January 2009 Small Wind Newsletter
Issue No. 35, December 30, 2008
Welcome to the January 2009 issue of the Small Wind Newsletter. See details on subscribing at the end of the newsletter.
Larry Sherwood
Editor
NEWS
(1) MASSACHUSETTS – Hyannis Country Garden Installs Turbine
Hyannis Country Garden, a 7-acre garden center on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, installed a Northwind 100 wind turbine this fall. The turbine is rated at 100 kW and is estimated to produce 92% of the Garden’s annual electrical use. Read on.
(2) SOUTH DAKOTA: Wind Energy Developers Support Wind for Schools Program
Wind energy developers Babcock & Brown, Iberdrola Renewables and FPL Energy have each pledged $10,000 to help support the South Dakota Wind for Schools program. The funds will be used to defray some construction expenses associated with installing small wind turbines at schools participating in the program. Read on.
(3) MASSACHUSETTS Announces New Incentives
The Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust announced new rebates for small wind installations. The previous MRET incentives were suspended this past spring. Read on.
(4) Small Wind Certification Council Moving Forward
Interview with Larry Sherwood, Executive Director of the Small Wind Certification Council. Read on.
(5) UWIG Undertaking Expansion of Distributed Wind Impacts Project
The Utility Wind Integration Group (UWIG) announced that it is moving into the next phase of its landmark project to study the impacts of small-scale wind generation on utility distribution networks. Read on.
(6) WISCONSIN Renewable Energy Summit
March 25-28, 2009 in Milwaukee. Read on.
(7) American Wind Energy Association Appoints New CEO
The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) announced the appointment of Denise Bode as its new CEO, effective January 2, 2009. Bode will succeed Randall S. Swisher, who is retiring after a 19-year stint with AWEA. Read on.
(8) Upcoming Wind Events
For a full listing of upcoming wind energy events, click here.
INTERCONNECTION AND NET METERING
Check the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s Connecting to the Grid web site for the latest interconnection and net metering news.
(9) ARIZONA Finalizes Net Metering Rules
On October 16, 2008, the Arizona Corporation Commission issued an order, which finalized rules for state-wide net metering. Net metering will be available to customers who generate electricity using solar, wind, hydroelectric, geothermal, biomass, biogas, combined heat and power (CHP) or fuel cell technologies. Read on.
(10) MICHIGAN Enacts Net Metering Legislation
On October 6, 2008 Governor Granholm signed SB 213 into law, creating a renewable portfolio standard whereby utilities will be required to obtain 10% of their energy from renewable sources by 2015. Senate Bill 213 also included a provision that will require utilities to allow net metering for residential or commercial customers operating renewable generation systems up to 20 kW. Read on.
INCENTIVES
New Incentives reported by the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE), a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and selected federal incentives that promote renewable energy. To access state-by-state incentives and policies that promote wind energy technologies, click here and select “wind (all)” or “wind (residential)‚ from the drop-down menu.
(11) MAINE: Solar and Wind Energy Rebate Program
Legislation enacted in April 2008 extended the Maine rebate program to grid-tied wind-energy systems installed after January 1, 2009. The Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has developed rules to implement the program. For residential wind-energy systems, the rebate is $500 per 500 watts (W) up to 2,000 W, but not to exceed $2,000. For non-residential wind-energy systems, the rebate amount is $500 per 500 W up to 4,000 W, but not to exceed $4,000. Read on.
(12) MASSACHUSETTS – Model Ordinance for Permitting of Small Wind Facilities
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs have issued a model by-law to help cities and towns establish reasonable standards for small wind-energy development. This model applies to stand-alone wind facilities up to 60 kilowatts (kW) in capacity. Read on.
(13) RHODE ISLAND – Renewable Energy Fund Grants
The Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation is now accepting financing applications for renewable energy projects on the following facilities: business, commercial and institutional projects; nonprofit affordable housing developments; and municipal renewable energy projects. Read on.
SMALL WIND IN THE NEWS
These articles from around the U.S. give examples of how small wind is covered today‚ good or bad.
(14) NEW YORK: Islip homeowners can mount wind turbines in yards
Newsday, December 5, 2008
Islip is the first Long Island town to craft guidelines for the construction of wind turbines in residential neighborhoods. Islip now permits a wind turbine up to 45 feet high in the backyard of any residential lot. Read on.
(15) OKLAHOMA: Oklahoma panhandle school district uses state loan to fund wind turbine project
Oklahoman, December 5, 2008
Yarbrough Public Schools borrowed $180,000 from the Energy Loan Fund for Schools this year to get its own 50-kilowatt wind turbine to power the school. Read on.
(16) MICHIGAN: Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs hospital gets wind turbine
Ann Arbor News, December 2, 2008.
A small wind turbine now spins atop the Ann Arbor Veteran Affairs hospital, contributing to the hospital’s utility needs while satisfying a new federal requirement for renewable energy. Read on.
(17) MICHIGAN: Locally made wind turbines to create jobs
Muskegon (MI) Chronicle, December 7, 2008
The “wind turbine in a box” will be unwrapped at ACE Hardware stores across the country next May with a “made in Muskegon” tag. The product, inspired by the Grand Valley State University Energy Center, and produced by local company EarthTronics. Read on.
(18) WISCONSIN: Weston committee approves ordinance for wind generators
Wausau Daily Herald, December 9, 2008
The ordinance would permit small wind energy systems that have a capacity of 100 kilowatts or fewer and are no more than 170 feet tall. Read on.
(19) CALIFORNIA: Homeowners can harness the wind
San Francisco Chronicle, December 20, 2008
Article on residential and rooftop turbines in San Francisco. Read on.
(20) COLORADO: Yampa Ranger District installs wind turbine
Steamboat Pilot and Today, December 29, 2008
District Office for the Medicine Bow/Routt National Forest installs vertical axis wind turbine. Read on.
ABOUT THE SMALL WIND ENERGY NEWSLETTER
The Small Wind Newsletter is published electronically by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council. The Small Wind Web Site contains news, resources, and links.
Click here to subscribe. There is no fee for subscriptions.
If you have comments or news items, please send them to Larry Sherwood.
Disclaimer: The Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) does not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product or process that is referred to or linked to in this newsletter. Reference to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply IREC’s endorsement or recommendation.
FAIR USE NOTICE
This newsletter may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of energy, economic, scientific, and related issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a “fair use” of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in the newsletter is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information click here. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this newsletter for purposes of your own that go beyond “fair use,” you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
