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Monday, May 31, 2010

Environment - Indiana is a leader in wind turbines, but the pace is slowing

Bruce C. Smith of the Indianapolis Star writes today:

his year, construction of about 300 megawatts of new wind power electricity -- mostly expansions of the Meadow Lake and Fowler Ridge wind farms in White and Benton counties -- has been approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

However, looking beyond 2010, the IURC has just one application for a wind farm under review. If approved, the Spartan Wind Farm phase 1 by Duke Energy Generation Services would generate 101 megawatts of power on a Newton County site due to open in early 2011.

One megawatt of power is enough electricity for 225 to 300 households for a year.* * *

The state has been attractive for wind development because the towering turbines are welcomed in many communities, access to connect with the regional power grid is relatively easy, and the state has suitable, windy areas, according to a study.

"We sort of started from near zero, so the increase seems pretty great," said Eric Burch of the Indiana Office of Energy Development. "It will continue to be a robust development."
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About $2.1 billion has been invested in Indiana wind power, which includes at least $271 million in local spending, according to Travis Murphy, program manager for renewable energy for the state energy development office. The state now has about 616 utility-sized wind turbines.

The timing of the investments gave a boost to communities in Northern Indiana during the national economic downturn, developers said.

An additional $1.1 billion in projects have state approval, according to state figures, and about 16 Indiana counties have reported interest from wind farm developers in erecting additional turbines in their areas, state officials said.

Yet Indiana lawmakers have not adopted a renewable energy goal. Brown said neighboring Ohio has a goal of 12.5 percent by 2025, and Illinois set 25 percent by 2025.

"That lack of policy is, in part, why we are seeing a slowdown" in more wind farms, he said.

From an editorial in the April 25, 2010 Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
Indiana’s lack of laws regulating renewable energy standards and net metering puts Hoosiers at a distinct disadvantage, especially for wind power. Net metering laws require power companies to buy renewably generated power and give discounts to customers who generate their own electricity.

Most of the wind farms being built in Indiana are going up near the state lines because neighboring states encourage alternative energy production and make it easier for alternative energy companies to connect to electric grids. The [U.S.] Senate bill will likely include a national renewable energy standard requiring utilities to get at least 25 percent of their power from renewable sources (wind, solar, biomass) by 2025 and invest in energy conservation projects.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on May 31, 2010 02:16 PM
Posted to Environment