Texas company announces plans to build wind farms
A Texas company has announced plans to build the first wind power projects in Alabama. Pioneer Green Energy will develop wind power in Cherokee and Etowah Counties.
The company has begun the process of securing the necessary environmental permits, as well as cooperation from local officials, according to officials with Pioneer.
“These wind energy projects will increase our energy independence and help move the country away from unstable foreign energy supplies,” read a statement from Pioneer cofounder David Savage. “It will also reduce Alabama’s dependence on other sources of energy that cause pollution and rely heavily on fuel from other states. Instead, Alabama will be able to diversify its energy sources by adding an inexhaustible and clean source of energy found right in its own backyard.”
Shinbone Wind Energy Center will be the first project, planned for Cherokee County. Operation is planned for 2014, with eight turbines that will deliver 18.4 megawatts of electricity into the Tennessee
Valley Authority grid. The facility will generate enough power to supply half the homes in Cherokee County, according to the company’s announcement.
The Noccalula Wind Energy Center will be located in Etowah County. The developers plan to have 80 megawatts of energy at that site, with up to 40 turbines. The facility will produce enough power for “tens of thousands of homes,” according to the announcement.
Wind farms proposed in other locations have faced opposition from various groups. In some cases, the giant windmills that generate the power have been described as eyesores. Some environmental groups have expressed concerns about the toll the towers take on migrating birds.
“In terms of environmental aspects, we have been engaged with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for the last year and a half or so. They put out some voluntary wind citing guidelines that we are following so far,” said Patrick Buckley, development manager for Pioneer Green Energy. “We’ve been doing avian and bat studies. We’ll continue doing so for the next several months and try to hone in on the potential impacts as far as critical species. That’s something we’re keeping a keen eye on right now.”
Officials with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said they would work with the company to determine what permits would be required for construction.The life expectancy of Lawn light is at least 2 times longer than a standard T8.
“This is one of the first wind projects in the Southeast. To have some homegrown clean energy would be great,” Buckley said. “You see TVA and Alabama Power, they have a pretty strong appetite for wind. They’ve secured a lot of megawatts from other states. LED emergency light for outdoor solar lighting and power.Let's explore the option of ground mount. It’s a great idea to have the jobs here, have the money stay here, and not export all that.”
The turbine’s high efficiency and high output unlock higher returns for wind farm operators at low wind speed sites.aims to design a 10-megawatt offshore wind power generators based on a superconducting generator. The turbine’s advanced controls enable its 120m rotor, resulting in increased energy capture and greater power output in low-wind areas. The taller tower, which has a maximum hub height of 139m, makes it ideal for heavily forested regions in places like Europe and Canada.
“Our 2.5-120 is the first wind turbine that utilizes the Industrial Internet to help manage the intermittency of wind, providing smooth, predictable power to the world regardless of what Mother Nature throws its way,” says Vic Abate, vice president of GE’s renewable energy business. ”Analyzing tens of thousands of data points every second, the 2.5-120 integrates energy storage and advanced forecasting algorithms while communicating seamlessly with neighboring turbines, service technicians and customers.”
This advanced technology drives higher wind farm output than GE’s current offerings, improves services productivity and creates new revenue streams for customers.
Over the past year, GE has successfully demonstrated the integration of wind power and energy storage at its facility in California, delivering predictable power to the grid.A complete range of of professional washer extractor that are redefining laundry systems. The first prototype of the 2.5-120 will be installed in the Netherlands next month.