http://www.cleveland.com/newslogs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/mtlogs/cleve_plaindealer/archives/2007_02.html#235231

Thanks a megawatt!

i want to see action.  it seems like there is always this talk of studies, etc.  i think part of this is a symptom of our legacy and our reliance on foundations to jump start our regional economic development.

 

i'd like to see something started, evaluated, changed, etc.  failure isn't always a bad thing, especially if we can learn lessons along the way.  it just feels like we never get to the point of trying something because we are afraid to fail. 

 

on another note, does anyone know how much electricity the GLC turbine has been producing?  is there a monitor inside the center?

 

Lake Erie wind turbines proposed

County task force suggests up to 10 turbines on water, research center on land

Friday, February 09, 2007

Tom Breckenridge

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

 

.......

 

on another note, does anyone know how much electricity the GLC turbine has been producing?  is there a monitor inside the center?

 

 

I do not know, but there is a monitoring station inside the Science Center. I thought I had heard there would be web based monitoring, but I cannot find it anywhere.

 

This is real exciting news... too bad about the 3 to 6 year timetable.

 

On CSU news, the Wind Spire is still in the works. Things are getting hung up in patent court because somebody in California is saying they invented the Spiral Concept.

Cleveland Foundation pushes agenda for advanced energy

 

By JAY MILLER

Crain's

February 19, 2007

 

.......

Answer to office park's power might be blowing in the wind

Building will feature prototype turbine that provides eco-friendly energy

By Linda Golz

Beacon Journal staff writer

03/10/07

Akron Beacon Journal

 

FAIRLAWN -

 

..........

 

 

For information about the WindCube and wind energy, visit

www.getsmartenergy.com or www.awea.org.

Here's one of mine from a few weeks ago. EDIT: the full article is posted below...

_____________________

 

http://www.sunnews.com/news/2007/part1/0301/ACWIND.htm

 

Are lower power bills in the wind?

 

By Ken Prendergast

Staff Writer

 

March 1, 2007

 

CLEVELAND A solution to cutting the city's large electrical bills may be in the wind.

 

Initially, city officials said they want to put monitors at two water treatment plants to see if the winds are consistently strong enough over a full year at those locations to warrant installing wind turbines. If the winds are strong enough, turbines could provide electrical power to pumps that supply water to the Greater Cleveland area.

 

The city pays $19 million per year in electrical bills just to power the water pumps. Reducing that cost would benefit consumers in terms of lower water bills, said Ward 17 Councilman Matt Zone. He chairs Cleveland City Council's Public Utilities Committee.

 

"We're looking at alternative ways to reduce our electrical consumption," Zone said. "We want to gauge the wind speed at some of our facilities."

 

Winds will be monitored first at two water treatment facilities the Garrett Morgan Plant, off West 45th Street next to the West Shoreway, and the Nottingham Plant near the Cleveland-Euclid border.

 

 

.........

Maybe this thread should be renamed 'Ohio Wind Power Dev"

 

Is wind-driven energy really all that free?

Springfield News Sun

March 25, 2007

 

.....

We need a renewable fuel/power standard for Ohio. Anyone know if this is in the cards with the Strickland Administration?

 

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) --

 

 

.......

 

We need a renewable fuel/power standard for Ohio.  Anyone know if this is in the cards with the Strickland Administration?

 

From Governor Strickland's "State of the State" speech 2 weeks ago.  He is funding non-fossil-fuel alternative energy:

 

Ohio has everything it takes to become a center of advanced energy technology. We have energy resources, technical know-how, manufacturing experience, and logistical advantages.

 

Next-generation energies – biofuels, fuel cells, clean coal, and renewable sources such as wind – offer us the opportunity to create jobs, support our farmers, reduce our dependence on foreign oil producers, and be responsible stewards of our environment.

 

That's why my administration will coordinate an almost 1 billion dollar investment in energy programs, to ensure energy will be an economic development leader in Ohio.

 

Over the next four years we will target 250 million dollars per year in tax exempt bond cap allocation to leverage billions of additional investment dollars in energy projects. We will broaden our Third Frontier investment. We will develop energy projects across technologies and across the state, and in doing so attract new investments and new jobs for Ohio.

It's great to see Strickland advocating public funding for this type of investment. But this differs from what theguv is advocating, which would legally require utility providers in the state of Ohio to derive a certain amount of produced energy from renewable energy.

It's great to see Strickland advocating public funding for this type of investment. But this differs from what theguv is advocating, which would legally require utility providers in the state of Ohio to derive a certain amount of produced energy from renewable energy.

Correct, 8ShadesOfGray.  We need a renewable energy portfolio standard, REPS, and an energy efficiency portfolio standard, EEPS.  The latter would be policy in utilities' regulations to require investments in improving efficiency in existing buildings and transportation activities.  Check out www.efficiencyvermont.com

One of the problems with RPS' is that energy (renewable or non) isn't spread out equally across states.  West Virginia may have loads of coal, but very little wind or sun, thus it'll be difficult for that state to get 20% of it's electricity to be generated by renewables.  California on the other hand, has plenty of wind and sun, and is therefore an ideal candidate for an RPS.

 

I personally think federal greenhouse gas legislation is probably inevitable within the next decade.  A carbon tax, cap and trade system, or some other system would effectively do the same thing as an RPS for renewables.  It will narrow the wide cost gap between cheap, reliable fossil fuel generated energy and more expensive, fickle renewable energy. 

 

Of course, consumers will ultimately foot the bill in the form of higher electric and gasoline bills, but it seems like they're warming up to the notion of an increase to if it means a stop to global warming.  I think people just need to know how much of an impact they're looking at before they support any legislation.

Home-generation electricity hookup about to get easy http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/business/1173774704225460.xml&coll=2

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

John Funk

Plain Dealer Reporter

Rules to make it easier and less costly for industry, business and even homeowners to generate their own electricity are just days away, Ohio's top utility regulator said Monday.

...SNIP...

 

State Rep. Jim McGregor, a suburban Republican lawmaker and chairman of the newly created Alternative Energy Committee, said he expects lawmakers to write an advanced energy standard in the fall and make it law by the end of the year.

 

Such a standard, often called a "renewable portfolio standard," is a must, say developers of fuel cells, wind turbines and solar power. Otherwise, utilities will be able to keep alternative-energy technologies out.

 

McGregor said some big manufacturers oppose a renewable portfolio because they think it would raise overall rates. As a compromise, he said, Ohio's law could include sections that make it extremely easy to build alternative-power stations only if they're under a certain size, limiting the impact. ...SNIP... ...snip...

From Today's (03.28) PD. Unfortunately, the online version eliminates the last third of the article where-in there is mention of CPP looking at nat gas and wind as power generating options.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/plaindealer/stories/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/117507114546300.xml&coll=2

 

Public Power advised to expand to entire city

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Olivera Perkins

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Cleveland Public Power should invest millions of dollars in more substations and other equipment so that it can deliver power to the entire city, a new five-year plan recommends.

 

The plan also suggests that the city-owned utility begin generating electricity again, something CPP stopped doing more than 25 years ago. Other recommendations include attempting to collect tens of millions of dollars in unpaid bills.

 

"It shows the need to clearly expand the operation and its efficiency," CPP Commissioner Ivan Henderson said of the plan Tuesday.

 

........

it's a start. if we can get a bunch more of these projects at RTA sites, the airport, CSU, etc. we can not only showcase the technologies, raise awareness, but hopefully in the longer term, develop a significant and efficient source of energy and jobs.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1175157170286060.xml&coll=2&thispage=1

 

New game in town: Wind, solar power

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Tom Breckenridge

Plain Dealer Reporter

Cleveland Indians hulk Travis Hafner won't be the only power display this summer at Jacobs Field.

 

Solar panels will go up soon at the ballpark and at Great Lakes Science Center, allowing throngs to view and learn about renewable energy.

 

Cuyahoga County commissioners, meanwhile, have named an energy-conservation specialist. And Cleveland plans to spend $100,000 researching wind power for the city.

 

It's all part of an effort to green up the rusty region and grow jobs, by melding manufacturing and engineering assets with renewable energy, particularly along windy Lake Erie.

 

"Cleveland is about to become the greenest major city in Ohio," said William Spratley, head of Green Energy Ohio. "There's an industrial base in Cleveland that can be redirected to this effort. We see city and county leaders articulating policies that can drive this forward."

 

Green Energy and the Cleveland Indians will erect 50 photovoltaic panels on the upper concourse at Jacobs Field, along Carnegie Avenue.

 

.......

The Indians want to reduce energy consumption, Folk said, and could expand solar capacity by adding panels to the sun screen over the upper deck.

 

Maybe they shouldn't have their field lights on during the day, everyday, two weeks before the season even begins.

 

 

Anyway, good stuff.

This is more wind power in general, not really Cleveland, so please move this post if there's a better place

 

Ohio winds enough to power state

 

Friday, April 20, 2007

John Funk

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Ohio's cloudy skies have an electric lining - enough wind to generate all the state's power, says a U.S. Department of Energy study.

C'mon Ohio, start setting up wind turbines !!

40 million dollars for ten turbines.Thats a joke . In slovenia a private partnership put up ten turbines for 10 million dollars and they will be be profitable in about ten years.

 

The state has come up with a ten year tax incentives to lure small investment companies to build these things. Way to many hands in the pot when the goverment build things.

 

  Like professor Melis,the main man in the building of spain rail system says, you dont need consultant cunsulting consultants.

 

:shoot: :box: :bang:

^ Are you sure you're comparing apples to apples?  Do it on a $/MW basis, not a $/turbine basis.

PD:

 

Windmill plans face a jumble of regulations

Friday, May 04, 2007

Tom Breckenridge

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

 

 

Not sure if this fits this thread or not, but I ran across this article and thought I would share.  It's not offshore wind power, but the City of Toronto is using their Great Lake to reduce their use of electricity:

 

http://www.unsoughtinput.com/index.php/2007/05/13/deep-lake-water-cooling-saving-the-earth-one-skyscraper-at-a-time/ 

 

Some details from the City of Toronto's site: (http://www.toronto.ca/environment/initiatives/cooling.htm)

 

Enwave's three intake pipes draw water (4 degrees Celsius) from 5 kilometres off the shore of Lake Ontario at a depth of 83 metres below the surface. Naturally cold water makes its way to the City's John Street Pumping Station. There, heat exchangers facilitate the energy transfer between the icy cold lake water and the Enwave closed chilled water supply loop.

 

The water drawn from the lake continues on its regular route through the John Street Pumping Station for normal distribution into the City water supply. Enwave uses only the coldness from the lake water, not the actual water, to provide the alternative to conventional air-conditioning.

 

 

Any chance Cleveland could do something similar?

there's a special on history channel or something like that about the construction of this dealie, it wasn't easy.

Lake Erie is also much, much shallower than Lake Ontario, especially in the western half.  The Toronto system pulls in water at 83 meters deep, but Erie's average depth is only 19 meters (I don't know what the average is around Cleveland.)  I'm not an expert on this, but I don't think the water stays cool enough throughout the summer to be practical.

Cleveland PD:

 

 

Another wind turbine is headed for the shores of Lake Erie, kind of a little brother to the large turbine at the Great Lakes Science Center.

 

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District plans to put in the skinny-as-a-lightpole turbine at the Westerly Sewage Treatment plant near Edgewater Park Marina. The district is getting it at cost (about $15,000) and wants it up before July 7 when Cleveland hosts the American Solar Society's National Solar Energy Conference. It will generate about 1.8 million kilowatts.

From Sunday's PD:

 

Turbines are breath of fresh air in mill town

Mittal Steel explores viability of similar project near plant in Cleveland

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Peter Krouse

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

Lackawanna, N.Y. --

 

 

 

Answer is blowing in wind, he hopes

Cleveland Foundation chief touts turbines

Monday, July 09, 2007

Tom Breckenridge

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

 

 

 

Tubbs Jones Secures Funding Language for CSU Wind Spire Alternative Energy Project

 

WASHINGTON, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ Today, Congresswoman

Stephanie Tubbs Jones announced that the Appropriations Committee has put

language into the Energy and Water appropriations bill that will award $1.1

million to Cleveland State University for the construction of four rooftop

wind spire towers throughout Northeast Ohio which will provide alternative

energy sources for electricity.

 

As the Northeast Ohio region moves toward the establishment of

alternative energy as a key economic initiative, including the development

of wind farms on Lake Erie, it is critical to offer various forms of

alternative energy. Dr. Majid Rashidi has taken the traditional windmill

and turned it upside down into a spiral mechanism. When any fluid goes

around a structure an increase in velocity occurs. Dr. Rashidi developed an

energy spire that includes multiple, miniature turbines on each of its

spires that can generate electrical power at very low wind speeds,

something that cannot be accomplished with standard large blade windmills.

 

Currently, Cleveland State University is developing the prototype of

this wind spire for use on the campus with funding for the Ohio Department

of Development and the Ohio Capital Fund. This prototype will allow Dr.

Rashidi to determine the exact energy savings of the wind tower. With the

expectation that energy savings will be significant, the federal funds

allocated in the Energy and Water appropriations bill will assist in the

next phase of the project of building four roof top towers will be

constructed throughout NE Ohio, with placement at not-for-profit

institutions such as schools, municipal buildings, and hospitals.

 

"I am pleased to have been able to assist in having this language

inserted into the Energy and Water Appropriations bill," said Rep. Tubbs

Jones. "As we move forward in this process, I am confident that this and

other Northeast Ohio projects will receive broad bipartisan support. This

funding is critical to the growth of Northeast Ohio."

 

SOURCE Office of Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones

 

And from thebellwetherdaily.blogspot.com, via http://outside.in/Hough (two sourced I'd never found before!)

 

Cleveland State U's Rooftop Windmills: U.S. House Panel OKs Seed Money

 

CLEVELAND (TDB) -- Cleveland State University scientist Majid Rashidi is closer to obtaining federal financial aid to help develop energy-producing "windspires," four of which may soon be spinning on the rooftops of Northeastern Ohio. The House Appropriations Committee has agreed to authorize putting about $1.1 million of taxpayers' cash into the project, which also has backing from the state.

 

U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Cleveland, announced the influential House panel's decision to support the windspires, which are souped up breeze-powered machines without the huge spinning blades typical of windmills. Rashidi wants to set build test devices to see how effectively they function.

 

Tubbs Jones said the project is an investment in retooling the state's economy and portrayed it as critical to efforts to get Ohio growing again.

wow that's the first time I've ever heard of Tubbs-Jones doing anything other than missing a vote.

Wow, this is all news to me.

This still does not address the court issues that have caused the delay up to this point.

I'll have to ask around again for a status.

wow that's the first time I've ever heard of Tubbs-Jones doing anything other than missing a vote.

 

Hey, I take free vacations too!

I heard rumors that Painesville in Lake County is considering putting up a wind turbine.  They are close to the lake so there should be greater winds.

 

Painesville owns their own distribution system and generating plant (coal fired).  It seems that the best approach for siting wind power is to have it done by a municipal government that already owns their distribution system.  That is how Bowling Green, Ohio did it.  Corporate utilities like First Energy or AEP are too incompentent and unmotivated to move into alternative energy.

did anyone see the windspire at ingenuity?  i thought it was going to be displayed prominantly, but i don't recall seeing anything about it.

It seems that the best approach for siting wind power is to have it done by a municipal government that already owns their distribution system.  That is how Bowling Green, Ohio did it.  Corporate utilities like First Energy or AEP are too incompentent and unmotivated to move into alternative energy.

 

That's a pretty ignorant statement.  I'm pretty sure that AEP owns wind generation in western states where it makes sense.  Wind is firmly out of the money in most of Ohio, and might just barely be marginal in the Northwest.  Under good conditions, wind has a 25% capacity factor, meaning that if you need 1000 MW of new generation, you need to build 4,000 MW of wind generation widely distributed across areas that are unlikely to be served by adequate transmission capacity.  Also, think about the weather this week.  When it's very hot and humid (the time of highest electric demand), the wind barely blows, so you're screwed.

 

I might agree with your statement about them being unmotivated.  They're trying to build the cheapest generation capacity for thier customers in Ohio, and that's not wind.  If you want to motivate them, change the economics.

pd:

 

Case Western Reserve seeks to lead wind-power research

Offers to help pay for Cuyahoga study

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Tom Breckenridge

Plain Dealer Reporter

 

 

 

It seems that the best approach for siting wind power is to have it done by a municipal government that already owns their distribution system.  That is how Bowling Green, Ohio did it.  Corporate utilities like First Energy or AEP are too incompetent and unmotivated to move into alternative energy.

 

That's a pretty ignorant statement.  I'm pretty sure that AEP owns wind generation in western states where it makes sense.  Wind is firmly out of the money in most of Ohio, and might just barely be marginal in the Northwest.  Under good conditions, wind has a 25% capacity factor, meaning that if you need 1000 MW of new generation, you need to build 4,000 MW of wind generation widely distributed across areas that are unlikely to be served by adequate transmission capacity.  Also, think about the weather this week.  When it's very hot and humid (the time of highest electric demand), the wind barely blows, so you're screwed.

 

I might agree with your statement about them being unmotivated.  They're trying to build the cheapest generation capacity for their customers in Ohio, and that's not wind.  If you want to motivate them, change the economics.

The NREL study (cited in the April article in the Plain Dealer) on page 6 of this thread indicates that wind power will be feasible in Ohio.  Heretofore, I had been skeptical about it.  All you have to do is read page 6 and be less "ignorant".  It's the wind at 300 feet that counts.

 

And if wind is not marketable in Ohio, then why is Bowling Green building two additional wind turbines?  They would not have done that if the wind power was not financially successful.

 

That "cheapest generation capacity" is hardly cheap if you count the externalized costs of coal.  The air quality in Cleveland is so bad that it it likely that new manufacturing will be prevented from locating here.  Lung disease is prevalent.  New studies indicate that the fine particulates cause strokes and heart disease.  CO2-induced climate change is going to the be the death of us all.  That's no bargain.

That "cheapest generation capacity" is hardly cheap if you count the externalized costs of coal.  The air quality in Cleveland is so bad that it it likely that new manufacturing will be prevented from locating here.  Lung disease is prevalent.  New studies indicate that the fine particulates cause strokes and heart disease.  CO2-induced climate change is going to the be the death of us all.  That's no bargain.

I'm so sick and tired of the majority of the Midwest lagging behind on environmental issues. What will it take for us to actually run forward instead of standing still in this area? Flash floods occuring with greater frequency? Erratic fluctuations in temperature?

 

Oh, wait. That already happened. And will continue to happen if we don't do something about this already! People have to start taking environmental costs into consideration, not just economic costs. Otherwise, these companies won't be around to count their penny-pinched savings.

What do you suggest?  What are other states doing?

Wind is most certainly not "out of the money" in Ohio.  5-15 miles out into Lake Erie generates some of the top consistent wind speeds in the U.S.  There are a lot of advantages to pioneering freshwater wind farming, lest be the piles of money to be made.  A recent study showed that Ohio had one of the top potential economic benefits of wind power development of any state (I believe behind Cal. and Tex.).  To say that it is an economic dog is quite misinformed.

I would also suggest that Ohio consider implementing some kind of renewable energy requirement where a certain percentage of energy has to come from renewable energy resources. More tax credits to companies that do implement sustainable elements to their construction projects (this is beginning to happen, which is encouraging). This, I think, would encourage more progressive environmental interests to take root in Ohio and would help to change the Midwest's image as a former rust-belt and pollution spewing region.

 

But even things like recycling isn't happening in most communities here. Why not?

It's called a "renewable portfolio standard."  Yes, it's a great idea.  Getting the fine folks in Columbus to require it, however, is another matter.

I understand that, which is the source of my frustration on this issue. I hope Ohio is considering something along these lines soon so that we don't end up playing catch-up as we always do. I think that the economic spin-off would be great for the city as well, in terms of providing potential manufacturing jobs.

But even things like recycling isn't happening in most communities here. Why not?

 

What do mean?  We have to recycle.  Atleast we do in ward in Cleveland.  I know Shaker Hts. and Cleveland Hts. recycle as well.

Wind is most certainly not "out of the money" in Ohio.

I never said that.  Please don't misquote me.

 

5-15 miles out into Lake Erie generates some of the top consistent wind speeds in the U.S.  There are a lot of advantages to pioneering freshwater wind farming, lest be the piles of money to be made.

That's true.  There are also loads of opposition to overcome from environmentalists, fishermen, and recreational users of the lake.  You can almost guarantee getting caught up in a legal battle the day after you propose a project there.

 

A recent study showed that Ohio had one of the top potential economic benefits of wind power development of any state (I believe behind Cal. and Tex.).  To say that it is an economic dog is quite misinformed.

 

Can you please link to the study.  I wouldn't want to be "misinformed".  I find it hard to believe that our potential areas of wind generation in the middle of the lake, or in the northwest trump those of Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and even Michigan.

 

I'd actually be suprised if we were in the top 15-20.  Seriously...link to that study.  It'd shock the hell out of me if we were ranked 3rd.

A recent study showed that Ohio had one of the top potential economic benefits of wind power development of any state (I believe behind Cal. and Tex.).  To say that it is an economic dog is quite misinformed.

 

Can you please link to the study.  I wouldn't want to be "misinformed".  I find it hard to believe that our potential areas of wind generation in the middle of the lake, or in the northwest trump those of Oklahoma, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, and even Michigan.

 

I'd actually be suprised if we were in the top 15-20.  Seriously...link to that study.  It'd shock the hell out of me if we were ranked 3rd.

 

^I don't know what study is being referenced, but "top potential economic benefits" doesn't have to mean just 1st tier benefits (wind production).  There can be economic benefits to a state such as Ohio at lower tiers in the system (R&D, component production, final assembly).  I would guess that is where Ohio would see the most economic benefit.

^ Isn't that more of a testament to our crappy economy than our ability to economically generate electricity from wind?  Couldn't you come up with a similar study that says we stand to benefit the most from filtering out gold from sea/lake water?

Your words were "Wind is firmly out of the money in most of Ohio, and might just barely be marginal in the Northwest."  I do think you said that wind was out of the money (albeit in most of the state).  How is that a misquote?

Brewmaster, a report from the Renewable Energy Policy Project ranks Ohio second only to California in potential number of new jobs created and average investment received from wind power.  See George Sterziner and Matt Svrcek, Renewable Energy Policy Project, Technical Report, Sept. 2004, available at http://www.repp.org/articles/static/1/binaries/WindLocator.pdf (last accessed Jan. 24, 2007).