This post answers the recently much hyped focus on wind’s variability problem, quantifying it in clear cost terms that put it in perspective. The post helps clarify the differences between energy, capacity and the ancillary services surrounding ensuring capacity and goes on to answer some of the other related problems that have been alleged for wind energy as its penetration level increases.
A new study that is sure to create some controversy proposes that the world can provide for all of its energy needs, including electric, transportation, heating/cooling energy needs using only wind, water, and solar power by 2030.
In the coming years, electrical contractors will transition into “energy contractors” to support the fast-growing green construction market. There has been a revival of interest in the electrical trade as home owners and corporations adopt alternative methods (e.g. solar, wind, etc) to power buildings. What’s driving this? Federal incentives, lower material costs and savings from reduced energy spending.
The first comprehensive update to Unites States wind potential estimates in 17 years helps renewable energy proponents by providing solid data for development and legislation. However, the wind power industry needs an improved electrical grid in order to transport and sell wind-generated energy…
There has been growing talk about a clean-tech race between China and the U.S., often cast in ominous tones. But the quest to develop and implement renewable energy can be one where both nations win.
Wind power is currently the fastest growing renewable energy source. Wind turbines are constantly getting taller because everyone knows the higher you get off the ground, the stronger the wind speeds and the more power that can be obtained. At higher altitudes, wind is also more constant. However, building big towers is not only very expensive, but also not possible due to the weight of the tower. This is where kites come into play.
General Electric (GE) one of the world’s largest manufacturers of wind turbines has landed a $1.4 billion contract to supply wind turbines and related services for Caithness Energy’s Shepherds Flat 845MW capacity wind farm. The Shepherds Flat project when completed will cover an area of 30 square miles, in Morrow County, in the Northeast portion of Oregon, near the town of Arlington and will feature 238 GE 2.5xl wind turbines to be installed in 2011-2012.
Clemens University, SC has been awarded $98M to test new and very large wind turbine drive trains. The newly announced facility could eventually lead to thousands of new green jobs for the state and help establish South Carolina as a hub for offshore wind turbine manufacturing & servicing.
U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced grant awards for up to $24 million, from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, to three university-led wind energy research facilities that have been selected to support university research and development programs to improve land-based and offshore wind turbine performance and reliability and to provide career educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in wind energy technologies. The three universities are: Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Maine and University of Minnesota.
