By Jesse Stowell, Johnson Controls
As I drive across the wide open plains of West Texas I’m reminded– would you believe it – of Chicago. Not because the scenery is similar – it isn’t, especially this time of year! But because of the one thing that both places certainly have in common right now: wind, and lots of it.
West Texas is currently one of the hottest markets in the world for wind energy — particularly on a utility-scale. Giant wind farms with hundreds of turbines generating hundreds of megawatts of electricity dot the skyline. And more are on the way.
But this week, ground zero for the wind industry is 1,300 miles to the north in Chicago where the windy city hosts the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Windpower 2009 conference. And while utility-scale wind is certainly high on the conference agenda, there’s something new on the breeze, as well.
For the first time, the conference will include a meeting of the Community Wind Working Group. Formed last year, the group’s objective is to develop policies and strategies to help grow community wind – on-site wind energy generating facilities that may consist of just one turbine.
Community wind continues to grow – especially among local school districts, on college and university campuses, and on federal facilities such as military bases. What’s more: community wind really stands to gain from current and potential developments that include:
- A national Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that would require all utilities to generate a percentage of their power from renewables such as wind. A RPS is currently part of climate change legislation now before the U.S. Congress.
- A cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gas emissions that’s part of the same legislation. Such a scheme would make generation of electricity from fossil fuels more expensive, making wind and other renewables more cost competitive.
- The resumption of tax credits for investments in wind energy and other renewables.
- Net-metering laws being adopted at the state level that help make on-site wind energy facilities more financially attractive.
- Progress on bringing plug-in hybrid vehicles to the U.S. auto market where they promise to drive increased demand for electricity – which will in turn encourage utilities to promote more on-site power generation from renewables such as wind as an alternative to building new fossil fuel power plants.
- Improvements in wind turbine technologies that increase the efficiency of generating electricity at lower wind speeds, which are common in community wind facilities.
- Slow but steady easing of the credit markets, freeing more funding for wind projects.
All of this, of course, comes on top of an overwhelming increase in interest in all forms of renewable energy – wind included – driven by instability and uncertainty in energy prices, concerns over climate change and energy security, and other factors.
And it comes in the midst of overwhelming public support for wind energy. A recent public opinion poll finds that 82% of Americans would support a wind energy project in their hometown.
Whether it’s blustering across the vast open expanses of West Texas or gusting between skyscrapers in the loop in downtown Chicago, it’s encouraging to find a fair breeze blowing on community wind, bringing with it the promise of even greater growth for an industry that is poised to play a critical role in America’s energy future.
Efficiency now. It’s never been more important.
