QUICK NEWS, February 12: WIND FARMS IN THE SUBURBS; WESTERNERS WANT NEW ENERGY; WHAT MAKES A CITY SMART

WIND FARMS IN THE SUBURBS Developer Makes The Case For Urban Wind Energy Development

Mark Del Franco, 31 January 2013 (North American Windpower)

“Kruger Energy's 100 MW Monteregie wind farm, located 20 km outside of Montreal…[is visible] from the roofs of downtown skyscrapers…Commissioned on Dec. 12, 2012, the wind farm features 44 Enercon E82 wind turbines perched on 98-meter hybrid towers made of steel and concrete. The project is the result of nearly five years of company outreach and continual communication with the local communities…

“From the outset in 2008, Kruger canvassed the surrounding municipalities…to provide project updates and to answer questions from residents…Developing a utility-scale project so close to an urban location is especially significant to the growing issue of social acceptance, which will gain greater attention as wind projects continue to move closer to urban locations...[It] is the No.1 strategic priority of the Canadian Wind Energy Association…”

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“…[T]here is no standard practice for gaining local acceptance…[P]ublic scrutiny requires wind developers to adopt best practices…[Monteregie wind farm] modifications included reducing the number of turbines from 50 to 44 by using a 2.3 MW version of the E82 machine. Additionally… no house is closer than 750 meters - even though some municipalities only require 500-meter setbacks…

“…[Kruger Energy] was awarded a contract for the Monteregie project following Hydro-Quebec's 2005 call for power…[T]he Monteregie project's proximity to load…helped to secure the bid…[A]dding generation closer to load centers minimizes transmission line losses…[because] power losses on the…transmission system are mostly related to the length and the voltage of a line…[and average] 5.4% of the energy transmitted…”

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WESTERNERS WANT NEW ENERGY New Survey: Westerners Link Public Lands to Economic Prosperity, Quality of Life Strong majorities reject selling off public lands; want protections for sensitive lands subject to drilling and prioritize renewable energy production in their state.

February 7, 2013 (Colorado College State of the Rockies Project)

“Westerners place a strong value on public lands, saying they are “essential” to their state’s economy and quality of life, according to the 2013 Colorado College State of the Rockies Conservation in the West poll…

“This year’s bipartisan survey of 2,400 Westerners, representing a cross section of the region’s population, found near unanimous — 91 percent — agreement that public lands like national parks, forests, monuments and wildlife areas are an essential part of their state’s economy…79 percent believe public lands support their economy and enhance their overall quality of life…52 percent perceive public lands to be a job creator in their state…”

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“The survey also illuminates Westerners’ view of energy production. For the second year in a row, Westerners vastly prefer that renewable energy development be encouraged in their state rather than nuclear power or fossil fuels.

Drilling on public lands has flown under the radar of most Westerners. Only 34 percent of those interviewed knew with certainty that oil and gas drilling occurs on public lands. Those polled call for a balanced approach to any energy development occurring in these areas, with 56 percent saying that environmentally sensitive public lands should be permanently protected from this type of activity…”

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WHAT MAKES A CITY SMART Smart Cities Infrastructure, Information, and Communications Technologies for Energy, Transportation, Buildings, and Government: City and Supplier Profiles, Market Analysis, and Forecasts

1Q 2013 (Pike Research/Navigant)

“The next 40 years will see an unprecedented transformation in the global urban landscape. Between 2010 and 2050, the number of people living in cities will increase from 3.6 billion to 6.3 billion. Almost all of that growth will occur in developing countries.

“By 2025 there will be 37 megacities, each with a population greater than 10 million; 22 of those cities will be in Asia. The impacts of this new phase of urbanization on the global economy and on existing urban infrastructure and resources are already…spurring innovation in urban design, technologies, and services.”

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“Trillions of dollars will be spent on urban infrastructure in this period, presenting an immense opportunity for new transport management systems, smart grids, water monitoring systems, and energy efficient buildings…

“…Information and communication technologies will be deeply embedded in the fabric of both old and new cities and will change…city operations and how we live and work…Pike Research forecasts that the smart city technology market will grow from $6.1 billion annually in 2012 to $20.2 billion in 2020…”

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