Wind Energy Investing

MLive.com reports that the Consumers Energy’s Green Generation program has gained the support of nearly 5,000 customers who purchase renewable energy through their utility, Consumer’s Energy. Through the program, Consumers Energy offers its customers options to pay a voluntary premium each month to support green energy efforts. Green energy for the program is generated by landfill gas suppliers and the utility also purchases electricity made by two wind turbines near Mackinaw City. New contracts for electricity purchases include a developing windmill project due for construction in 2007.

KNDO.com reports that Energy Northeast has revealed plans for the addition of 14 turbines to its windfarm located south of Kennewick, Washington. The turbines are expected to be online by the end of 2007 and the additional turbines would increase power production by fifty percent.

Shetland Today reports that although wildlife lobby group Proact is petitioning the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) to increase its opposition to windfarm developments in the works in the UK, the RSPB plans to work with the windfarm developers rather than stand in the way. RSPB is standing in favor of renewable energy and windfarms as long as the windfarms do not incringe on the space of protected habitats. In the case of Viking Energy’s plans to build a 600-megawatt-windfarm in Shetlan, the RSPB has been working with them from the start to avoid potential problems with habitat.

Ireland Online reports that the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Noel Dempsey, announced his plan to make renewable energy contribute 15% to total electricity in Ireland by 2010. The project will cut down dependence on fuel by four million barrels each year, create 1,950 new jobs and bring the renewable energy percentage up from 5% to 15% contribution. Wind power will account for 98% of the renewable energy generated and the renewable energy capacity will grow from 860MW to 1,469MW, enough power for one million homes.

Renewable Energy Access.com reports John Deere Wind Energy (JDWE) has ordered 247 MW from Suzlon Energy A/S of Denmark (SEAS) to grow its turbine capacity to over 530MW. This is one of several orders placed by JDWE, demonstrating their commitment to renewable energy growth.

Cambridge News.co.uk reports Cambridge Airport is looking to move their operations away from Cambridge and into a new location, but wind farms are causing a snag. Wind farm operations can interfere with aviation radar capacities for up to 40 miles, thus causing a problem for the airport’s move into Wyton and Mildenhall, both in the vicinity of two planned windfarms. In 2002, 18 offshore wind farm projects were blocked by the Ministry of Defense due to the possible interference with military aviation radar. The MoD of the Department of Trade and Industry is investigating technology which will be able to track aviation despite windfarm radar interference.

Channel News Asia.com reports that Danish-based Vestas will invest S$500m over 10 years into a Singapore R&D center to develop its Asia Pacific operations in one of the fastest growing regions in the world. Vestas’ announcement follows suit in firsts for Singapore as Singapore has recently brought in several investments in the renewables industry including their first solar cell manufacturer, a biodiesel plant and their first fuel-cell project.

NewRules.org reports that according to a program announced by Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle, four Wisconsin state universities plan to make their campuses run 100% on renewable energy in the next five years. The participating colleges will be the first state owned facilities to be energy independent and participating colleges are University of Wisconsin (UW) Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-River Falls and UW-Stevens Point. Working with the campuses will be the Department of Administration’s Division of State Facilities who will help solve the problem of replacing traditional fuel supplied power with renewables.

The Southbend Tribune.com reports that School City of Mishawaka in Indiana will invest $800,000 in wind study equipment to measure the feasibility of using wind power for Mishawaka schools. The analysis equipment will be a 150-foot wind measurment antenna that will measure wind potential over an 18 month study period. The $800,000 has price tag has raised some eyebrows but School City officials estimate that the energy savings would match the price tag in approximately seven years.

Connecticut College news reports that Connecticut College has partnered with Global Energy Concepts (GEC) to begin assessing the prospects of using wind energy for electricity on campus. The first phase of the project has begun and GEC is analyzing the wind levels on campus to determine if wind energy is a feasible alternative resource and if so, what size turbine would be necessary. Connecticut College’s Environmental Model Community has been investigating renewable energy options for a year and decided to pursue the wind energy study by partnering with GEC, a consulting firm which specializes in wind-energy development and execution. The project is being funded by a student-initiated fee which supports renewable energy projects on campus.