WIND: THE NEW MAJOR ENERGY SOURCE

The real news: The energy game has changed. Even in states where New Energy used to be something for hobbyists, geeks and “California” types, government officers and commissions are seeing the value of clean, domestic sources and approving new projects.

The wind energy industry provided 1/3 of all new U.S. electricity installed in 2007, ranking it second to the natural gas industry (not known as an industry of hobbyists). The U.S. Department of Energy has affirmed the wind industry’s plan to produce 20% of U.S. electricity by 2030.

Randall Swisher, executive director, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA): "It's no longer an alternative energy source…It's mainstream."

While those who see what is going on in the energy sector understand the wind industry has established itself as a major source of domestic power generation, many in the media have not gotten the message and want to keep writing these old stories about the supposed conflict between wind producers and environmentalists.

Case in point: Virginia. The state population and its energy demand are growing. It gets more than half its electricity from coal, a third from nuclear and some from oil and gas. The Governor wants to get more from New Energy. Experts believe the state could get 20% of its power from wind. Producers are on the ground, proposing projects and making plans.

And the Washington Post comes up with a story about the conflicts between environmentalists and wind builders.

The truth: The wind industry and environmentalists are on the same side. They both want New Energy and they want it installed in the most environmentally sensitive way possible.

Glen Besa, director, Sierra Club/Virginia chapter: "We are strong advocates for renewable energy and wind energy…But we would like to see it developed responsibly."

Responsible development is also the objective of wind energy producers. Responsible development is why AWEA created its Siting Handbook. Responsible development is why the wind industry is leading the formation of the American Wind Wildlife Institute, a public-private partnership dedicated to establishing best practices for wind development.

Everybody in the debate is beginning to understand that to provide New Energy on the scale the U.S. needs it in the coming decades, even with the greatest of conservation plans, will take work and planning and compromise. The goal will be to protect the environment AND provide energy. Reasonable people will disagree. Mike Tidwell, director, Chesapeake Climate Action Network: "Acceptance will grow…"

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has overseen the establishment of a state Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) and other financial incentives for New Energy and wind energy. The policies have spurred growth. Virginia, like many states, has an overlap between the best wind regions and the regions most valued by environmentalists.

As plans for growth take shape, so do discussions between developers and stewards of nature. Why? Because while developers look for wind, others look out for the mountains and the forests.

The process creates interactions, confrontations, discussions. Out of the discussions will come the parameters for the building of Virginia’s 21st century New Energy infrastructure.

It’s not the exciting story of conflict and drama the media likes to tell but it’s the way it must and will work as everyone acts locally to build the emissions-free energy so urgently needed to mitigate climate change globally.

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Wind is Given 2nd Look as Energy Needs Grow
Anita Kumar, August 3, 2008 (Washington Post)

WHO
Wind developer FreedomWorks; Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine; State Corporation Commission; L. Preston Bryant Jr., secretary of natural resources, State of Virginia; Dominion Virginia Power; BP Alternative Energy North America

WHAT
With anticipated growing energy demands and a new push from Governor Kaine for New Energy development, Virginia is beginning to develop its wind energy resources and going through many of the usual growing pains, including NIMBYism.

Those faint pink lines along the western border are mountain ridges with good to excellent wind resources. Look at the wind on the coast! (click to enlarge)

WHEN
- Virginia's Renewable Electricity Standard (RES): Utilities are required to obtain 12% of their power from New Energy sources by 2022.
- Construction on the Highland County installation is scheduled to start later in 2008.
- Testing for the FreedomWorks project will later in 2008.

WHERE
- 12 U.S. states, most in the southeast, still have developed no wind.
- Virginia is reconsidering the economics of developing its wind energy resources.
- A 100-turbine installation is planned for the mountains of the George Washington National Forest in the west of the state.
- The State Corporation Commission approved a request for 19 turbines in Highland County.
- FreedomWorks, based in Harper’s Ferry, W. Va., has wind installations in 4 other states.

WHY
- Highland County is remote, mountainous and is known as Virginia's Switzerland.
- The energy from the proposed FreedomWorks wind installation, a $430 million, 131-turbine project in the western Virginia Appalachian Mountains, would supply the D.C. area.
- 2 smaller projects are planned to power Tangier and Wallops islands off the Virginia coast.
- The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also studies wind installations to be sure they don’t affect air traffic.
- Dominion Virginia Power is the largest energy provider in Virginia (2.3 million customers).
- Dominion Virginia Power and BP Alternative Energy North America are planning wind installations.

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QUOTES
- L. Preston Bryant Jr., secretary of natural resources, State of Virginia: "Wind is catching fire…It is literally all the rage."
- Frank Maisano, lobbyist, mid-Atlantic states wind developers: "There is a lot of really good opportunity in Virginia…"
- Mountain residents: “Why do developers need to build in the forest?”
- Maisano, wind lobbyist: "That's where the wind is…"