Group formed to help develop state's wind energy potential
A new group has been formed to work with state and federal officials to build more wind energy projects in Nebraska.
“The development of Nebraska’s wind energy resource potential could contribute over $7 billion to the state’s economy,” the Nebraska Wind Working Group said in a news release.
The group, which scheduled a press conference in Grand Island Friday, said its main focus will be to provide education, outreach and information about the state’s wind energy potential.
Nebraska ranks sixth in the U.S. in wind energy capacity but has only 48 operational wind turbines. The total generation capacity of all those turbines is 73 megawatts, enough to power about 22,000 homes annually.
“There’s only one other state in the nation that has more wind resources with less energy development and that’s South Dakota,” John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union and a co-chair of the working group, said in a phone interview. “There is an enormous amount of room for us to grow.”
Other co-chairs are Sens. Cap Dierks of Ewing and Don Preister of Omaha. Larry Pearce, assistant director of the Nebraska Energy Office, serves as vice chair.
Hansen said Nebraska lags behind other states in the Midwest when it comes to wind energy development. Kansas is at 364 megawatts and has two or three more projects on the drawing board, he said. Iowa has 1,046 megawatts of wind generation capacity and Minnesota has 897.
The largest wind farm in Nebraska is south of Ainsworth, where the Nebraska Public Power District has 36 turbines. Built in 2005, the 60-megawatt facility can generate enough electricity to supply about 19,000 homes per year.
NPPD recently announced that it would like to enter into power purchase agreements with developers for up to 150 megawatts of additional wind-powered generation to be built in 2008 and 2009. Other electric utilities and private developers also have expressed interest in building more wind turbine projects in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Wind Working Group said it will identify and bring together small wind stakeholders, conduct public information and outreach on the potential of wind energy, and encourage information sharing among wind energy stakeholders. It also will work with the state’s public power utilities to find ways to move wind energy development forward in the state.
President Bush set a national goal of using wind energy for 20 percent of the nation’s electricity demand by 2030, and the Nebraska group said this state is pivotal in the attainment of that goal.
The group would be similar to wind working groups already established in many other states. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the department’s Wind Powering America initiative.
Nebraskans interested in wind energy development are being encouraged to become involved in the effort. The group said it will use the “leadership, commitment, and innovative approach used to create the state’s successful ethanol industry” to help develop the state’s wind energy potential.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at (402) 473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
“The development of Nebraska’s wind energy resource potential could contribute over $7 billion to the state’s economy,” the Nebraska Wind Working Group said in a news release.
The group, which scheduled a press conference in Grand Island Friday, said its main focus will be to provide education, outreach and information about the state’s wind energy potential.
Nebraska ranks sixth in the U.S. in wind energy capacity but has only 48 operational wind turbines. The total generation capacity of all those turbines is 73 megawatts, enough to power about 22,000 homes annually.
“There’s only one other state in the nation that has more wind resources with less energy development and that’s South Dakota,” John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union and a co-chair of the working group, said in a phone interview. “There is an enormous amount of room for us to grow.”
Other co-chairs are Sens. Cap Dierks of Ewing and Don Preister of Omaha. Larry Pearce, assistant director of the Nebraska Energy Office, serves as vice chair.
Hansen said Nebraska lags behind other states in the Midwest when it comes to wind energy development. Kansas is at 364 megawatts and has two or three more projects on the drawing board, he said. Iowa has 1,046 megawatts of wind generation capacity and Minnesota has 897.
The largest wind farm in Nebraska is south of Ainsworth, where the Nebraska Public Power District has 36 turbines. Built in 2005, the 60-megawatt facility can generate enough electricity to supply about 19,000 homes per year.
NPPD recently announced that it would like to enter into power purchase agreements with developers for up to 150 megawatts of additional wind-powered generation to be built in 2008 and 2009. Other electric utilities and private developers also have expressed interest in building more wind turbine projects in Nebraska.
The Nebraska Wind Working Group said it will identify and bring together small wind stakeholders, conduct public information and outreach on the potential of wind energy, and encourage information sharing among wind energy stakeholders. It also will work with the state’s public power utilities to find ways to move wind energy development forward in the state.
President Bush set a national goal of using wind energy for 20 percent of the nation’s electricity demand by 2030, and the Nebraska group said this state is pivotal in the attainment of that goal.
The group would be similar to wind working groups already established in many other states. Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the department’s Wind Powering America initiative.
Nebraskans interested in wind energy development are being encouraged to become involved in the effort. The group said it will use the “leadership, commitment, and innovative approach used to create the state’s successful ethanol industry” to help develop the state’s wind energy potential.
Reach Algis J. Laukaitis at (402) 473-7243 or alaukaitis@journalstar.com.
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