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Wind Energy Industry: Turbines Power Down Energy Prices
September 26, 2012
DES MOINES, Iowa - Home and business energy costs have been falling in the Midwest - and the wind industry is claiming partial credit. While it's a win for consumers, says Bob Fagen, a senior associate at Synapse Energy Economics, other energy sectors aren't pleased, and that's why they've begun a campaign to try to derail renewal of the wind-production tax credit, which is pending in Congress. "When the wind is built and is available, it runs. When it runs, that generally means that natural gas-fired or coal-fired plants do not run. So, it puts downward pressure on prices." Iowa's wind-power production is at more than 4,500 megawatts - enough for about 1.1 million homes. The production tax credit has been in place for about 20 years, and has seen bipartisan support, although this year it's being debated on the campaign trail. Fagen says the wind-production tax credit isn't a loan or a "freebie" because there is no benefit until after production happens - and that means manufacturing jobs. "The real issue is that wind is a clean, inexpensive energy resource - homegrown - and it makes a ton of sense to continue to promote the wind industry." Exelon Corp. is urging that the credit be discontinued, saying government funding should go to research and not production of components.
Richard Alan, Public News Service - IA
The Iowa Wind Energy Association and 10 co-sponsors present Iowa Wind Energy Day at the World’s Greatest County Fair on Sunday, September 9, 2012. The day will focus on Iowa’s national leadership in the wind energy industry and will provide educational and interactive exhibits to explain the industry to fairgoers.
Iowa is the first state in the nation to exceed 20% of all electrical generation from wind, is first in the number of wind related jobs and wind manufacturing businesses. Landowners in Iowa are paid an annual lease payment for each turbine on their land and receive a combined $14.5 million annually. Property tax assessed value in counties with wind turbines has increased by almost $3 billion dollars providing increased tax revenues to county and school district budgets annually.
The wind energy organizations and businesses co-sponsoring Iowa Wind Energy Day include Anemometry Specialists, American Wind Energy Association, Rock Island Clean Line Transmission, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, ITC Midwest, EDP Renewables, USDA Rural Development, KidWind, Northwest Iowa Community College and NextEra Energy Resources. All co-sponsors and the Iowa Wind Energy Association will have informative and educational exhibits available just south of the Events Center and between the midway and grandstand.
Stop by our exhibits and sign up for door prizes, receive free wind energy promotional items, view an actual turbine’s operation, see high voltage protective equipment, bid at our silent auction, talk to wind farm developers, operation and maintenance workers and educators about opportunities in the wind energy industry. You can see a small wind turbine display, learn about grants available for wind turbine projects and see high voltage DC electrical components.
West Branch,IA–ACCIONA Windpower today announced that it will install two of its AW-3000/116, 3MW wind turbines this year in Cedar County, Iowa. The groundbreaking project, called Pioneer Grove, will be the first installation of the game-changing machine in North America.
“The AW-3000 turbines at Pioneer Grove will produce more power, more efficiently than anything we‘ve installed before.” said Joe Baker, CEO of ACCIONA Windpower North America. “With technology like the AW-3000, we can drive down energy costs and begin to take full advantage of our clean energy resources.”
The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm is located nearest to the town of Mechanicsville, Iowa. Construction is expected to be complete in the second half of 2012. The renewable energy power plant has a long-term power purchase agreement with Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO).
In 2011 ACCIONA introduced the enhanced AW-3000 machine with a 116-meter rotor diameter. The product launch touted the machine’s industry-leading power curve and the best cost of energy at sites with medium wind speeds, as well as its exceptional performance at almost any site, globally.
The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm will utilize two different tower technologies, which are both suitable for the AW-3000. One tower will be constructed to a height of 92 meters, using steel, while the other tower uses an innovative concrete solution and will reach a height of 100 meters.
The Pioneer Grove Wind Farm is less than 20 miles from ACCIONA’s wind turbine assembly plant in West Branch, Iowa. The facility employs more than 100 workers to assemble Acciona wind turbines.
“The State of Iowa is a great place to do business,” said Baker. “Governor Branstad, Iowa Economic Development Authority Director Debi Durham, and the leaders of Cedar and Johnson Counties have set new standards for how government and business can work together to achieve the common goals of creating new jobs and clean energy for Iowa and Iowans.”