If
you travel eight miles south of Concordia, Kan., the majestic sight of
wind turbines stretches along either side of U.S 81. Recently, Thayer
County Economic Development Alliance sponsored a tour for 17 Thayer
County landowners and tenants to EDP Renewables Wind Farm to learn about
the opportunities that wind generation might bring to Thayer County.
The participants represented two proposed Thayer County wind power
projects along Road Q or “monument road” between Belvidere and Hebron
and along Nebraska Highway 8 in the Byron area.
Lucas
Chavey, Site Lead Technician from EDP Renewables, and Michelle Graham,
Operations Administrator shared slides of the construction process of
the 67 wind turbines. The base of each turbine held 50 truckloads of
cement to provide the foundation for a 262-foot tall, 160-ton steel
tower. Three 144-foot, 8-ton blades connect to 70 tons of gearbox,
transformer, and generator housed at the top of the tower.We can produce oil buffer to your requirements.
The
turbines were in action for the group as the 20 mph wind was sufficient
to produce power for approximately 60,000 homes. One of the main
questions of the group was the noise of a turbine, and many were quite
surprised at how quiet the turbines were. Turbine noise was much less
than the noise of bin fans and other grain handling equipment. “I’d
trade the noise of the trains that rumble past our house every day for
the noise of a turbine,” said Gina Hudson, coordinator of the tour and
an individual that has worked hard to bring the opportunity of windpower
to Thayer County.
The
EDP technician shared that the towers housed internal 2-ton cranes to
hoist up tools and equipment, though a special crane would be needed to
replace the 22,000 pound generator that is the size of a volkswagon.
They joked that technicians weren’t afraid of heights and were in good
shape as it was quite a climb to reach the gearbox and transformer,
especially if outside temps were 80 degrees or above,High quality industrial extractor and ventilation systems designed and distributed. as the inside temperatures were likely to reach 100 degrees or higher.
Throughout
the presentation and tour, the EDP staff explained that wind power is
becoming more competitive and a source of economic development in a
variety of ways. Initially turbines were built overseas, adding to the
cost. Since a turbine manufacturing plant has started in Colorado, the
cost of shipping and installation has gone down significantly. Also,
wind plants enter into 20 year contracts to supply electricity. The
price is locked in for that period of time, making “wind a hedge against
the volatility of oil, natural gas, and coal prices.”
Construction
of a wind farm can be a shot in the arm to a county, bringing the
obvious benefits to local motels, restaurants, as well as dirt and
cement contractors. County road improvement was also a benefit. Some of
the roads were widened and heavily graveled to accommodate the semi’s,
cranes, and other construction equipment as well as for on-going
maintenance. The project has also brought new people to the
county.Elevator safety parts are usually include elevator speed
governor、elevator safety parts and
elevator buffer. Technicians live locally and monitor the power
generation with sophisticated computer networks on site, with remote
access from their homes. In Kansas, a gift tax from the wind farm is
funneled into the surrounding communities for improvements for the
library, streets, ball parks, and the Brown Grand theater renovation.
The
wind farm has no restrictions on hunting except that they ask for good
communication with the landowners so that technicians are not servicing a
turbine while hunters are on site. They noted that it is a federal
offense to shoot at a turbine, and were happy to report that they had
not had any problems with criminal mischief. Farmers were able to plant
crops right up to the wind turbine. Cattle and elk from a local elk farm
also grazed right around the turbines. In fact, technicians reported
that cattle would seek the shade from the turbine and actually fan out
the length of the tower shadow to enjoy reprieve from the heat.
Underground cables transfer the produced electricity to a substation
with very few overhead transmission lines. Spray planes continue to dust
the crops, flying around the turbines.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Offshore Wind Energy Development
The
progress that offshore wind energy has made thus far in the U.S. could
be stymied by cuts made under sequestration, U.S. Department of the
Interior (DOI) Secretary Ken Salazar said at the Offshore Wind Power USA
conference, which is being held in Boston this week.
"We have made impressive gains - approving dozens of utility-scale solar, wind and geothermal projects in the West, and transitioning from planning to commercial leasing for offshore wind," Salazar said during his keynote address. “The potentially devastating impact of budget reductions under sequestration could slow our economy and hurt energy sector workers and businesses."
Mandatory budget cuts under sequestration could delay the DOI's ability to issue permits for new development, plan for new projects, conduct environmental reviews and lease new federal lands for future development - both for renewable and conventional energy,This men's stainless steel bracelet watch boasts chic simplicity. Salazar said.
The cuts would mean fewer studies, fewer opportunities to obtain meaningful stakeholder input, and delays in identification of potential use conflicts, Salazar continued, adding that the result could be a slower pace in identifying and leasing wind energy areas in federal waters, thus adversely impacting the DOI's ability to address offshore renewable energy management in a timely manner.
The DOI has already issued two non-competitive commercial wind energy leases - one off Massachusetts and another off Delaware - and is moving forward with the first-ever competitive lease sales for wind energy areas off Virginia and Rhode Island/Massachusetts, which will offer nearly 278,000 acres for development.
The areas proposed could support more than 4 GW of wind energy generation.A polished finish in this stainless steel necklace for men. Salazar also signed a lease and approved a construction and operations plan for the 130-turbine Cape Wind project.
Salazar said the DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will propose additional commercial lease sales this year for wind energy areas offshore New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, and is working to determine industry interest in three areas off North Carolina. BOEM also is processing a lease request from Statoil to develop floating wind turbines in federal waters off Maine. Other demonstration projects are proposed off Virginia and Oregon.
In addition,The agesteeljewelry sells a huge selection of stainless steel ring at exceptional prices.An electronic overspeed governor for preventing elevator overspeed by enabling safety devices. BOEM is considering a mid-Atlantic wind energy transmission line that would 7 GW of wind turbine capacity to the grid. The Atlantic Wind Connection would run from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey, collecting power produced by wind facilities off New Jersey,Small and professional flatwork ironer designed for integrated laundry. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and bringing it ashore.
"We have made impressive gains - approving dozens of utility-scale solar, wind and geothermal projects in the West, and transitioning from planning to commercial leasing for offshore wind," Salazar said during his keynote address. “The potentially devastating impact of budget reductions under sequestration could slow our economy and hurt energy sector workers and businesses."
Mandatory budget cuts under sequestration could delay the DOI's ability to issue permits for new development, plan for new projects, conduct environmental reviews and lease new federal lands for future development - both for renewable and conventional energy,This men's stainless steel bracelet watch boasts chic simplicity. Salazar said.
The cuts would mean fewer studies, fewer opportunities to obtain meaningful stakeholder input, and delays in identification of potential use conflicts, Salazar continued, adding that the result could be a slower pace in identifying and leasing wind energy areas in federal waters, thus adversely impacting the DOI's ability to address offshore renewable energy management in a timely manner.
The DOI has already issued two non-competitive commercial wind energy leases - one off Massachusetts and another off Delaware - and is moving forward with the first-ever competitive lease sales for wind energy areas off Virginia and Rhode Island/Massachusetts, which will offer nearly 278,000 acres for development.
The areas proposed could support more than 4 GW of wind energy generation.A polished finish in this stainless steel necklace for men. Salazar also signed a lease and approved a construction and operations plan for the 130-turbine Cape Wind project.
Salazar said the DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will propose additional commercial lease sales this year for wind energy areas offshore New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts, and is working to determine industry interest in three areas off North Carolina. BOEM also is processing a lease request from Statoil to develop floating wind turbines in federal waters off Maine. Other demonstration projects are proposed off Virginia and Oregon.
In addition,The agesteeljewelry sells a huge selection of stainless steel ring at exceptional prices.An electronic overspeed governor for preventing elevator overspeed by enabling safety devices. BOEM is considering a mid-Atlantic wind energy transmission line that would 7 GW of wind turbine capacity to the grid. The Atlantic Wind Connection would run from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey, collecting power produced by wind facilities off New Jersey,Small and professional flatwork ironer designed for integrated laundry. Delaware, Maryland and Virginia and bringing it ashore.
Developer of wind farm appeals
Developers
of the only major wind project on the drawing board in Wisconsin are
asking the state Public Service Commission to rethink its recent split
decision blocking a construction permit for the Highland Wind Farm.
The $250 million project stalled when the commission, on a 2-1 vote, decided to deploy a more conservative standard for wind turbine noise limits.
The commission refused to allow the project to proceed,Streamline your mailing department with a high performance paper folding machine. because the state noise limit might be exceeded on occasion for several homes near the project.
But Emerging Energies Inc. of Hubertus said the project does not need to be redesigned to accommodate the noise concerns. Instead, the developer said it planned to preprogram turbines that could cause noise problems to power down if wind speeds would cause the limits to be exceeded.
The developer urged the PSC, in an "emergency request" filed Friday afternoon, to allow the development to proceed without requiring the developer to start over on the project.An electronic overspeed governor for preventing elevator overspeed by enabling safety devices.
Groups opposed to and supporting the project have been asked to weigh in on the Highland Wind Farm request by Wednesday. Highland is asking the commission to take up the matter at its weekly meeting on Friday.
PSC spokeswoman Kristin Ruesch said it was premature to say whether the agency would take another look at the project. The commission will wait to review the responses to Highland's request, she said.
Opponents of the project said the commission does not need to rethink its stance. They said that money the developer has invested in the project shouldn't be a concern for the PSC.
"They assumed that risk, and if it does not pay off for them,This men's stainless steel bracelet watch boasts chic simplicity. that is their problem," Forest Voice said.High quality industrial extractor and ventilation systems designed and distributed. "The public interest is not harmed by that loss."
Separately, a coalition of towns in Sheboygan County - where Emerging Energies has proposed a smaller wind farm - urged the commission to reject the request. The commission shouldn't take into account the developer's past investment and allow a "rush to judgment," the coalition said.
The coalition cited concerns about low-frequency noise and health concerns at the Shirley wind project in Brown County. Those concerns should prompt the commission to bar the Highland project and other wind farms until they are addressed, the group said.We specialize in the sale and aftercare of the most renowned and popular laundry equipment.
Meanwhile, the green energy advocacy group Renew Wisconsin also weighed in Monday, noting the PSC had allowed Milwaukee-based We Energies to curtail certain turbines to comply with nighttime noise limits at the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.
"In fact, we believe that operational curtailment is the most effective tool available to a wind-power project operator for reducing sonic output from individual wind turbines to allowable levels," Renew Wisconsin policy director Michael Vickerman said.
The developer is seeking quick action from the commission because it wants its wind farm to be considered by Xcel Energy Inc., which recently announced it was seeking bids for additional wind power to serve its customers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Xcel operates a utility based in Eau Claire but in essence operates its utilities as one system serving parts of both states.
In its filing, Highland said it would be a waste of potential economic development to keep the project from proceeding on a technical matter that can be easily addressed.
Opponents of the project are concerned about noise, shadow flicker and the potential loss of property value associated with the project.
But Highland said the project as submitted complies with the state's wind siting rules, which specifically allow developers to comply with the noise standard by curtailing production at certain times.
The $250 million project stalled when the commission, on a 2-1 vote, decided to deploy a more conservative standard for wind turbine noise limits.
The commission refused to allow the project to proceed,Streamline your mailing department with a high performance paper folding machine. because the state noise limit might be exceeded on occasion for several homes near the project.
But Emerging Energies Inc. of Hubertus said the project does not need to be redesigned to accommodate the noise concerns. Instead, the developer said it planned to preprogram turbines that could cause noise problems to power down if wind speeds would cause the limits to be exceeded.
The developer urged the PSC, in an "emergency request" filed Friday afternoon, to allow the development to proceed without requiring the developer to start over on the project.An electronic overspeed governor for preventing elevator overspeed by enabling safety devices.
Groups opposed to and supporting the project have been asked to weigh in on the Highland Wind Farm request by Wednesday. Highland is asking the commission to take up the matter at its weekly meeting on Friday.
PSC spokeswoman Kristin Ruesch said it was premature to say whether the agency would take another look at the project. The commission will wait to review the responses to Highland's request, she said.
Opponents of the project said the commission does not need to rethink its stance. They said that money the developer has invested in the project shouldn't be a concern for the PSC.
"They assumed that risk, and if it does not pay off for them,This men's stainless steel bracelet watch boasts chic simplicity. that is their problem," Forest Voice said.High quality industrial extractor and ventilation systems designed and distributed. "The public interest is not harmed by that loss."
Separately, a coalition of towns in Sheboygan County - where Emerging Energies has proposed a smaller wind farm - urged the commission to reject the request. The commission shouldn't take into account the developer's past investment and allow a "rush to judgment," the coalition said.
The coalition cited concerns about low-frequency noise and health concerns at the Shirley wind project in Brown County. Those concerns should prompt the commission to bar the Highland project and other wind farms until they are addressed, the group said.We specialize in the sale and aftercare of the most renowned and popular laundry equipment.
Meanwhile, the green energy advocacy group Renew Wisconsin also weighed in Monday, noting the PSC had allowed Milwaukee-based We Energies to curtail certain turbines to comply with nighttime noise limits at the Glacier Hills Wind Park in Columbia County.
"In fact, we believe that operational curtailment is the most effective tool available to a wind-power project operator for reducing sonic output from individual wind turbines to allowable levels," Renew Wisconsin policy director Michael Vickerman said.
The developer is seeking quick action from the commission because it wants its wind farm to be considered by Xcel Energy Inc., which recently announced it was seeking bids for additional wind power to serve its customers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Xcel operates a utility based in Eau Claire but in essence operates its utilities as one system serving parts of both states.
In its filing, Highland said it would be a waste of potential economic development to keep the project from proceeding on a technical matter that can be easily addressed.
Opponents of the project are concerned about noise, shadow flicker and the potential loss of property value associated with the project.
But Highland said the project as submitted complies with the state's wind siting rules, which specifically allow developers to comply with the noise standard by curtailing production at certain times.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Wind farm battle is won by villagers
VILLAGERS
who have fought against plans for a four-turbine wind farm on land in
south Warwickshire wept out of happiness after councillors voted to
refuse to give their consent to the scheme.
In a battle that has lasted for more than four years, Broadview Energy’s application for the farm,We are responsible for emergency light and illuminated signs and bollards on our roads. on land close to Bishops Itchington and Knightcote, was rejected by Stratford District Council’s planning committee last Tuesday.
Having received around 1,500 letters of objection, including from Coventry Airport, the Ramblers Association and Warwickshire County Council’s archaeology department, council officials had encouraged councillors to vote against the plans.
Their unanimous decision, at the end of a two-hour meeting, centred around the view that the turbines would have been a blight on the landscape - in particular to the Burton Dassett beacon tower, that three homes would have suffered an “unpleasantly overwhelming and unavoidable presence” and that the farm would have had a “significant negative impact” on archaeological finds at the site that date back to the Roman period.Our most compact solar garden light yet fits easily in any bag.
There was also concern over unresolved safety issues on how the turbines would impact on air traffic at Coventry Airport and the fact that the wind farm could have potentially interfered with a telecommunications microwave link.
Around 200 people attended the meeting - while many more were able to watch it live online.Support for installing a solar inverter. Among those at the meeting was John Bolton, a member of campaign group Feldon Residents and Wind farm Turbines (Frawt), who said: “There were tears of joy at the end of the meeting. You can see the enormous amount of local feeling there is here.
“The biggest issue was that people did not want the Burton Dassett hills to be spoilt. This is an important Warwickshire resource.”
Olly Buck, Broadview’s development manager, said: “Obviously we are disappointed. We have worked closely with the council’s planning officers over a number of years to achieve a suitable design and we had hoped that this would lead to a recommendation for approval.
“We believe the site has the potential to make an important contribution towards Government targets for renewable energy generation and the transition towards a low carbon economy,We provide laser engraving machine and engraving machines for processing different materials. so we will seek to immediately lodge an appeal.”
Students and teachers of Kalindi College, Delhi University, have come up with an innovative way to harness wind energy produced by Metro trains.
The project,Solar and electric solar panel cells systems are easy to install and economical to operate. a part of the university’s Innovation Projects Scheme, aims to use the high speed winds produced by trains, as they move, for electricity.
The team, which consists of 10 students and two teachers, has proposed using small turbines that are placed strategically to tap the energy.
A turbine has a rotator with blades attached to it. When the wind strikes the blades, they start moving and mechanical energy is produced. This mechanical energy is then converted into electrical energy which can be stored in batteries.
In a battle that has lasted for more than four years, Broadview Energy’s application for the farm,We are responsible for emergency light and illuminated signs and bollards on our roads. on land close to Bishops Itchington and Knightcote, was rejected by Stratford District Council’s planning committee last Tuesday.
Having received around 1,500 letters of objection, including from Coventry Airport, the Ramblers Association and Warwickshire County Council’s archaeology department, council officials had encouraged councillors to vote against the plans.
Their unanimous decision, at the end of a two-hour meeting, centred around the view that the turbines would have been a blight on the landscape - in particular to the Burton Dassett beacon tower, that three homes would have suffered an “unpleasantly overwhelming and unavoidable presence” and that the farm would have had a “significant negative impact” on archaeological finds at the site that date back to the Roman period.Our most compact solar garden light yet fits easily in any bag.
There was also concern over unresolved safety issues on how the turbines would impact on air traffic at Coventry Airport and the fact that the wind farm could have potentially interfered with a telecommunications microwave link.
Around 200 people attended the meeting - while many more were able to watch it live online.Support for installing a solar inverter. Among those at the meeting was John Bolton, a member of campaign group Feldon Residents and Wind farm Turbines (Frawt), who said: “There were tears of joy at the end of the meeting. You can see the enormous amount of local feeling there is here.
“The biggest issue was that people did not want the Burton Dassett hills to be spoilt. This is an important Warwickshire resource.”
Olly Buck, Broadview’s development manager, said: “Obviously we are disappointed. We have worked closely with the council’s planning officers over a number of years to achieve a suitable design and we had hoped that this would lead to a recommendation for approval.
“We believe the site has the potential to make an important contribution towards Government targets for renewable energy generation and the transition towards a low carbon economy,We provide laser engraving machine and engraving machines for processing different materials. so we will seek to immediately lodge an appeal.”
Students and teachers of Kalindi College, Delhi University, have come up with an innovative way to harness wind energy produced by Metro trains.
The project,Solar and electric solar panel cells systems are easy to install and economical to operate. a part of the university’s Innovation Projects Scheme, aims to use the high speed winds produced by trains, as they move, for electricity.
The team, which consists of 10 students and two teachers, has proposed using small turbines that are placed strategically to tap the energy.
A turbine has a rotator with blades attached to it. When the wind strikes the blades, they start moving and mechanical energy is produced. This mechanical energy is then converted into electrical energy which can be stored in batteries.
Naval Air Station Fort Worth is starting new programs
Energy
costs, after all, have long been fixed and lumped into the cost of base
housing. But this spring, those 80 or so families will assume
responsibility for their own energy consumption, paying more for
higher-than-average use -- or getting a rebate check for efficiency.
The program was created after research found that residents used far less energy when utilities were not included in their rent.
"It changes the mindset," said Nelson Cowan, housing installation program manager at the base. "This gets them thinking about things like not leaving the A/C running on high all day if they aren't going to be home."
The base's utility expenses -- electric, natural gas, water and sewer -- in fiscal 2011-12 were $4 million.
This latest program is one of the many initiatives the military has enacted in an effort to become more energy-efficient and reserve money previously spent on utilities for war-fighting readiness. Conservation efforts have ranged in recent years from installation of solar panels and wind turbines to water-efficient toilets and motion-activated lights. And more changes are coming.
Power at the base was out most of a recent Monday for installation of a new wireless gas and electric metering system. When completed, most large base buildings will have new meters transmitting detailed consumption information to a central server, said Lt. Commander Craig Shellerud, public works officer.
"We want to know when we are seeing the spikes in demand," said Nelson Wells, the installation energy manager for the base. "What time of day is the energy being used, what are they using.The pre-assembled Solar carport can be installed and fitted from above to any desired point on the channel. ... Once you know that, you get a better idea of how you can reduce your consumption."
The Fort Worth base has generally reduced its energy consumption from the mid-2000s, though spikes occur during extraordinarily hot summers or frigid winters, officials said.
"The elephant in the room is the weather,Shop the best selection of men's stainless steel necklace and pendants." Wells said. "You can take all these steps toward energy efficiency, but you can't control an extremely hot summer."
In 2009, the base signed an energy savings performance contract with a company to provide more than $7 million in infrastructure upgrades.
The conservation program in base housing was piloted three years ago in Hawaii and at Parris Island, S.C.I have tried several sets of torch light that have lasted one season only. It cut electricity usage by almost 10 percent and saved more than $1 million, which was to be reinvested to improve base homes and neighborhoods, the Navy said.
In Fort Worth, housing residents are currently receiving "mock bills" that show how their utility usage compares with average use for their type of housing. A buffer of about 10 percent is applied above and below that average. Residents whose usage is above the buffer will pay more; those under it will pay less.a full range of cylinder heated long lasting flatwork ironer. If their usage is within the buffer then they don't pay extra or get a rebate, Cowan said.
Electricity use already runs a little high in base housing because the units were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s and have little insulation.
"I suppose once some have to start paying they may kick a little," he said. "But we'll come out and do a survey of the house to see what is sucking up electricity." The base's efforts at green energy have produced varying results.
The Navy installed two small wind turbines to provide power for a warehouse but has no immediate plans to install more, Wells said. The location in the nearby river basin was not ideal, but the base was limited in other places to them.Suppliers of the widest range of industrial and commercial industrial washing machine.
The program was created after research found that residents used far less energy when utilities were not included in their rent.
"It changes the mindset," said Nelson Cowan, housing installation program manager at the base. "This gets them thinking about things like not leaving the A/C running on high all day if they aren't going to be home."
The base's utility expenses -- electric, natural gas, water and sewer -- in fiscal 2011-12 were $4 million.
This latest program is one of the many initiatives the military has enacted in an effort to become more energy-efficient and reserve money previously spent on utilities for war-fighting readiness. Conservation efforts have ranged in recent years from installation of solar panels and wind turbines to water-efficient toilets and motion-activated lights. And more changes are coming.
Power at the base was out most of a recent Monday for installation of a new wireless gas and electric metering system. When completed, most large base buildings will have new meters transmitting detailed consumption information to a central server, said Lt. Commander Craig Shellerud, public works officer.
"We want to know when we are seeing the spikes in demand," said Nelson Wells, the installation energy manager for the base. "What time of day is the energy being used, what are they using.The pre-assembled Solar carport can be installed and fitted from above to any desired point on the channel. ... Once you know that, you get a better idea of how you can reduce your consumption."
The Fort Worth base has generally reduced its energy consumption from the mid-2000s, though spikes occur during extraordinarily hot summers or frigid winters, officials said.
"The elephant in the room is the weather,Shop the best selection of men's stainless steel necklace and pendants." Wells said. "You can take all these steps toward energy efficiency, but you can't control an extremely hot summer."
In 2009, the base signed an energy savings performance contract with a company to provide more than $7 million in infrastructure upgrades.
The conservation program in base housing was piloted three years ago in Hawaii and at Parris Island, S.C.I have tried several sets of torch light that have lasted one season only. It cut electricity usage by almost 10 percent and saved more than $1 million, which was to be reinvested to improve base homes and neighborhoods, the Navy said.
In Fort Worth, housing residents are currently receiving "mock bills" that show how their utility usage compares with average use for their type of housing. A buffer of about 10 percent is applied above and below that average. Residents whose usage is above the buffer will pay more; those under it will pay less.a full range of cylinder heated long lasting flatwork ironer. If their usage is within the buffer then they don't pay extra or get a rebate, Cowan said.
Electricity use already runs a little high in base housing because the units were built in the late 1940s and early 1950s and have little insulation.
"I suppose once some have to start paying they may kick a little," he said. "But we'll come out and do a survey of the house to see what is sucking up electricity." The base's efforts at green energy have produced varying results.
The Navy installed two small wind turbines to provide power for a warehouse but has no immediate plans to install more, Wells said. The location in the nearby river basin was not ideal, but the base was limited in other places to them.Suppliers of the widest range of industrial and commercial industrial washing machine.
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