WindPower 2009 – Not everything in Illinois is Coal, Oil and Uranium

Posted on May 5, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

I almost missed this. Tisk, Tisk Tisk…I got the lead from the UK…more Tisk Tisk or would that be Cluck Cluck

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/green-energy-experts-breeze-into-chicago-14291552.html

Green energy experts breeze into Chicago

Nine local companies are in the US this week to attend the world’s largest wind energy exhibition and conference.

They are taking part in an Invest NI trip to Windpower 2009, which runs until Thursday in Chicago. It is the first time companies from Northern Ireland have exhibited at the event, which has grown steadily since it was first run in 2001 by the American Wind Energy Association.

Around 15,000 leading industry professionals and decision makers from across the globe will come together to profile and learn about the latest developments and technologies in the sector.

Invest NI is supporting six local organisations to exhibit at the event alongside 10 other European companies, as part of a unique collaborative umbrella group Global Wind Alliance.

A further three local companies are attending the event with Invest NI assistance to explore possible new business opportunities and network with exhibiting companies.

Dr Vicky Kell, Invest NI’s trade director, said: “The global wind energy market is growing rapidly as governments seek to make use of this renewable source of power. In the US alone, the target is for 20% of electricity to be generated from wind by 2030.

I think it is pretty cool that the Windy City is the site for the Wind Power Convention BUT the Windy City don’t:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-tue-greising-wind-may05,0,1462917.column

Don’t need a law to know which way the wind blows

David Greising

May 5, 2009

They have come here by the thousands, to the Windy City, to soak in a belief that wind is the power of the future, and that, just in case others do not see it that way, the law should make it so.

They are the wind-power industry, and they want us. They want us as customers, for starters. So far, so good.

But they also want us to sign on to a program that would invite the federal government to get involved in a system that is working quite well on its own. Not a good idea.

It is one thing for President Barack Obama to say that 20 percent of our nation’s electricity should come from renewable sources by 2030. It is quite another to draft a federal law to make it so.

David Greising Bio | E-mail | Recent columns

Gob Knob Was SO CoooooooL – It was amazing to just walk right up to a 300 ft. Turbine and go inside

Posted on April 29, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

Many things to report about the trip. First I thought the Turbine was in Sangamon County. All the press always called the location as “south of Auburn”. Well yah but it is not even in Sangamon County. It is WAY south of Auburn like 3 exits. So I am driving down I 55 looking for this 360 ft. tower and not finding it. I almost turned back. This is no big deal but since it is all the way down at the Morrisonville exit in Montgomery County some journalist could have said so. I mean it is no big deal but geez:

http://www.sj-r.com/archive/x497776679/-Gob-nob-wind-turbine-to-begin-spinning

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Photos

T.J. Salsman/The State Journal-Register Work on the wind turbine 30 miles south of Springfield has gone fairly quickly for the past few weeks.

Related Links

Wind power by state (01/04/09)
Macoupin County considers wind turbines to diversify economic base (01/04/09)
Economic crisis slows wind-power boom (01/04/09)

By TIM LANDIS (tim.landis@sj-r.com)

THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Posted Jan 04, 2009 @ 12:13 AM

FARMERSVILLE — Dave White was reminded during construction why a hilltop just off Interstate 55 south of Springfield was selected as the site for a wind turbine that is expected to begin churning out electricity this week.

“One of the drawbacks (to completing the erection of the turbine) was that we couldn’t get the wind to stop blowing,” said White, one of 300 customers of the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative of Auburn about to keep the lights on with the aid of wind-blown power.

The co-op has approximately 5,500 members in Montgomery, Sangamon, Morgan, Macoupin and Christian counties.

It has been more than two years since plans were announced for the “gob knob” wind turbine, named after the pile of “gob,” or coal waste, from a Freeman United Mine that operated at the site from 1951 to 1971.

The area 30 miles south of Springfield is part of the Freeman Mine State Wildlife Habitat Area and remains a popular seasonal hunting spot.

Equipment backlogs — the turbine was shipped from the Netherlands, and the blades from Mexico — repeatedly postponed the $1.8 million project after a ceremonial groundbreaking in the fall of 2006.

The difficulty in obtaining equipment in competition with major wind farms also resulted in downsizing of the original plans for a turbine that would have supplied up to 500 homes.

So when we finally found it, it was awesome…I know I am not much of an adjectives kind guy but the thing is best viewed from about a mile away. The closer you get the more you crank your neck and you lose all sense of detail. Not only that but the wind was a howling 40 miles an hour. Blade rotation 25 rpms.? Still it was only producing 75,0000 kilowatts out of the 90,000 it could produce:

http://www.recc.coop/

Open House April 25 !

“Gob Nob” Wind Turbine ProjectThe Gob Nob project is a unique partnership between RECC and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which owns the land near Farmersville where the 900-kilowatt wind turbine is located.

Central Illinois is not blessed with the “prime” wind speed sites that can be found in the Peoria, Bloomington and Quincy areas. However, there are some specific locations in our area that can provide moderate wind resources. The Gob Nob site is one of those, where a 60-foot pile of coal tailings covers about 14 acres at the former Crown I coal mine . This extra height gives us access to the higher wind speeds needed to generate electricity almost every hour of the year.

The DNR has made this site available to our cooperative to enable us to generate clean, renewable energy for use by our members. All electricity produced by the turbine is fed through our Farmersville substation to power up to 370 homes and farms in the surrouding countryside.

Drivers on Interstate 55 south of Springfield can see the 900-kw turbine for miles from Exit 72, where they can stop for a closer look and visit the information kiosk to be installed at the base of the hill.

The turbine tower was constructed in late December of 2008, and commercial start-up was completed in early March of 2009. To see photos of the construction process, click here.

It was also really quiet. I need to go back sometime when it is a little less windy. I did not hear the “swoop swoop” noise that residents complain about…nor did I notice any “flicker” effect that all NIMBY’s report. That is not to say that they don’t exist. This machine this visit I did not witness it. Quite the opposite – they stopped it while we were inline to see the innards and I never noticed it. One minute it was going real fast the next it was stopped. They have been having bearing problems. The one big bearing that it sits on has been overheating and it has to be stopped to cool down. The manufacturer says that it will seat itself in a couple of months.

http://windforillinois.blogspot.com/

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Gov. Pat Quinn to Attend Wind Turbine Dedication Monday

FARMERSVILLE — More than two years after then-Lt. Gov. Quinn attended a ceremonial groundbreaking for the “Gob Knob” Wind Turbing east of Farmersville, now-Gov. Quinn will return to the site Monday to dedicate the unit.The turbine, just off Interstate 55 about 30 miles south of Springfield, began generating power last month for the Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative at Auburn. The project was delayed by the difficulty of purchasing the tower and turbine as worldwide demand has increased for wind-generated energy.

“Gob knob” is taken from the turbine’s location atop a hill created by coal waste at the reclaimed mine site. A public open house is scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. next Saturday.

Read the full story here…

I never thought I would get a chance to steal from friend Will Reynolds, but here yah go. The final thing I will say for now was that the turnout was overwhelming. I pay attention to things like publicity profile, and expected numbers at events. The coop only has 5000 members or so. When we got to the tent that RECC had set up, there were dozens of people in and around the tent…3 full vans headed up the hill and probably 50-60 people inline up at the turbine. When I signed the book it was full and the staff had people writing their names on the blank BACKS of the pages. This attendence was generated from a little notice in the SJ-R and an even smaller notice in the Illinois Times. The attendance was totally off the chart. When I got out of the van at the top of the hill I said, “how does it feel to be on the wave of the future”. The Driver said, “pretty good actually”. I think I will leave it at that.

http://www.thereisaway.us/2009/04/closed_coal_mine_sprouts_wind.html

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

I made a random stop during a road trip when I saw the new wind turbine off I-55 near Farmersville Illinois. I had heard about it being built but this was my first time seeing it. The ribbon cutting was April 20, just a few days after I went by.

I took a few pictures. They’re all pretty large if you click on them.

The turbine is at the site of a closed coal mine. The Hillsboro paper tells us:
The 230-foot turbine sits on top of a 60-foot gob pile at the former Freeman Crown 1 Coal Mine, which closed in 1971.
The site was covered with a layer of clay soil in 1991 and planted with a mix of grasses for wildlife cover, and donated to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources in 1995.

Oh I hear the grassland bird hunting is pretty good too.

Gob Nob Wind Turbine And CES Poker Scoot – What a weekend

Posted on April 27, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

What a weekend. I went to the Gob Nob open house on Saturday and We staged Community Energy Systems first annual fundraiser, Springfield Scooter Club’s, Poker Scoot. Much more will follow. I have a dentist appointment this morning so all I can record here and now is how EXCITED I was by both.

Gob Nob was amazing. The wind was gusting to 40 miles an hour. The turbine was pumping at 25 rotations per minute and generating 75,000 kilowatts. That was still 20,000 kilowatts SHORT of its top capacity. It was real quiet contrary to critics. We got to go inside!!! More later.

Sunday was the Poker Scoot. The wind was gusting to 30 miles an hour. What a challenge. There we were at Grab-A-Java at 2:00 pm with the wind ripping the registration forms from our hands. Still it was a blast. 5 stops, 5 cards and a winning hand. Springfield to Rochester to Chatham and back to Springfield again. NO Casualities! We raised some dough and some consciousness and made the TV. Yahoo. No wait that is trademarked. Whooo Hoo…Much more later.

The Best Blow Job Ever – Residential wind generation, the perfect balance to solar

Posted on February 24, 2009 by Doug Nicodemus

The saying is, “the wind blows when the sun goes down”. While this is a definite over simplification, it is true that on average there is more surface wind generated during off peak solar hours and so, if you are a battery user a small wind turbine makes perfect sense. In this area there have been amazing improvements in both efficiency and looks.

http://www.abundantre.com/

ABUNDANT RENEWABLE ENERGY (ARE) wind generators are as strong as you’ll find anywhere. Designed for harsh climates, they are built simply and ruggedly to quietly last. ARE machines have a large swept area to capture more wind and produce more energy, especially in low wind speeds. These machines produce energy in the winds you get, day in and day out… Power when you need it, not just in storms.

These dealers/manufacturers are presented alphabetically with no regard to reliability or generating capabilities:

www.aerostarwind.com

The Aerostar 6 Meter Wind Turbine is the result of 25 years of design experience, testing and turbine installations throughout the U.S. The turbine is simple, rugged and efficient, particularly at low wind speeds. The turbine is also very quiet at all wind speeds. The induction generator interfaces directly with the utility grid. There is no complicated and expensive inverter. Best of all, because the turbine incorporates the latest technology, efficient structural design and use of high quality materials, the cost of the system is well below that of competing U.S. produced turbines. Here are some turbine features.

First there is big and tall, then there is cute and small:

http://www.avinc.com/ce_product_details.asp?Prodid=52

View Map of Project Locations

AV’s small, modular wind turbine solution is designed to provide an attractive, kinetic, clean energy generating solution that integrates easily into new and existing commercial buildings. Whereas solar thermal and solar photovoltaic systems are typically located on top of roofs, out of sight, Architectural Wind™ provides a visible, compelling and architecturally enhancing statement of the building’s commitment to renewable energy.

Unlike other small wind turbine designs, Architectural Wind™ combines the functional with the aesthetic to create the first modular and architecturally enhancing small wind turbine system. AV’s patented design and innovative positioning method takes advantage of the natural acceleration in wind speed resulting from the building’s aerodynamic properties. This accelerated wind speed can increase the turbines’ electrical power generation by more than 50% compared to the power generation that would result from systems situated outside of the acceleration zone. The sleek and modular units also operate with less noise and vibration compared to conventional wind turbine designs.

This is the favorite of many large users. It’s durable too:

http://www.bergey.com/

Bergey Windpower is one of the world’s leading suppliers of small wind turbines. With 30 years experience, installations in all 50 U.S. States and more than 100 countries, and an international network of 500 dealers, we have the products and experience to put the wind to work for you.

At Bergey Windpower, we take pride in offering advanced-technology products that let homeowners and businesses generate their own clean power and even spin their utility meter backwards. Our turbines are also used for off-grid homes, for rural electrification, and to boost the performance of solar electric systems.

Four more tomorrow.

Hydrokinetic Turbines Are Another Arrow In The Green Quiver – Side hung generators should be in every stream in America

Posted on December 26, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

This starting to feel like Christmas:

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/12/hydrokinetic.html

Nation’s First ‘Underwater Wind Turbine’ Installed in Old Man River

By Alexis Madrigal December 22, 2008

The nation’s first commercial hydrokinetic turbine, which harnesses the power from moving water without the construction of a dam, has splashed into the waters of the Mississippi River near Hastings, Minnesota. The 35-kilowatt turbine is positioned downstream from an existing hydroelectric-plant dam and — together with another turbine to be installed soon — will increase the capacity of the plant by more than 5 percent. The numbers aren’t big, but the rig’s installation could be the start of an important trend in green energy.And that could mean more of these “wind turbines for the water” will be generating clean energy soon.“We don’t require that massive dam construction, we’re just using the natural flow of the stream,” said Mark Stover, a vice president at Hydro Green Energy, the Houston-based company leading the project. “It’s underwater windpower if you will, but we have 840 or 850 times the energy density of wind.”Hydrokinetic turbines like those produced by Hydro Green and Verdant capture the mechanical energy of the water’s flow and turn it into energy, without need for a dam. The problem for companies like Hydro Green is that their relatively low-impact turbines are forced into the same regulatory bucket as huge hydroelectric dams. The regulatory hurdles have made it difficult to actually get water flowing through projects.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has oversight of all projects that involve making power from water, and the agency has recently shown signs of easing up on this new industry. In the meantime, the first places where hydrokinetic power makes in impact could be at existing dam sites where the regulatory red tape has already been cut.

Another approach by Verdant:

http://www.verdantpower.com/

And yet another approach:

http://www.hydrovolts.com/Main%20Pages/Hydrokinetic%20Turbines.htm

State of River Energy Technology”

Jahangir Khan, Powertech Labs, British Columbia, Canada. 2006.Based on the available formal literature, the very first example of river turbine that was developed and field tested is attributed to Peter Garman. An initiative by the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) in 1978 resulted in the so-called Garman Turbine specifically meant for water pumping and irrigation. Within a period of four years, a total of nine prototypes were built and tested in Juba, Sudan on the White Nile totaling 15, 500 running hours. Experience gained during this venture indicated favorable technical and economical outcome. Initial designs had a floating pontoon with completely submerged vertical axis turbine, moored to a post on the bank. Later designs consisted of an inclined horizontal axis turbine with almost similar floatation and mooring system. Detailed investigation on a low cost water pumping unit indicated 7% overall efficiency and concluded with emphasis on societal and cost issues. More recent commercial ventures resulting from this work are being pursued by Thropton Energy Services, Marlec Engineering Co. Ltd. , and CADDET Center for Renewable Energy.

SeaGen – Need I say more?

Posted on December 24, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

A generation ago those of us in the alternative energy world, utility policy and energy conservation had a one word battle cry. Hood River. The town in Oregon that demonstrated many of the priniciples that we had fought for and Energy Corporate America had fought against. Well SeaGen is one of THOSE.

http://ecoscraps.com/2008/04/06/animation-seagen-tidal-power-turbine/

SeaGen Shatters Tidal Power Generation Record

Written by Timothy B. Hurst

Published on December 18th, 2008

Posted in alternative energy

Since its inception, we have been keeping a close eye on Marine Current Turbine’s SeaGen project in the UK, the world’s first commercial scale tidal stream turbine. Well, today there is more big news to report from the strong tidal flows of Strangford Lough as SeaGen has generated at its maximum capacity of 1.2MW for the first time. Thus far, this is the highest power produced by a tidal stream system anywhere in the world and exceeds the previous highest output of 300kW produced in 2004 by the company’s earlier SeaFlow system, off the north Devon coast.

Generating at full power is an important milestone for the company, and in particular our in-house engineering team. We are very pleased with SeaGen’s performance during commissioning,” said Martin Wright, Managing Director of Marine Current Turbines (MCT). “It demonstrates, for the first time, the commercial potential of tidal energy as a viable alternative source of renewable energy.”

According to company officials, now that SeaGen has reached full power it will move towards full-operating mode for periods of up to 22 hours a day, with regular inspections and performance testing undertaken as part of the project’s development program.

Or You can go to the website itself:

http://www.seageneration.co.uk/

Welcome to the SeaGen

Project Website

SeaGen is the name given to the 1.2MW tidal energy convertor that will be installed in Strangford Lough in April 2008. Sea Generation Ltd is the project company which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marine Current Turbines Ltd. SeaGen has been has been licensed for a maximum installed duration of 5 years.

Marine Current Turbines Ltd have been operating the 300kW Seaflow tidal energy system at Lynmouth, Devon since May 2003 and are recognised as being one of the worlds leading tidal energy system developers.

Suzlon S. 88 Wind Turbine Has A History of Failure

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

I wish I had a web Sitation for the orginal story that caught my attention, but I can not find it on the web. The actual story ran in the State Journal Register on November 29 in the business section titled “Bureau board bans S88 turbines written by Karen Newey of the Gatehouse News Service.

I find sitations for in here:

http://www.windaction.org/news/18748

and here:

http://www.pjstar.com/news/x81180400/Bureau-County-bans-companys-turbines-after-blade-breaks

By KAREN NEWBY

OF THE JOURNAL STAR

Posted Nov 11, 2008 @ 07:48 PM

Last update Nov 12, 2008 @ 08:11 PM

Editor’s note: The Bureau County Board this week voted to not allow Walnut Ridge Wind LLC to use S88 turbines produced by India-based Suzlon on seven turbines located in Bureau, Manlius and Walnut townships. The board approved conditional use permits for those turbines. The information was incorrect from a story in some editions of Wednesday’s paper.PRINCETON — Bureau County officials want to try and ensure that a wind turbine failure like what was experienced on a farm southwest of Wyanet last month doesn’t happen again.The Bureau County Board this week voted not to allow future wind farm developments to use the S88 type turbines produced by India-based Suzlon Energy.”I am personally making the motion (to exclude Suzlon) due to the uncertainty of their turbines,” ESDA and zoning committee Chairman Bill Bennett told the board at its meeting Monday. Bennett later amended his motion to the S88 model.

The request comes after a 140-foot fiberglass blade weighing 6 1/2 tons broke off at the stem where the blade connects to the turbine and crashed to the ground Oct. 22 on farmland leased by AgriWind LLC, which operates a small-scale wind farm composed of four 3.1 megawatt turbines. The turbines apparently had a defect, and Suzlon officials said the blades on all four turbines were scheduled to be replaced.

This is not the first time that Turbine has had blade problems:

http://www.windaction.org/pictures/14798

Suzlon S88 turbine failure

October, 2006
Credits: Scott Riddlemoser

Description:

Catastrophic equipment failure at the wind energy facility near Lake Wilson, MN in September and November 2006.

To read more about these failures:

energyfacilities.puc.state.mn.us/documents/18946/CFERS%20recon%201.pdf

There are net hints that they had trouble in Germany as well, but how big is the problem?

http://www.articlearchives.com/north-america/united-states/1713929-1.html

Suzlon to provide Rs 100 cr for retrofit program in Q4.

Publication: The Economic Times
Date: Tuesday, March 4 2008

MUMBAI: Suzlon Energy has reported retrofit program to resolve blade cracking issues discovered during the operations of S88 turbines in the US. The retrofit program involves the structural strengthening of 1,251 blades on S-88 turbines, of which 930 blades are already installed while the remaining blades are in transit.

The retrofit program will be carried out by maintaining a rolling stock of temporary replacement blades, to minimize the downtime for operational turbines, and will completed in six months. The total estimated cost of the retrofit program is at Rs 100 crore, for which a provision will be made in Q4 of FY08.

Vertical Wind Turbines Go Wild – Stripped down bare and undulating in the wind

Posted on June 11, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

The big breasted modern urban turbines make a man hard as steel. OKOKOKOK so pornography will never sell electricity but the new generation of wind turbines is enough to set the heart aflutter. When I posted on this last year these sexy designs were nowhere to be found.

A New Wind Power Design Good For Rural And Urban Environments
By Zulima Palacio Washington 10 June 2008

New Wind Power / Broadband – Download (WM)
New Wind Power / Broadband – Watch (WM)
New Wind Power / Dialup – Download (WM)
New Wind Power / Dialup – Watch (WM)

Wind power is one of the fastest growing forms of alternative energy in the world. More and more, wind power mills are seen in the countryside, in large wind farms and for the most part, away from city life. But a new form of “wind power” is now designed to work in an urban environment. VOA producer Zulima Palacio has more in this Searching for Solutions report. Mill Arcega narrates.

Wind farms, like these ones in California, are becoming more common in rural areas of the U.S. An industry association says last year, alone, wind power capacity in America grew by 45 percent. Mostly wind power is generated by large propellers that can only be placed in the countryside.

But now, a U.S. company is offering a propeller-free personal windmill that can be set up in city or suburb. The president of Mariah Power, Mike Hess, demonstrates what he calls the “Windspire.”

“This one generates 25 to 30 percent of the power in your house, but if we are building a three kilowatts version, which is only twice the width, same height, then it generates 100 percent of your power requirements,” Hess said.

This new system was part of an environmentally friendly exhibit at the U.S. Botanical Garden in Washington. The design was inspired by a 3,000 year-old windmill the Egyptians used to grind wheat.

The company had the modern version independently tested, here in Utah, to prove it can be competitive with large propellers of traditional windmills.

The large blades have been known to kill birds and bats. And because they move much faster than wind speeds, they can be noisy.

But Hess says the Windspire’s verticle-axis wind turbine is not only very quiet, but also bird-friendly.

“Bird friendly yes, because they only spin at two and a half times the speed of wind, so they can see it.” He explained.

http://ecotality.com/life/category/green-building/

Duval’s hotel won’t have conventional wind turbine – instead, he’s looking at a German-designed vertical axle turbine, thought to be was safer than having a high-speed rotating propeller that could cause serious damage if it became dislodged. The building internal environment also is a factor in the choice, he says. “We are on top of a building. We can not have anything that vibrates or emits sound. It’s got to be very smooth.”

Duval also plans to install a pyramid of solar panels on the roof.

Vertical axis wind turbines are a growing segment of the wind turbine industry. Mercedes Benz recently installed one at one of its facilities in Great Britain.

The company said that the 20m-high turbine, developed by wind energy company Quiet Revolution, was one of only six in operation in the UK and had been designed to work quietly and efficiently in urban environments where the wind direction changes frequently.

Mercedes-Benz plans to use the energy generated to power electric cars and has installed three charging points next to the turbine. It estimated that the installation will generate enough power for 30,000 miles of driving a year using its electric Smart fortwo cars, equivalent to the electricity needed to power two average homes. Wilfried Steffen, president and chief executive of Mercedes-Benz in the UK, said that the installation was part of a project to ultimately generate 10 per cent of the company’s energy onsite through a combination of wind energy, ground-source heat pumps and solar water heating.

From London to New Zealand, vertical axis wind turbines appear to be gaining popularity as a way for just about any business to get in on the generation of power from the wind

And they look so cool:

http://www.bluenergy-ag.net/English/products_wind.html

Bluenergy Solar-Wind-Turbine

BSWT is a vertical wind turbine based on sailing engineering. The wind rotor is rotated by two spiral-formed vanes. For best performance, these vanes are covered in solar cells, so that sun and wind produce electricity as one element. The BSWT installation costs relatively little, produces no noise or significant shadowing, can be easily maintained from ground level, and is an attractive addition to any home.

It doesn’t get any sexier then that.

Even Jay Leno has one:

http://www.ecorazzi.com/2007/05/29/jay-lenos-garage-gets-a-vertical-wind-turbine/

Jay Leno’s Garage Gets A Vertical Wind Turbine

Filed under: green and famous, transport — michael @ 2:37 pm

Popular Mechanics and Jay Leno have been working together on a project to take Jay’s car garage and turn it into a model of sustainability. We covered Jay’s ownership of some of the first electric cars last month and now we’re happy to report that a vertical wind turbine will shortly be joining the solar panels on the roof of his garage.Â From the article,

“[The Turbine] can produce 10 kw at around 28 mph and has a cut-in wind speed of 6 mph. These turbines don’t need a braking mechanism and can self-start at very low wind speeds—something similar designs in the past could never do. They take up very little space, they’re virtually silent, and multiple units can be placed within feet of one another. Delta II units can also be stacked vertically up to 50 kW.”

Vertical wind turbines are a sort of “Holy Grail” for wind energy because they tend to alleviate some of the environmental concerns associated with large scale blade turbines. While Jay’s turbine is still considered small, the design is holding promise for commercial farms. The 500-watt unit Pacwind dropped by his garage with costs just under $3K. For his 17,000-sq-ft. garage, however, a more powerful 10kw version called the Delta II will most likely do the job. This unit comes in at $20K — but with the proper rebates will most likely fall closer to $12K. Granted, Jay’s probably not too concerned with counting pennies.Â

You can take a look at Jay’s progress on his green garage by visiting the Popular Mechanics site here. Of course, we’ll keep you updated on the latest as it zooms into our laps.

Wind Electrical Generation In Illinois – #1 in 2007

Posted on April 23, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

We installed the most generation capacity in the nation in 2007! Yahoo

http://www.illinoiswind.org/news/index.asp

News

Section 9006 Program Funds for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements
Posted 3/7/2008 1:56:33 PMThis message is from Molly Hammond, USDA Rural Development- Illinois, April 7,2008USDA published a notice yesterday (4/6/08)in the Federal Register announcing it is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2008 to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas. Funding will be available in the form of grants, guaranteed loans, and combined guaranteed loans and grant applications. For FY 2008 there is approximately $15.9 million in funding for competitive grants and $205 million in authority for guaranteed loans. Funding for grant and loan combination packages will be funded from the same allocation as loan guarantees.I have attached the Federal Register document to this email. Please read it carefully. Pay particular attention to the mention of the Environmental Assessment. The environmental process should begin right away. Please contact me for information on environmental requirements for specific projects. This year there will be two competitive grant cycles. The first deadline is April 15, 2008. Applications that are not funded in the first competition will automatically be considered under the second competition. Grant applications in the second cycle are due no later than June 16, 2008. Loan applications and grant/loan combination applications will be evaluated on a bi-weekly basis until June 16. These will be funded on a first-come first-serve basis. I would suggest submitting a combination application as soon as possible. Please note that combination applications must score at least 84 points to remain eligible.

Please see the following websites for more information on the program:

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/index.html – Section 9006 website

A copy of the regulation can be found at the above website, but a more reader-friendly version is available at this link: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/regs/pdf/4280b.pdf

Application templates and other useful items can be found at the Environmental Law and Policy Center website. Please note that this is not a USDA Rural Development website.

www.farmenergy.org

http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/provider_search.asp – Link to a list of grant writers.

I look forward to working with you, and feel free to contact me with any questions.

Molly K. Hammond
USDA Rural Development – Illinois
Business Cooperative Specialist
Phone: 217-403-6210
Fax: 217-403-6215

But Illinois is not without resistance.

Rail splitter project may

be caught in turbulence

By TIM LANDIS

BUSINESS EDITOR

tim.landis @sj-r.com

One of the nation’s largest developers of wind energy hopes to have 67 turbines churning out electricity by the end of this year along a stretch of interstate highway about 50 miles north of Springfield.

The $175 million to $200 million Rail Splitter Wind Farm would produce enough power to meet the annual needs of 30,000 homes.

“Assuming we get approval, we hope to begin construction in May and to have the project online by the end of this year,” Bill Whitlock, a project manager for Horizon Wind Energy, said Wednesday.

Whitlock said the company plans to file for a construction permit in Logan County or,-Monday, and already has filed in Tazewell County for the right to build on 11,000 acres of farmland shared by the two counties.

The site is on both sides of Interstate 155 near the community of Delavan, between Lincoln and Peoria. Whitlock said 38 of the 380-to 390-foot towers — the state Capitol, by comparison, is 361 feet to the top of the dome — would be in Tazewell County and 29 would be in Logan County.

Whitlock said the company also continues to negotiate leases with farmers whose land is needed and is exploring markets for the power.

Horizon Energy’s first major project in central Illinois, the 240-turbine Twin Groves Wind Farm near Bloomington, ran into a variety of legal challenges, including from landowners, before it began producing electricity last year. The U.S. Department of Energy r nois at 16 among the top 20 states for wind-energy potential.

But the head of the Illinois Wind Working Group — a consortium of utilities, rural electric cooperatives, farm organizations and economic development agencies — said Wednesday he expects commercial wind farms to remain controversial.

“There are probably going to be lawsuits, and counties really have to be careful to make sure they follow legal procedures,” said David Loomis, who also is an associate professor of economics at Illinois State University in Normal.

Even on a residential scale, wind turbines can be a touchy subject with neighbors, according to Bill Fabian, owner of Midstate Renewable Energy Services in Champaign. The home-based business has sold about a dozen residential turbines the past two years.

“You always have the proximity issue with neighbors who may not be as enthused about wind power as you are,” Fabian said.

He said the typical home unit costs $15,000 to $19,000. The tower is usually 60 feet, tall enough to get above most treetops.

“I think it’s going to remain mostly a niche market for residents who can not only afford it, but have the commitment to make it work,” he said.

Officials in Logan County have estimated the Rail Splitter project could generate about $234,000 in tax revenue the first year. The Tazewell County Zoning Board of Appeals has set three public hearings in April on the proposal.

GateHouse News Service contributed to this report. Tim Landis can be reached at 788-1536.
:}

But Sangamon County? The leader in all things innovative? Not so much…

Flat ground won’t work

By TIM LANDIS

BUSINESS EDITOR

tim.landis@sj-r.com

It isn’t for a lack of wind. But Sangamon County is considered too flat in most spots when it comes to commercial wind development.

Nearly a year and a half since the county approved rules for wind-turbine construction, exactly two permits have been approved. Both were for what amounted to do-it-yourself home projects in the wind industry.

“It was for two mini-systems,” said county zoning and building administrator Randy Armstrong.

The wind rules were approved in the fall of 2006 after a commercial developer approached the county about the possibility of a local wind firm. After the initial inquiry, nothing more was heard, Armstrong said.

“They said they were interested, so we thought maybe we’d better get something on the books,” he said.

The director of the Illinois Wind Working Group at Illinois State University explained that potential turbine sites are graded ,m a scale of 1 to 7. The higher the number, the more suitable the area for commercial wind development.

“Most of Illinois is a class 3-plus or a 4. Usually, a class 3 or 4 is the minimum they’d consider to be commercially viable,” David Loomis said.

Loomis said Illinois also has the advantage of large population centers that make it financially feasible to build projects at lower wind speeds compared to sparsely populated states such as North Dakota that rank at a “6” or higher.

But he said the suitability of terrain varies considerably, even from county to county.

“If you look at McLean County (Bloomington-Normai), you’d say, ‘Gee, it’s as flat as Sangamon County. But in reality, there’s a slow rise upward, and it ends in a ridge on the eastern side of our county,” he said.

The Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative, based in Auburn, is waiting for equipment to begin construction of a single wind turbine on a reclaimed coal-mine site about 30 miles south of Springfield, along Interstate 55 at Farmersville.

The turbine would supply about 500 homes.

Tim Landis can be reached at 788-1536.

Juche – a simple name for a nasty idea. Kim Il Sungism

Posted on April 5, 2008 by Doug Nicodemus

Jodie Foster, Pregnant Man, Iran, Prince Philip, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, American Idol, Obama, China, Beyonce, Rolling Stones. (sorry for the deception but please read below)

Normally I wouldn’t bother to cover this but since it’s on the list I felt I needed to “dis” it as much as I could. I even took the time to get Buzzes top searches for the week to punch it up a bit. I even checked every category Energy Tough Love has to publicize this human indignity. The list of “Religions” that I used to start this meditation on the relationship between Religion and the Environment placed Juche well down on the list but with 18 million adherents that still alot of folks. I had never heard of it before and I even asked a couple of people if they had heard of it. Imagine my suprise when I typed it into a search engine and up popped this Prick who claimed he was god:

www.dictatorofthemonth.com

During his lifetime he forced millions of people in North Korea to worship him. Can you imagine anything more degrading or disgusting then a man who points a loaded gun at your head and demands that you treat him like a god. You must pray to him. Oh most Divine Leader. Makes me want to puke. But then he is followed by this buffoon:

www.beconfused.com

Now they are “worshiping” something no better than a trained monkey. If they had an ENVIRONMENTAL group in North Korea, I wish them the best of luck but I ain’t gonna publish it. I ain’t even gona type it into a search engine. If anybody ever deserved to get a nuke shoved up his poop shoot. This would be it.

Community Energy Systems

Censys.org

Category Archives: vertical turbine

Gob Knob Was SO CoooooooL – It was amazing to just walk right up to a 300 ft. Turbine and go inside

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Gov. Pat Quinn to Attend Wind Turbine Dedication Monday

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

Gob Nob Wind Turbine And CES Poker Scoot – What a weekend

The Best Blow Job Ever – Residential wind generation, the perfect balance to solar

Hydrokinetic Turbines Are Another Arrow In The Green Quiver – Side hung generators should be in every stream in America

SeaGen – Need I say more?

Welcome to the SeaGen

Project Website

Suzlon S. 88 Wind Turbine Has A History of Failure

Vertical Wind Turbines Go Wild – Stripped down bare and undulating in the wind

Bluenergy Solar-Wind-Turbine

Jay Leno’s Garage Gets A Vertical Wind Turbine

Filed under: green and famous, transport — michael @ 2:37 pm

Wind Electrical Generation In Illinois – #1 in 2007

Juche – a simple name for a nasty idea. Kim Il Sungism

Green energy experts breeze into Chicago

Don’t need a law to know which way the wind blows

Related links

Gob knob’ wind turbine to begin spinning

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Closed coal mine sprouts wind turbine

Welcome to the SeaGen

Project Website

Bluenergy Solar-Wind-Turbine

Filed under: green and famous, transport — michael @ 2:37 pm