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Tidewater Current | Spring 2012

Transmitting news and infomation about sustainable endeavors in Coastal Virginia and beyond. Updated Weekly.

Wind:

For more news and the most up to date clips, visit the TidewaterCurrent Snip.it collection.

6.7.12 - GE Readies for Waning Wind Power - businessweek. With rising costs and environmental concerns associated with fossil fuels, the wind industry should literally be taking off. Instead, anticipating a slow down in wind projects, as the PTC has not been extended, 10,000 US jobs are likely to be lost this year. If congress does not act to extend it, next year that figure will rise to a 37,0000. Even if Congress does act, it will take time for production rates (and jobs) to rebound in the industry.

6.6.12 - Even Karl Rove supports wind energy. Will Romney get on board? - leanforward.msnbc.msn. Karl Rove, and in general the Republican party, is for the renewal of the Production Tax Credit for wind. If that's the case, why hasn't it already been renewed???? Projects are being cancelled or pushed back and jobs lost. The author goes on to discuss Romney's position, which he has yet to make known. Whether he supports the PTC or not, Romney's comments on renewable energy are at best skeptical.

6.6.12 - Wind Mapping Study Looks at Turbine Feasibility for Boston High-Rises - marketwatch. A sky farm of ten 50 kW vertical axis turbines on top of high-rise can supply 10% of energy demand. Info at: http://easternwindpower.us/about/

6.4.12 - 10 COMPANIES INTERESTED IN MASS. OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT - power-eng. Massachusetts is gearing up for offshore wind development. Aside from 10 companies vying for offshore leases that would provide 4,000 MW of electricity (enough to power 1.7 million homes), a wind technology testing center has been established in the state and Siemens and other global leaders in the wind industry are also setting up shop there.

6.3.12 - Could Floating Wind Turbines Solve Our Energy Crisis? - worldcrunch. Pictured, Sway, the World's first full-scale floating wind turbine, assembled in the Åmøy Fjord (L.C.Nøttaasen). Unfortunately, the small scale test turbine sank in a storm, that would not be strong enough to take down a full scale model. Undamaged, it will be floated again so testing can resume. With so much untapped energy in offshore wind and deep water in many locations, floating turbines are the only option and represent an area of great growth for the industry.

6.1.12 - GE wind turbines installed at Vietnam's first offshore wind farm - evwind.es. Vietnam has offshore turbines before we do and we are helping to finance the the project and a US company (GE) is providing the turbines. Two turbines have been installed with 8 to follow by the end of the summer then the first phase of the project will be connected to the grid. An additional 52 are planned for the farm.

6.1.12- MAJOR WIND DEVELOPERS HAVE PLEDGED TO VOLUNTARILY INCORPORATE BIRD-FRIENDLY GUIDELINES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WIND ENERGY PROJECTS AND TO MODIFY EXISTING TURBINES - Audubon Magazine. The Department of the Interior announces new wind farm siting guidelines to protect wildlife. US Fish and Wildlife Service to be in on siting deliberations and measures are to be taken to protect birds.


6.1.12 - Wind Program Newsletter: Energy Department Releases New Land-Based/Offshore Wind Resource Map - apps1.eere.energy.gov. Map shows predicted annual wind speeds at 80 m heights.


5.31.12 - KiteGen's High Altitude System Generates Affordable Wind Energy With Kites - inhabitat. Gigawatt class energy production touted by KiteGen with new large winged kite concept. Company expects that a carousel composed of kites could produce enough energy to power 5,000 homer per year. Link to youtube video included.


5.30.12 - MAJOR WIND DEVELOPERS HAVE PLEDGED TO VOLUNTARILY INCORPORATE BIRD-FRIENDLY GUIDELINES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW WIND ENERGY PROJECTS AND TO MODIFY EXISTING TURBINES - Audubon Magazine - The Department of the Interior announces new wind farm siting guidelines to protect wildlife. US Fish and Wildlife Service to be in on siting deliberations and measures are to be taken to protect birds.


5.29.12 - Shaking up offshore wind - ecogeneration.com.au.

Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. The Vertiwind project is testing a prototype floating vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). Before going offshore, tests are currently being conducted onshore where pitching and oscillating motions are being simulated to mimic an ocean environment. The floating VAWTS are less sensitive to pitching motion than floating horizontal axis turbines and they have a lower visual impact at 100 m tall.


5.27.12 - Wind farm controversy buffets tiny Block Island - theday. Great article about the Block Island wind debate. It could be home to the first offshore wind farm. Deepwater Wind plans to install 5 turbines 3 miles off the island. Currently energy is provided via diesel generators at a cost of $ .60 kWh compared to $ .15 elsewhere, so the expense of the installation makes good economic sense. The island can literally be totally powered by the the strong winds that blow around it. Yet despite the environmental and economic benefits, there are those that are concerned about the view. Some think their property value will decline as a result of the installation. Only time will tell, but property owners may be surprised - values could increase.


5.26.12 - Invenergy's Roanoke Co. plan delayed until 2015 - www.roanoke.com . Roanoke, VA - Plans to develop a mountaintop wind farm expected to be up an running by the end of the year, have been pushed back. Invenergy cites the uncertainty of the renewal of the production tax credit and the lack of a renewable energy standard in Virginia as motivation for this move. This follows Gamesa's move to shift it's test of an offshore wind turbine from the Virginia Coast to the Canary Islands, for the same reasons.


5.25.12 - Test of Floating Wind Turbine at US Site Next Year - marinelink. University of Maine testing of a floating offshore wind turbine planned for this summer has been pushed back to next summer due to permitting issues. The Monhegan test turbine at feet tall is a one third scale model of what ideally will be sited in a farm 20-40 miles off the coast.


5.22.12 - 14 US Wind Energy Leaders Meet at White House over Call to Extend Wind Production Tax Credit before Congress Goes on Summer Recess - cleantechnica. With production tax credits for wind energy ending this year, investment in numerous projects has waned. For example, Gamesa moved their offshore demo project from the Chesapeake Bay to the Canary Islands. Finally, today we see a glimmer of hope for PTC extension. A bipartisan group met today at the White House with industry leaders. Let's hope they can act fast.


5.17.12 - Small Wind Energy Goes Urban In Italy, Korea, Brazil And Texas - Forbes. Urban wind installations providing energy right where it is needed. All over the world, cities are installing the small turbines and saving money. Likewise, companies like Urban Green Energy based In New York City, are reaching the residential market. Not surprisingly, the US supports the greatest generating capacity.

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5/17/12 - New Jersey Takes Slow, Steady Approach to Offshore Wind - blog.cleantechies. With a state policy in place to support offshore wind, Fishemen's Energy, a partnership of commercial fishing companies, is planning a demonstration project in state waters.


5.17.12 - Floating wind turbine test to start soon - yomiuri.co.jp. Japan has an ambitious offshore wind program. A floating offshore turbine is to be tested later this month. The demo turbine is small (100 kW with 11 meter blades). After initial tests, a larger model will be deployed for testing. The goal is to install 143 turbines producing as much energy as a nuclear reactor between 2016-2020.

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120516004934.htm


5.17.12 - Why Did Gamesa Abandon Virginia? -Offshore Wind Wire - offshorewindwire. With the approval necessary to move forward with an offshore demonstration turbine, needed to gather data for a commercial undertaking off Virginia's shores, Gamesa has turned it's back on the project and elected to instead install their demo turbine off of the Canary Islands. The company cited lack of federal support as cause for the move Similarly, Statoil, considering a floating turbine off the coast of Maine, also indicated the need for federal support.


5/16/12 - ERCOT: Texas increased renewable generation by 13 percent in 2011 - power-eng. With wind contributing the lions share, renewable energy production increased 13% in Texas in 2011.


5/14/12 - Vertical-Axis Turbine: New Take On Wind Potential « - earthtechling. Russian designers claim efficiency of 84-89% of new quiet VAWT.


5/14/12 - Google-Backed Offshore-Wind Grid Gets Environmental Review - bloomberg.

The Atlantic Wind Connection to stretch from Virginia to New Jersey to proceed with environmental review for the Interior Department.

 


5/14/12 - Offshore Wind: Making an American Industry, Part 2 - renewableenergyworld. An up to date piece that looks at endeavors to develop offshore wind from Delaware to South Carolina, with a good focus on Virginia.


5/11/12 - Offshore Wind: Making an American Industry, Part 1 - renewableenergyworld - Northeastern states taking the lead in the race to build the country's first offshore wind farm. Block Island residents could be the first to enjoy power from offshore wind turbines. Deepwater is hoping to have final permits in several months meaning power production could begin as early as 2014. -

5/10/12 - Small Wind-Turbine Maker Sees 'Energy Clusters' « - earthtechling - Sauer Energy looking to develop community wind projects with it's vertical axis WindCharger which can generate power with 5 mph winds. They would like to see the turbines placed in cluster in and around urban areas (so energy is not lost in transmission).

5/8/12 - 73.5-m blades fly on the largest offshore wind turbine in the world - windpowerengineering -Largest offshore wind turbine - The 6 MW wind turbine sited off the shore of France by Alstom sports the world's longest blades. The LM composite blades will keep loads down and boast energy productions.

5/8/12 - Conservative thinktanks step up attacks against Obama's clean energy strategy - guardian.co.uk- Subversion plan by fossil fuel funded advocacy groups to taint the wind and solar industries and the Obama administrations support of the renewable sector made public in this article from the Guardian (a large and reputable U.K. news source). - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/may/08/conservative-thinktanks-obama-energy-plans?newsfeed=true

5/7/12 - Gamesa reaches a critical milestone in its offshore strategy: the first offshore prototype to be installed in Spain - Meanwhile, in Virginia, plans to install the first US offshore turbine near Cape Henry have today been suspended, despite recent state approval for the project. Gamesa and it's partner site concerns over federal energy policy and the extension of the renewable energy tax credit. The turbine developed for the Chesapeake Bay will instead be sited off the Canary Islands. - PilotOnline, Boston.com

5/6/12 - Firm proposes first-of-kind electricity towers in San Luis - yumasun - Maryland's Clean Wind Energy is planning the development of a new type of wind generator in Arizona. Hot dry air in the tower will be cooled with water from the Sea of Cortez, causing it to fall at speeds of 50 mph or more spinning turbines and creating electricity. The company expects the project to produce electricity for 1.6 million homes. The Project is on the agenda for San Luis City (AZ) Council next week.- Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/city-78831-towers-san.html#ixzz1uBPsJUW4 and http://www.yumasun.com/news/towers-78018-energy-city.html

5/4/12 - Fish Thriving Amid Offshore Turbines, Danes Say | Earthtechling

5/3/12 - Wind Energy at Local College (James Madison)‏ | WHSV.com

5/2/12 - Waging the Battle to Build the U.S.'s First Offshore Wind Farm by Doug Struck: Yale Environment 360‏

5/1/12 - New Bill Proposes To Extend Wind Energy PTC, Slash Oil Subsidies‏ | NAWindpower.com

5/1/12 - GE Still Dominates US Wind Manufacturing but New Faces Are Emerging : Greentech Media‏

5/1/2 - Mixed News for Birds, Wind Farms, and Buildings - EBN: 21:5

4/30/12 - Don't believe the headlines. Wind farms do not cause 'global' warming. - CSMonitor.com

4/29/12 - Charleston area wind power industry could be an important source of new South Carolina jobs | The Post and Courier | Charleston SC, News, Sports, Entertainment

4/26/12 - Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability News: The Price is Right for Wind Power‏ | ENN.com

4/25/12 - Enormous Desert Wind Tower Plan Inches Forward | Earthtechling

4/24/12 - Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Collaboration Announced Between US, UK : TreeHugger‏

4/23/12 - Wind Turbine Newcomer Goes Direct-Drive Route | Earthtechling‏

4/22/12 - Long-Bladed Turbine Takes Aim At Low Wind Areas | EarthTechling

4/20/12 - U.S. Offshore Wind Farms: The Race is On?‏ Virginia may become the first state to actually have an operating offshore wind farm in the water. | Energy.aol.com

4/20/12 - "Floating wind turbines could get Great Lakes test " by Latest News -- GazetteXtra

4/20/12 - Wind-power blimp takes to the air (video) | Cutting Edge - CNET News

4/20/12 - Beauty Company Leads Way With Largest Wind Project of Any Manufacturer in U.S. - MarketWatch

4/19/12 - Op-Ed: Earth Day 2012 is the Time to Jump-Start Offshore Virginia Wind | AltDaily : Creating and celebrating local culture in Norfolk and all of Hampton Roads.

4/19/12 - North American Windpower: Could Virginia's New Energy Laws Undermine Its Wind Power Plans? | NAWindpower

4/18/12 - Dong to Erect First 6-MW Siemens Offshore Wind Turbine - CleanTechnica‏

4/17/12 - This Could Be Big — Refundable Federal Tax Credit Could Remove Barrier to Community Wind - CleanTechnica

4/17/12 - Distributed Wind Startup Optiwind: Set For Takeoff? | Earthtechling‏

4/17/12 - OWAP Webinar: Marine Spatial Planning - webinar on "Marine Spatial Planning: The Value Proposition to Offshore Wind Siting" | Clean Energy States Alliance

4/16/12 - Expanding Our Knowledge of a Wind Farm's Impact on Birds - CleanTechnica

4/16/12 - Gamesa unveils 2 MW wind turbines for low wind speeds |REVE

4/15/12 - Wind Energy Facts from AWEA 2011 Annual Market Report - CleanTechnica‏

4/14/12 - This Offshore Wind Turbine Is Quite The Monster | Earthtechling‏

4/13/12 - Cleveland Indians Wind Turbine --- Corkscrew Wind Turbine‏ | CleanTechnica

4/13/12 - Undergrad Maps Offshore Wind for Ideal Placement | EarthTechling

4/12/12 - Cape Wind: Heralding a Boom in Offshore Wind, Marine Engineering & Construction? - CleanTechnica

4/11/12 - Fish and Wind Farms Living in Harmony (Marine Life Thriving!) | CleanTechnica

4/10/12 - Offshore Wind Power Spotlight Turns To Virginia | Earthtechling‏

4/6/12 -The symbolic power of bladeless wind turbines | MNN - Mother Nature Network

4/5/12 - ANALYSIS: The Eight Developers Interested In Virginia Offshore Wind | Offshore Wind Wire‏

4/5/12 - Alternative Energy and Fuel News: Wind Tops 10 Percent Share of Electricity in Five States‏ | ENN.com

4/5/12 - Will Congress Extend the Wind Energy Tax Credit? « EcoWatch: Uniting the Voice of the Grassroots Environmental Movement‏

4/4/12 - The Future of Wind Power: 9 Cool Innovations : TreeHugger

4/3/12 - Reducing cash bite of wind power (Investment Tax Credit)‏ | WindDaily.com

4/3/12 - Wind Turbine Offshore of Virginia May Be First Up in U.S.‏ | GovTech.com

4/3/12 - Cape Wind Would Reduce Price of Electricity by $7.2 Billion, Study Finds - CleanTechnica‏

4/2/12 - Can Maryland spin get into wind after setbacks in New Jersey and Delaware? | The Energy Collective‏

4/2/12 - Low Cost Wind Power with Airborne Wind Turbine Blimp from Altaeros‏ | CleanTechnica

4/1/12 - Capitol Building To Generate Clean Energy Via Hot Air Turbines In House Chamber | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building‏

3/31/12 - Maryland House approves bill to subsidize offshore wind development - The Washington Post‏

3/31/12 - Cleveland Indians Score Another Green Hit With Innovative Helix Turbine, A Baseball First : TreeHugger‏

3/30/12 - ANALYSIS: Chesapeake Bay Turbine Could Move Industry Forward | Offshore Wind Wire‏

3/30/12 - Great Lakes states sign MOU to develop more offshore wind power‏ | CleanTechnica

3/29/12 - New Technique for Low-Velocity Wind Turbines‏ | EcoGeek

3/28/12 - More than a breeze?Commercial development of offshore wind is gaining momentum in Virginia | VirginiaBusiness.com

3/28/12 - Virginia approves first offshore wind-energy turbine | Virginian-Pilot

3/28/12 - Lightweight wing harvests offshore wind | CNET

3/27/12 - World Wind Power Climbs to New Record in 2011 | EarthTechling

3/27/12 -Altaeros Energies' Floating Wind Turbines Tap Into Stronger High Altitude Winds | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World

3/26/12 - UPDATE: Maryland Offshore Wind Legislation Advances | Offshore Wind Wire‏

3/24/12 - Dominion Power makes play for offshore dominance | HamptonRoads.com | PilotOnline.com‏

3/23/12 - U.S. Wind Generation Increased 27% In 2011 | Earthtechling

3/23/12 - European Renewable Energy Plans Fuel Offshore Wind - CleanTechnica‏

3/23/12 - Gamesa Picks Scotland for $198 Million Offshore Wind Investment - Businessweek

3/22/12 - ANALYSIS: Is Dominion Serious About Offshore Wind? | Offshore Wind Wire

3/22/12 - Largest wind turbine placed in Belgium - UPI.com‏

3/21/12 - Wind Program: WPA Webinar: Development Markets for Wind Energy‏ - http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/events_detail.html?event_id=6611

3/21/12 - UD study assesses ocean use off Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey coasts - Newark Post: News: wind power, alternative energy, environment, wind farm, delaware‏ | Newark Post Online

3/21/12 - New York and NOAA Release Study to Streamline Offshore Wind Power Projects | Inhabitat New York City‏

3/19/12 - Dominion interested in Va offshore wind generation - BusinessWeek‏

3/16/12 - Chesapeake Climate Action Network and Sierra Club submit a petition to Dominion Power, pushing them to develop offshore wind| Offshore Wind Wire‏

3/15/12 - ANALYSIS: Maryland Offshore Wind Legislation has Broad Support, Uncertain Future | Offshore Wind Wire‏

3/14/12 - Dominion-sponsored study: Build offshore wind-energy farms in stages | Richmond Times-Dispatch‏

3/13/12 - Dominion Virginia Power Offshore Wind Study Recommends Ocean Substations Be Added in Atlantic - MarketWatch‏

3/13/12 - Tri-Blades Get The Axe In New Wind Turbine Design | Earthtechling

3/9/12 - ANALYSIS – Will Dominion's Comments Impact the Atlantic Wind Connection? | Offshore Wind Wire

3/9/12 - OPINION: Local Businesses Support Offshore Wind Power - Parkville-Overlea, MD Patch‏

3/7/12 - Ports Clear the Decks so Wind Turbines Can Rise - Bloomberg

3/6/12 - Offshore Wind Farms Could Double As Seaweed Farms | Earthtechling‏

3/2/12 - Dominion to Feds: delay Google's wind line - Says the offshore wind transmission line is premature because lease sales pending - The Daily Press

3/1/12 - Designing an offshore turbine 'that doesn't think it's on land' - Wind - Renewable energy news - Recharge - wind, solar, biomass, wave/tidal/hydro and geothermal‏ | RechargeNews.com

3/1/12 - EERE News: Energy Department Announces $180 Million for Ambitious New Initiative to Deploy U.S. Offshore Wind Projects‏ - http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/progress_alerts.cfm/pa_id=687

3/1/12 - Malta To Get State-Of-The-Art Floating Wind Farm From Hexicon | Earthtechling‏

 

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