
--Fuhrländer FL 30, Power Output: 30 kW, specifications are in PDF.
--Energy Maintenance Service, LLC, Remanufactured E15 35kW or 65kW (approx. $2 per output watt purchase price), proven track records of reliable performance. Small/community wind turbine.
Community wind turbine-
--Distributed Energy Systems (previously known as Northern Power Systems) NorthWind 100 wind turbine NorthWind 100 Wind Turbine brochure/specification is a PDF.
--Fuhrländer's FL 250 has proven in inland and coastal location that wind turbines of the medium class continue to be of commercial use. Designed for a life of 25 years.
129 items found for wind turbine on eBay (24 June).
Friday, June 22, 2007
Buffer Zone for Wind Turbines, "Extreme" Enzymes, and more good wind
Cape Wind Flies in Under the Radar
Hyannis, Massachusetts; [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]; June 21, 2007
The most recent Department of Defense (DOD) report analyzing the effects of offshore wind turbines on early warning radar missile defense systems is good news for Massachusetts' highly publicized Cape Wind project, which is scheduled to come online in 2010.
Issued by the Missile Defense Agency, the nine-page report recommends a 25-kilometer (km) wind turbine offset or buffer zone be established to "mitigate impact" on the PAVE PAWS early warning radar system at the Cape Cod Air Force Station (AFS).
The Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound, with its 130 GE 3.6-megawatt XL wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, falls just outside this zone. In addition, the analysis shows the wind turbines in Hull, Massachusetts, are also beyond the recommended buffer.
The analysis by the DOD, however, is the third such report to be issued in recent years that has found the Cape Wind project would not negatively impact or be a concern to the PAVE PAWS radar system.
For wind turbines that lie within the 25 km offset zone, the report notes that further study would be required to assess the impact accounting for location within the radar's field of view and the relative height of the wind turbine and the radar's main beam.
Biomass & Nature's "Extreme" Enzymes
Sandia National Laboratory researchers looking to biology in earth's extreme environments
to help solve lignocellulosic ethanol puzzle
Livermore, California [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 15, 2007
Buried beneath a sulfurous cauldron in European seas lies a class of microorganisms known as "extremophiles," so named because of the extreme environmental conditions in which they live and thrive.
Almost as radical, perhaps, is the idea that these organisms and their associated enzymes could somehow unlock the key to a new transportation economy based on a renewable biofuel, lignocellulosic {Fibrous/woody plant (like mesquite) based} ethanol.
However the primary hurdle preventing lignocellulosic ethanol ... its efficient and cost-effective processing. "Extremophiles'" enzymes may get over that hurdle.
Blake Simmons, a chemical engineer and project lead at Sandia's Livermore, California, site, says More than a billion tons of biomass is estimated to be created each year in the timber and agricultural industries, as well as a variety of grasses and potential energy crops."
"Though we're probably decades away from that...." "Because lignocellulosic biomass is such a multifaceted material, we need to have a fundamental understanding of how it works ." {Plant cellulose is strong and highly resistant to rotting and decay. One commenter on the original report pointed out "While there may be millions of tons of lignocellulosic biomass on U.S. soil, collecting and moving it to processing plants may use more energy than is available from lignocellulosic ethanol." Available energy remains a hotly contested quality of ethanol, too.}
Senate Passes Thune Wind Energy Amendment
Washington, DC [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 21, 2007
The United States Senate passed U.S. Senator John Thune's energy transmission amendment to the energy bill, which would promote the development of energy transmission infrastructure, on June 19.
"This legislation is critical to promoting the development of wind energy in South Dakota and around the country. As the windiest state in the nation, {whoa, there, Senator! We are ranked fourth-best, according to the American Wind Energy Assoc.} South Dakota will greatly benefit from these provisions {as will the other 19 windy states on AWEA's Wind Energy: An Untapped Resource}.
Thune's amendment, #1609, would promote the creation of energy corridors that would facilitate the transference of wind energy generated in South Dakota to high-demand areas.
"We have the wind energy in South Dakota that the major power consumers in our nation need. The missing link is transmission infrastructure to deliver this power," Thune said.
Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee voted in favor of energy tax credits, including the Production Tax Credit advanced by Senator Thune, which creates incentives for the development of wind energy. "Today's victories should be celebrated by everyone who wants to promote wind energy in South Dakota," Thune said.
The following guide will have information SDans can put to work in their farm and business energy projects as well as their home energy efficiency efforts.
Guide for Homeowners Considering Renewable Energy
Albany, New York [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 22, 2007
Citizens' Environmental Coalition has just completed a 100-page resource guide, The World at Home: A Household Guide to Building Green, by Laura McCarthy, which includes information for homeowners, renters, students and contractors looking for green building materials and strategies.
The guide describes problems with conventional building materials; toxic problems in existing homes and then covers greener possibilities and products for all the building steps from the foundation upward. It includes links to all its resources at the end of each section.
____________________________
A handful of low-yield South Dakota wind-
• 5 PM Jun 22, SSW at 7 mph
• 2 PM Jun 22, SSW at 8 mph
• 6 AM Jun 22, SE at 5 mph mist
• Midnight (4) Jun 22, E at 6 mph
• 6 PM Jun 21, ESE at 10 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
Hyannis, Massachusetts; [RenewableEnergyAccess.com]; June 21, 2007
The most recent Department of Defense (DOD) report analyzing the effects of offshore wind turbines on early warning radar missile defense systems is good news for Massachusetts' highly publicized Cape Wind project, which is scheduled to come online in 2010.
Issued by the Missile Defense Agency, the nine-page report recommends a 25-kilometer (km) wind turbine offset or buffer zone be established to "mitigate impact" on the PAVE PAWS early warning radar system at the Cape Cod Air Force Station (AFS).
The Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound, with its 130 GE 3.6-megawatt XL wind turbines in Nantucket Sound, falls just outside this zone. In addition, the analysis shows the wind turbines in Hull, Massachusetts, are also beyond the recommended buffer.
The analysis by the DOD, however, is the third such report to be issued in recent years that has found the Cape Wind project would not negatively impact or be a concern to the PAVE PAWS radar system.
For wind turbines that lie within the 25 km offset zone, the report notes that further study would be required to assess the impact accounting for location within the radar's field of view and the relative height of the wind turbine and the radar's main beam.
Biomass & Nature's "Extreme" Enzymes
Sandia National Laboratory researchers looking to biology in earth's extreme environments
to help solve lignocellulosic ethanol puzzle
Livermore, California [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 15, 2007
Buried beneath a sulfurous cauldron in European seas lies a class of microorganisms known as "extremophiles," so named because of the extreme environmental conditions in which they live and thrive.
Almost as radical, perhaps, is the idea that these organisms and their associated enzymes could somehow unlock the key to a new transportation economy based on a renewable biofuel, lignocellulosic {Fibrous/woody plant (like mesquite) based} ethanol.
However the primary hurdle preventing lignocellulosic ethanol ... its efficient and cost-effective processing. "Extremophiles'" enzymes may get over that hurdle.
Blake Simmons, a chemical engineer and project lead at Sandia's Livermore, California, site, says More than a billion tons of biomass is estimated to be created each year in the timber and agricultural industries, as well as a variety of grasses and potential energy crops."
"Though we're probably decades away from that...." "Because lignocellulosic biomass is such a multifaceted material, we need to have a fundamental understanding of how it works ." {Plant cellulose is strong and highly resistant to rotting and decay. One commenter on the original report pointed out "While there may be millions of tons of lignocellulosic biomass on U.S. soil, collecting and moving it to processing plants may use more energy than is available from lignocellulosic ethanol." Available energy remains a hotly contested quality of ethanol, too.}
Senate Passes Thune Wind Energy Amendment
Washington, DC [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 21, 2007
The United States Senate passed U.S. Senator John Thune's energy transmission amendment to the energy bill, which would promote the development of energy transmission infrastructure, on June 19.
"This legislation is critical to promoting the development of wind energy in South Dakota and around the country. As the windiest state in the nation, {whoa, there, Senator! We are ranked fourth-best, according to the American Wind Energy Assoc.} South Dakota will greatly benefit from these provisions {as will the other 19 windy states on AWEA's Wind Energy: An Untapped Resource}.
Thune's amendment, #1609, would promote the creation of energy corridors that would facilitate the transference of wind energy generated in South Dakota to high-demand areas.
"We have the wind energy in South Dakota that the major power consumers in our nation need. The missing link is transmission infrastructure to deliver this power," Thune said.
Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee voted in favor of energy tax credits, including the Production Tax Credit advanced by Senator Thune, which creates incentives for the development of wind energy. "Today's victories should be celebrated by everyone who wants to promote wind energy in South Dakota," Thune said.
The following guide will have information SDans can put to work in their farm and business energy projects as well as their home energy efficiency efforts.
Guide for Homeowners Considering Renewable Energy
Albany, New York [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] June 22, 2007
Citizens' Environmental Coalition has just completed a 100-page resource guide, The World at Home: A Household Guide to Building Green, by Laura McCarthy, which includes information for homeowners, renters, students and contractors looking for green building materials and strategies.
The guide describes problems with conventional building materials; toxic problems in existing homes and then covers greener possibilities and products for all the building steps from the foundation upward. It includes links to all its resources at the end of each section.
____________________________
A handful of low-yield South Dakota wind-
• 5 PM Jun 22, SSW at 7 mph
• 2 PM Jun 22, SSW at 8 mph
• 6 AM Jun 22, SE at 5 mph mist
• Midnight (4) Jun 22, E at 6 mph
• 6 PM Jun 21, ESE at 10 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Wind power is one piece of a farm's energy business
It has been proposed in the 2007 "Farm Bill" that the Secretary of USDA make competitive grants to eligible entities to provide rebates for
• farmers
• ranchers
• rural school districts and
• rural small businesses
to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. The final draft may include agricultural operations in non-rural areas (such as greenhouses) and schools.
for a range of modern renewable energy technologies like
• biofuels (which includes cellulosic ethanol)
• wind
• solar
• biomass
• biogas and
• energy efficiency.
Amidst these many challenges, lay many opportunities for determining the type of energy production that best fits your operation or situation (such as a community, school, or business).
As Congress produces the final draft of the 2007 "Farm Bill," it may eliminate the direct payment program and redirect funds into this program ... promoting new income-generating opportunities for farmers {and others} in markets such as biofuels, renewable electricity, carbon sequestration, and conservation.
____________________________
Other legislation pending in Congress deal specifically with wind power
The following links to blurbs about each proposal were at
• Contact your Governor, Senators andRepresentatives to urge them to support a national and/or state Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). They "get the word" only when you as an individual send email, call or write them. Actions speak loudly. One definition of RPS.
• Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) - Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 969, a bill to create a national RPS
• Extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) - Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R.197
• Extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) - Urge your Senators to extend the PTC
• Small Wind Investment Tax Credit - Urge your Senators to cosponsor S. 673 to create an investment tax credit for small wind systems and
• Small Wind Tax Credit - Tell your Representative cosponsor H.R. 1772, a bill to create an investment tax credit for small wind systems.
____________________________
The following 5-hour block was the only productive wind in 24 hours. Ouch.
• Noon Jun 20, SSW at 16 mph
• 11 AM Jun 20, SSW at 17 mph
• 10 AM Jun 20, SSW at 17 mph
• 9 AM Jun 20, SSW at 20 mph
• 8 AM Jun 20, SSW at 14 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
• farmers
• ranchers
• rural school districts and
• rural small businesses
to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. The final draft may include agricultural operations in non-rural areas (such as greenhouses) and schools.
for a range of modern renewable energy technologies like
• biofuels (which includes cellulosic ethanol)
• wind
• solar
• biomass
• biogas and
• energy efficiency.
Amidst these many challenges, lay many opportunities for determining the type of energy production that best fits your operation or situation (such as a community, school, or business).
As Congress produces the final draft of the 2007 "Farm Bill," it may eliminate the direct payment program and redirect funds into this program ... promoting new income-generating opportunities for farmers {and others} in markets such as biofuels, renewable electricity, carbon sequestration, and conservation.
____________________________
Other legislation pending in Congress deal specifically with wind power
The following links to blurbs about each proposal were at
• Contact your Governor, Senators andRepresentatives to urge them to support a national and/or state Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). They "get the word" only when you as an individual send email, call or write them. Actions speak loudly. One definition of RPS.
• Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS) - Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R. 969, a bill to create a national RPS
• Extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) - Urge your Representative to cosponsor H.R.197
• Extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) - Urge your Senators to extend the PTC
• Small Wind Investment Tax Credit - Urge your Senators to cosponsor S. 673 to create an investment tax credit for small wind systems and
• Small Wind Tax Credit - Tell your Representative cosponsor H.R. 1772, a bill to create an investment tax credit for small wind systems.
____________________________
The following 5-hour block was the only productive wind in 24 hours. Ouch.
• Noon Jun 20, SSW at 16 mph
• 11 AM Jun 20, SSW at 17 mph
• 10 AM Jun 20, SSW at 17 mph
• 9 AM Jun 20, SSW at 20 mph
• 8 AM Jun 20, SSW at 14 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
Monday, June 18, 2007
A Piece of Work, Part I
You know when something is going to be lengthy or "soapboxish" when Roman numerals are used in a title. With that warning, off we go.
A recent wave of large wind turbine orders and project announcements spanning four states suggests that wind power will continue growing strong at least through 2007. That domestic demand for large wind turbines (LWTs) has created a two- to three-year backlog at the manufacturers of LWTs as new wind farms also sprout up throughout America.
Coteau Wind & Power is being developed to meet a dometstic demand for a large wind turbine it the 750 - 900 kW range that is expected to continue and actually accelerate. Price increases of crude oil, natural gas, and coal, and the spectre of nuclear power plants make wind a very appealing alternative power source for electricity generation.
In a 1999 study conducted by the World Energy Council (WEC) projected worldwide wind capacity of 13 gigawatts (GW) by 2000 (actual installed capacity was 13.6 GW by the end of 1999), increasing to 72 GW by 2010 and 180 GW by 2020.
• (1 gigawatt = 1,000 megawatts = 1,000,000 kilowatts; if you're paying 7 cents per kWh, 1 GWh = $70,000,000. "There's money in them thar breezes!")
Coteau Wind & Power will use these numbers as goals in order to be "in the right place at the right time" to profit from the surge in growth in wind turbine installations with a goal of manufacturing and delivering 4,040 turbines by 2020 in the Great and Upper Great Plains.
A faster pace of wind development comes at a crucial time for electricity producers; crude oil peaked at $78.00 per barrel in mid- July, 2006, as did the price of natural gas (NG) ( in dollars per million cubic feet). A main derivative of NG, agricultural nitrogen,
also shot up in price.
By June 2007, the price of crude oil had declined to $68.00 per barrel and Big Oil company executives commented that with the increased production of biofuels, there is much less urgency to expand crude oil refining capacity.
{Americans should expect higher food costs as more food grains are converted into ethanol rather than put in grocery stores as well as higher gasoline and other petrochemical product prices because of "less urgency to expand capacity."}
Even the highest-use fossil fuel for generating electricity- coal- indirectly became more expensive due to pollution-reduction equipment regulations, special-interest groups' objections, and train coal-car derailments.
Nor is hydro-electric power immune from price increases. For decades "hydro" has been a mainstay for rural electricifcation, providing thousands of megawatthours of inexpensive power from major U.S. rivers like the Missouri in the Upper Great Plains.
Extended drought or near-drought conditions in the watersheds of their rivers, compounded by higher average water consumption for water parks, lawns, U.S. Open greens watering, wild-fire fighting, and agricultural irrigation, will result in record-low water levels and subsequent decreased electricity production by water turbines in the rivers' dams. When supply decreases, spot-market electricity purchases lead to consumer rate increases.
Coteau Wind & Power will manufacture wind turbines that efficiently harvest electricity from wind power, a renewable resource that will never "dry up," can't be doled out by foreign governments, and doesn't poison the evironment with mercury, cadmium, and sulfuric acid.
Unlike the traditional fuels of electricity-generating plants, wind turbines are not constrained by
• global geopolitics
• an inability to safely dispose of nuclear or petroleum wastes
• heightened concerns about environmental damage
• almost complete concentration of generation capability in single sites
• labor and transportation disruptions
• increasingly limited water supplies and
• increasing "Not In My Back Yard" resistance stemming from concerns regarding
• land consumption
• aesthetics
• air, noise, traffic pollution and
• materials and time costs
in the construction of new traditional power plants.
____________________________
A handful of South Dakota wind-
• 8 PM Jun 18, W at 25 mph
• 5 PM Jun 18, W at 29 mph
• 10 AM Jun 18, WNW at 14 mph
• 3 AM Jun 18, SE at 6 mph
• 9 PM Jun 17, SSW at 22 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
A recent wave of large wind turbine orders and project announcements spanning four states suggests that wind power will continue growing strong at least through 2007. That domestic demand for large wind turbines (LWTs) has created a two- to three-year backlog at the manufacturers of LWTs as new wind farms also sprout up throughout America.
Coteau Wind & Power is being developed to meet a dometstic demand for a large wind turbine it the 750 - 900 kW range that is expected to continue and actually accelerate. Price increases of crude oil, natural gas, and coal, and the spectre of nuclear power plants make wind a very appealing alternative power source for electricity generation.
In a 1999 study conducted by the World Energy Council (WEC) projected worldwide wind capacity of 13 gigawatts (GW) by 2000 (actual installed capacity was 13.6 GW by the end of 1999), increasing to 72 GW by 2010 and 180 GW by 2020.
• (1 gigawatt = 1,000 megawatts = 1,000,000 kilowatts; if you're paying 7 cents per kWh, 1 GWh = $70,000,000. "There's money in them thar breezes!")
Coteau Wind & Power will use these numbers as goals in order to be "in the right place at the right time" to profit from the surge in growth in wind turbine installations with a goal of manufacturing and delivering 4,040 turbines by 2020 in the Great and Upper Great Plains.
A faster pace of wind development comes at a crucial time for electricity producers; crude oil peaked at $78.00 per barrel in mid- July, 2006, as did the price of natural gas (NG) ( in dollars per million cubic feet). A main derivative of NG, agricultural nitrogen,
also shot up in price.
By June 2007, the price of crude oil had declined to $68.00 per barrel and Big Oil company executives commented that with the increased production of biofuels, there is much less urgency to expand crude oil refining capacity.
{Americans should expect higher food costs as more food grains are converted into ethanol rather than put in grocery stores as well as higher gasoline and other petrochemical product prices because of "less urgency to expand capacity."}
Even the highest-use fossil fuel for generating electricity- coal- indirectly became more expensive due to pollution-reduction equipment regulations, special-interest groups' objections, and train coal-car derailments.
Nor is hydro-electric power immune from price increases. For decades "hydro" has been a mainstay for rural electricifcation, providing thousands of megawatthours of inexpensive power from major U.S. rivers like the Missouri in the Upper Great Plains.
Extended drought or near-drought conditions in the watersheds of their rivers, compounded by higher average water consumption for water parks, lawns, U.S. Open greens watering, wild-fire fighting, and agricultural irrigation, will result in record-low water levels and subsequent decreased electricity production by water turbines in the rivers' dams. When supply decreases, spot-market electricity purchases lead to consumer rate increases.
Coteau Wind & Power will manufacture wind turbines that efficiently harvest electricity from wind power, a renewable resource that will never "dry up," can't be doled out by foreign governments, and doesn't poison the evironment with mercury, cadmium, and sulfuric acid.
Unlike the traditional fuels of electricity-generating plants, wind turbines are not constrained by
• global geopolitics
• an inability to safely dispose of nuclear or petroleum wastes
• heightened concerns about environmental damage
• almost complete concentration of generation capability in single sites
• labor and transportation disruptions
• increasingly limited water supplies and
• increasing "Not In My Back Yard" resistance stemming from concerns regarding
• land consumption
• aesthetics
• air, noise, traffic pollution and
• materials and time costs
in the construction of new traditional power plants.
____________________________
A handful of South Dakota wind-
• 8 PM Jun 18, W at 25 mph
• 5 PM Jun 18, W at 29 mph
• 10 AM Jun 18, WNW at 14 mph
• 3 AM Jun 18, SE at 6 mph
• 9 PM Jun 17, SSW at 22 mph.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Economic Development Impacts of Wind Power
Assessing the Economic Development Impacts of Wind Power, FINAL REPORT; Prepared for National Wind Coordinating Committee; February 12, 2003; an 81-page PDF.
page ES-1
Introduction
Interest in wind power development as a means of expanding local economies is growing. It holds promise for providing a new source of short-term employment during construction of the facility and long-term employment from operating and maintaining the facility. It may add to the supply of electric power in the area and support some expansion of the local economy through the ripple effect of initial increases in jobs and income.
Despite a growing body of information about the local impacts — both positive and negative — of wind power, the economic impacts of existing wind power developments have not been analyzed in a consistent manner. This study uses three case studies {this abstract focuses on the Lake Benton study} to estimate the effects of wind power development on local economies. Both the effects of the construction and the annual operation and maintenance were studied.
Objectives
While there is a growing body of information about the local impacts of wind power, the economic impacts from existing wind power developments have not yet been documented and analyzed thoroughly and consistently.
The primary objective of this study is to provide examples of thorough and consistent analysis and documentation of economic impacts from wind power development.
page ES-2
Case Studies
The three case study areas are Lincoln County, Minnesota; Morrow and Umatilla counties, Oregon; and Culberson County, Texas. In Lincoln County, the project studied was Lake Benton I, placed in operation in 1998 with 107 MW.
To understand how an economy is affected by some external change, we develop a snapshot of the economy at a particular point in time. This snapshot shows us that some parts or “sectors” in the economy are linked to each other.
The extent to which exports {products sold outside the local area} are able to expand the local economy is greatly dependent on how much of the money received remains in the local economy. As money is received for exports, the local supplier then spends that money.
The household sector is linked to all economic sectors as it provides the labor and management needed by all sectors. Changes that affect the incomes of the household sector typically have significant impacts on a local economy compared to a change in the sales of other sectors.
page ES-3
Lake Benton I is the second wind power development in Lincoln County, the first being Buffalo Ridge (25 MW), just southeast of the town of Lake Benton. Lake Benton I consists of an array of 143 Zond 750 kW turbines located in several northwesterly strings from Lake Benton. Enron Wind {now GE Wind} brought the facility into production in August 1998, and the power is sold to Xcel Energy.
This study found that a total of about eight jobs and over $98,000 in personal income in the Lincoln County economy were supported by the construction phase of the project. While this study focused on Lincoln County impacts, additional jobs were also supported in neighboring counties. A total of about 31 jobs and over $909 thousand in personal income in the Lincoln County economy are supported annually by the operation and maintenance phase of the project.
The Lake Benton I wind power development resulted in the payment of $71,800 in total county property taxes in 1999, $611,200 in 2000, and $621,000 in 2001. Assuming that the project caused zero or only minor increases in government and school budgets, these tax payments have decreased the tax burden of other local taxpayers, as they pay less taxes than they otherwise would. This has a direct effect on household income, which is equal to the taxes paid by the project owner.
The Lake Benton I wind development includes lands that have been leased, as well as permanent easement purchases. Landowners receive a total net (after-tax) annual revenue of $501,125, which is a direct effect on household income.
page ES-5
Summary and Conclusions
Tables ES-1, ES-2 and ES-3 summarize the impacts of wind power development on
• employment
• income and
• taxes
for the three case study areas, during the initial construction phase, and the operation and maintenance phase.
Based upon our analysis of the three case study areas, we can draw the following conclusions about the economic impacts of wind power development in local areas
• in each of the case study areas, wind power development provided a modest to moderate source of new economic activity and new family wage jobs
• the leasing of land has an important economic effect on local areas, provided the income from leasing goes to local residents and adds to local household incomes
page ES-6
• tax effects, particularly property taxes that support local entities, were important in all cases
• the counties represented in the case studies had comparatively few economic sectors
• a major difference among the case study areas was the current rate of economic expansion.
--While wind power development was important to the economies of all case study areas, it was relatively more important to the counties in decline and
• the return on capital could be an important component of local annual income.
--In the three case studies, little or none of this income was received by local residents. Local ownership, where feasible, would retain more of this income in the local area and increase the size of the impact. No data was collected on sources of capital for this study, but little apparently came from the local area.
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in a value-added approach {mentioned at the 13 June post} to economic development in rural areas. This generally involves adding additional processing to an existing output or resource, which results in a more valuable product being exported from the area. Wind power development fits this approach by adding value to an existing resource. In this way, it can be a valuable means for adding to the economy.
page 3 - 4
Economic Links in Rural Economies
The more money spent within the local economy, the larger the local impact from the initial money received for the export. This round by round pattern of spending associated with export production is called the multiplier effect.
page 5
Identifying Construction Needs
To measure the effect that the construction of a wind power project has on a local economy, we need to identify the mix of things (inputs) that are necessary to construct a wind power project, and we need to do so in a way that allows us to relate this information to the picture we have of the economy.
page 6
Identifying Operation and Maintenance {O&M} Needs
A similar procedure is followed to estimate the effect of annual operation and maintenance activities on the local economy.
page 8
Local Interest in Wind Power Development
Residents and administrators of rural counties are generally supportive of new businesses locating in their county that will provide family wage jobs locally.
Landowner Revenues
Wind power developments can be a source of supplemental revenue for landowners in rural areas.
page 9
Job Creation
We are interested in the creation of new jobs because new jobs increase business and household income, which in turn creates more jobs which further increase business and household income, and so on. {"Direct" jobs are in the manufacturing, prospecting, planning, assessing, documenting, transporting, construction, installation, operation and maintenance work, where "hands-on" is routine. "Indirect" jobs are those in housing, retailing, hospitality, schools, barbershops and salons, banking/finance, suppliers, vendors, and all others that make "hands-on" possible.
Tax Effects
Taxes are a redistribution of benefits from wind power production to the federal, state, and local government jurisdictions in which the wind power production and sales occur.
pages 12 - 32
Economic Setting for Case Studies and Economic Effects on Case Study Economies
Lake Benton I (1998, 107 MW): The Economy of Lincoln County, Minnesota is promoted by the local tourism groups both as the “Little Europe” of Minnesota, and the “Windpower Capital of the United States.” The county is located in southwest Minnesota, bordered on the west by South Dakota. {Minnesota is ranked 9th in the nation for annual wind power potential; South Dakota is ranked 4th. Minnesota's "wind-friendly legislation and taxation spur its wind industry to outpace South Dakota's by a huge margin, 895 MW to 44 MW.}
In addition, a number of tables and charts are provided in these pages.
____________________________
A boring South Dakota day, mustering only four hours of "fair" (NREL) wind-
• 8 PM Jun 14, S at 15 mph
• 6 PM Jun 14, SSW at 16 mph
• 5 PM (21) Jun 14, S at 16 mph
• 4 PM Jun 14, SSW at 16 mph
• 10 PM Jun 13, Calm.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
page ES-1
Introduction
Interest in wind power development as a means of expanding local economies is growing. It holds promise for providing a new source of short-term employment during construction of the facility and long-term employment from operating and maintaining the facility. It may add to the supply of electric power in the area and support some expansion of the local economy through the ripple effect of initial increases in jobs and income.
Despite a growing body of information about the local impacts — both positive and negative — of wind power, the economic impacts of existing wind power developments have not been analyzed in a consistent manner. This study uses three case studies {this abstract focuses on the Lake Benton study} to estimate the effects of wind power development on local economies. Both the effects of the construction and the annual operation and maintenance were studied.
Objectives
While there is a growing body of information about the local impacts of wind power, the economic impacts from existing wind power developments have not yet been documented and analyzed thoroughly and consistently.
The primary objective of this study is to provide examples of thorough and consistent analysis and documentation of economic impacts from wind power development.
page ES-2
Case Studies
The three case study areas are Lincoln County, Minnesota; Morrow and Umatilla counties, Oregon; and Culberson County, Texas. In Lincoln County, the project studied was Lake Benton I, placed in operation in 1998 with 107 MW.
To understand how an economy is affected by some external change, we develop a snapshot of the economy at a particular point in time. This snapshot shows us that some parts or “sectors” in the economy are linked to each other.
The extent to which exports {products sold outside the local area} are able to expand the local economy is greatly dependent on how much of the money received remains in the local economy. As money is received for exports, the local supplier then spends that money.
The household sector is linked to all economic sectors as it provides the labor and management needed by all sectors. Changes that affect the incomes of the household sector typically have significant impacts on a local economy compared to a change in the sales of other sectors.
page ES-3
Lake Benton I is the second wind power development in Lincoln County, the first being Buffalo Ridge (25 MW), just southeast of the town of Lake Benton. Lake Benton I consists of an array of 143 Zond 750 kW turbines located in several northwesterly strings from Lake Benton. Enron Wind {now GE Wind} brought the facility into production in August 1998, and the power is sold to Xcel Energy.
This study found that a total of about eight jobs and over $98,000 in personal income in the Lincoln County economy were supported by the construction phase of the project. While this study focused on Lincoln County impacts, additional jobs were also supported in neighboring counties. A total of about 31 jobs and over $909 thousand in personal income in the Lincoln County economy are supported annually by the operation and maintenance phase of the project.
The Lake Benton I wind power development resulted in the payment of $71,800 in total county property taxes in 1999, $611,200 in 2000, and $621,000 in 2001. Assuming that the project caused zero or only minor increases in government and school budgets, these tax payments have decreased the tax burden of other local taxpayers, as they pay less taxes than they otherwise would. This has a direct effect on household income, which is equal to the taxes paid by the project owner.
The Lake Benton I wind development includes lands that have been leased, as well as permanent easement purchases. Landowners receive a total net (after-tax) annual revenue of $501,125, which is a direct effect on household income.
page ES-5
Summary and Conclusions
Tables ES-1, ES-2 and ES-3 summarize the impacts of wind power development on
• employment
• income and
• taxes
for the three case study areas, during the initial construction phase, and the operation and maintenance phase.
Based upon our analysis of the three case study areas, we can draw the following conclusions about the economic impacts of wind power development in local areas
• in each of the case study areas, wind power development provided a modest to moderate source of new economic activity and new family wage jobs
• the leasing of land has an important economic effect on local areas, provided the income from leasing goes to local residents and adds to local household incomes
page ES-6
• tax effects, particularly property taxes that support local entities, were important in all cases
• the counties represented in the case studies had comparatively few economic sectors
• a major difference among the case study areas was the current rate of economic expansion.
--While wind power development was important to the economies of all case study areas, it was relatively more important to the counties in decline and
• the return on capital could be an important component of local annual income.
--In the three case studies, little or none of this income was received by local residents. Local ownership, where feasible, would retain more of this income in the local area and increase the size of the impact. No data was collected on sources of capital for this study, but little apparently came from the local area.
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in a value-added approach {mentioned at the 13 June post} to economic development in rural areas. This generally involves adding additional processing to an existing output or resource, which results in a more valuable product being exported from the area. Wind power development fits this approach by adding value to an existing resource. In this way, it can be a valuable means for adding to the economy.
page 3 - 4
Economic Links in Rural Economies
The more money spent within the local economy, the larger the local impact from the initial money received for the export. This round by round pattern of spending associated with export production is called the multiplier effect.
page 5
Identifying Construction Needs
To measure the effect that the construction of a wind power project has on a local economy, we need to identify the mix of things (inputs) that are necessary to construct a wind power project, and we need to do so in a way that allows us to relate this information to the picture we have of the economy.
page 6
Identifying Operation and Maintenance {O&M} Needs
A similar procedure is followed to estimate the effect of annual operation and maintenance activities on the local economy.
page 8
Local Interest in Wind Power Development
Residents and administrators of rural counties are generally supportive of new businesses locating in their county that will provide family wage jobs locally.
Landowner Revenues
Wind power developments can be a source of supplemental revenue for landowners in rural areas.
page 9
Job Creation
We are interested in the creation of new jobs because new jobs increase business and household income, which in turn creates more jobs which further increase business and household income, and so on. {"Direct" jobs are in the manufacturing, prospecting, planning, assessing, documenting, transporting, construction, installation, operation and maintenance work, where "hands-on" is routine. "Indirect" jobs are those in housing, retailing, hospitality, schools, barbershops and salons, banking/finance, suppliers, vendors, and all others that make "hands-on" possible.
Tax Effects
Taxes are a redistribution of benefits from wind power production to the federal, state, and local government jurisdictions in which the wind power production and sales occur.
pages 12 - 32
Economic Setting for Case Studies and Economic Effects on Case Study Economies
Lake Benton I (1998, 107 MW): The Economy of Lincoln County, Minnesota is promoted by the local tourism groups both as the “Little Europe” of Minnesota, and the “Windpower Capital of the United States.” The county is located in southwest Minnesota, bordered on the west by South Dakota. {Minnesota is ranked 9th in the nation for annual wind power potential; South Dakota is ranked 4th. Minnesota's "wind-friendly legislation and taxation spur its wind industry to outpace South Dakota's by a huge margin, 895 MW to 44 MW.}
In addition, a number of tables and charts are provided in these pages.
____________________________
A boring South Dakota day, mustering only four hours of "fair" (NREL) wind-
• 8 PM Jun 14, S at 15 mph
• 6 PM Jun 14, SSW at 16 mph
• 5 PM (21) Jun 14, S at 16 mph
• 4 PM Jun 14, SSW at 16 mph
• 10 PM Jun 13, Calm.
Do contact me if you want to buy any of this blog's content or would like to have other specific wind power-related content uncovered.
'Til next time. Best Wind.
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