Wind Power In The United States
Wind power in the United States is a growing industry. As of January 2007 the United States wind power capacity exceeded 11,600 MW which is enough to serve three million average households.
The largest wind farms operating in the U.S. are: Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center, TX (736 MW), FPL Energy; Maple Ridge Wind Farm, NY (322 MW), PPM Energy/Horizon Wind Energy; Stateline Wind Project, OR & WA (300 MW), FPL Energy; King Mountain Wind Farm, TX (281 MW), FPL Energy; and Sweetwater Wind Farm, TX (264 MW), Babcock & Brown/Catamount
Wind industry growth
The wind industry installed 1,524 turbines in 2006, with a total generating capacity of 2,454 MW, bringing the average capacity to 1.6 MW. With 764 units installed, the GE Energy 1.5-MW turbine is still the most widely installed. The second most widely installed in 2006 is the Siemens 2.3-MW, with 249 units installed. Largest wind turbines installed were from Vestas, Siemens, Gamesa and Suzlon.
States with most wind capacity installed are:
Texas (3,352 MW)
California (2,376 MW)
Iowa (967 MW)
Minnesota (897 MW)
Washington (818 MW)
Iowa and Minnesota look likely to rise above 1,000 MW in 2007.
Over 4,500 MW of wind power projects are presently under construction in the U.S., according to reports from American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) member companies
Wind power costs
When the wind industry began in California in the early 1980s, wind-generated electricity cost 38¢ per kilowatt-hour. Since then it has dropped to 4¢ or below at the best wind sites, and some U.S. long-term supply contracts have been signed for 3¢ per kilowatt-hour. Wind farms at prime sites may be generating electricity at 2-3¢ per kilowatt-hour by 2010, making it one of the world’s most economical sources of electricity.
Energy consultant Harry Braun has pointed out that wind turbines have an electrical generator, a gearbox, an electronic control system, and a brake, so they can be mass-produced on assembly lines in a similar way to automobiles. Indeed, the slack in the U.S. automobile industry is sufficient to produce a million wind turbines per year. The lower cost associated with mass production could drop the cost of wind-generated electricity to around 2¢ per kilowatt-hour
Additional income for farmers
There is considerable competition for wind farms among farmers in places like Iowa or ranchers in Colorado. Farmers, with no investment on their part, typically receive $3,000–5,000 per year in royalties from the local utility for siting a single, large, advanced-design wind turbine, which occupies a quarter-acre of land. This land would produce 40 bushels of corn worth $120 or, in ranch country, beef worth perhaps $15. In coming years, thousands of ranchers could be earning more from electricity sales than from cattle sales. In addition to the additional income, tax revenue, and jobs that wind farms bring, money spent on electricity generated from wind farms stays in the community, creating a ripple effect throughout the local economy
Aesthetics and the environment
Landscape and ecological issues may be significant for some wind farm proposals. However, when appropriate planning procedures for site selection are followed, environmental problems should be minimal. Some people may still object to wind farms, but their concerns should be weighed against the need to address the threats posed by climate change and the opinions of the broader community.
Worldwide experience has shown that community consultation and direct involvement of the general public in wind farm projects has helped to increase community approval, and some wind farms overseas have become tourist attractions.
Intrepid Wind Farm
The Intrepid Wind Farm, in Iowa, is an example of one wind farm where the environmental impact of the project has been minimized through consultation and co-operation:
“Making sure the wind farm made as gentle an environmental impact as possible was an important consideration. Therefore, when MidAmerican first began planning the Intrepid site, they worked closely with a number of state and national environmental groups. Using input from such diverse groups as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Nature Conservancy, Iowa State University, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, MidAmerican created a statewide map of areas in the proposed region that contained specific bird populations or habitats. Those areas were then avoided as site planning got underway in earnest. In order to minimize the wind farm’s environmental impact even further, MidAmerican also worked in conjunction with the Army Corp of Engineers, to secure all necessary permits related to any potential risk to wetlands in the area. Regular inspections are also conducted to make certain that the wind farm is causing no adverse environmental impact to the region.”
Nantucket Sound Wind Farm
The proposed Nantucket Sound Wind Farm continues to make headlines and attract political attention. The proposed offshore wind farm is to be located on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound off Cape Cod in Massachusetts. If the project moves forward on schedule, it would become one of the first offshore wind farms in the United States.
Sources:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_in_the_United_States