A lot of stuff will be done around the same time- Windmills, Casino, Convention Center, FEB- GREAT STUFF!!

 

Knock on wood, my man

Its interesting/shocking to see the lack of development in Ohio's Wind resources (especially over the past 2 years when subsidies were so high), with comparison to other states:

http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_installed_capacity.asp

 

and given the wind reserves in the Western part of the state:

http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/wind_maps.asp

^Damn...that is depressing for Ohio.

 

Even Michigan destroyed us.

I would not hold out much hope for continuing any momentum built on this front.  The shift in political climate is going to put wind power and other alternative energy measures on the backburner..... at least for the next 2 years.

^Agreed.  Although rising oil prices could warm many Republicans up the idea of alternative energy sources.  Especially when benefits in the form of jobs and additional revenue for struggling family farmers are argued.  Again, we need to stay away from selling wind developments on the basis of emissions reductions and focus on jobs and becoming more energy independent. 

 

The most important thing, however, is making the argument that wind turbines are cost effective and will be a real benefit to the state.

^Disagree, at least nationally. Republican control is only in the House, and we have one the best Dept of Energy heads the US has had in a long time.

^Very little can get done without the House.  Congress controls 'the purse.'  Just like HSR, they won't let energy independence become a signature issue of the current administration.

 

^^Here's Obama's official statement and it doesn't mention reducing emissions at all.... in fact, it pretty much mirrors your outline:

 

"Each of us has a part to play in a new future that will benefit all of us. As we recover from this recession, the transition to clean energy has the potential to grow our economy and create millions of jobs -– but only if we accelerate that transition. Only if we seize the moment. And only if we rally together and act as one nation –- workers and entrepreneurs; scientists and citizens; the public and private sectors."

 

Maybe if he did a 180 and came out against alternative energy?  That might do the trick.

 

^I would replace one word in that statement: clean. Clean energy has become a bad word on the right because it invokes thoughts of cap and trade and other CO2 regulations ($$$). Alternative energy is better, but even that's marginal.

They tried that tactic.... switched 'global warming' to 'climate chage'.... and were mocked.

In last official act, Gov. Ted Strickland eases way for Lake Erie wind turbines

Published: Friday, January 07, 2011, 12:01 AM    Updated: Friday, January 07, 2011, 7:35 AM

By John Funk, The Plain Dealer

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio is giving a green light to the proposal to put wind turbines in Lake Erie.

 

In his last official act today, Gov. Ted Strickland intends to sign an iron-clad lease option giving the Lake Erie Energy Development Co. the legal right to conduct extensive testing in the lake toward the construction in 2014 of five very large wind turbines.

 

Strickland has consistently supported the $100 million pilot project as a way to jump-start a new industry in Northeast Ohio. That industry would build turbines for the entire Great Lakes -- and create potentially thousands of new industrial jobs, many in companies already here and already building parts for turbines elsewhere.

 

READ MORE AT:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/01/gov_ted_strickland_to_sign_lea.html

^Sounds like Kasich isn't totally against this project.  That's good news.

Glad to hear Strickland still supports this project after it was recently reported he feels NEO did not support him in the November election.

Is Cleveland’s answer to innovation blowing in the wind?

 

Once known for massive steel mills belching smoke into the sky, Cleveland could one day be known as the center of innovation for clean, alternative energy with wind turbines lining the edge of Lake Erie and spreading west across the northern portion of the state.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_localcle/20110208/ts_yblog_localcle/is-clevelands-answer-to-innovation-blowing-in-the-wind

 

^Awesome. Thanks.

This article was a pleasant surprise

Fingers crossed on good news...

 

Wind turbine at Port of Cleveland will rise 260 feet above Lincoln Electric's headquarters

Published: Monday, April 25, 2011, 12:18 PM    Updated: Monday, April 25, 2011, 12:58 PM

By John Funk, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Greater Cleveland took a giant step into what it hopes will be its manufacturing future this morning as longshoremen at the Port of Cleveland began unloading a European-made wind turbine.

 

Kenersys is considering building a manufacturing facility in Northeast Ohio. The task force hopes to put even larger turbines in Lake Erie.

 

Lincoln manufactures precise, robotic welding equipment needed to weld turbine tower sections together.

 

The company plans to have the Kenersys turbine installed at its Euclid headquarters by late May. It will be the largest turbine in Ohio.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/04/lincoln_electrics_wind_turbine.html

 

 

For the entire midwest, especially those areas around the Great Lakes, this seems like such a no-brainer.  We ARE the Saudi Arabia of wind.  Let's start utilizing that natural resource the same way Alaska and Texas do with oil. 

^It's true.  The Great Lakes have a lot of potential for off-shore wind development.  The lakes also provide access to sites with a lot of wind potential from the Northeast up into Minnesota.  Cleveland is also a better location than Chicago or Detroit because of it's proximaty to the wind rich Appalachian Mountains.  Having the ability to deliver new turbines largely by water would probably reduce shipping costs and allow larger, more efficient turbines to be delivered.  Putting a manufacturing facility on the Great Lakes makes a lot of sense and I definitely hope it's in Cleveland!

 

http://newenergydirection.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/us_wind_power_map.png

^ Another advantage we have is that Lake Erie is much more shallow than the other Great Lakes, making it easier (presumably) to build off-shore.  I think I read somewhere that 5 miles or so off-shore would be ideal. 

 

I just don't want to hear any PETA complaints.  Better to have the occassional seagull suffer blunt force trauma death than have one die a slow and painful death covered in oil.  Plus, it seems like it would advance evolution of the seagull - i.e., the dumby who flies straight into the two hundred foot high spinning thingy on the lake won't grow up to have little seagulls of its own.

^ Another advantage we have is that Lake Erie is much more shallow than the other Great Lakes, making it easier (presumably) to build off-shore.  I think I read somewhere that 5 miles or so off-shore would be ideal. 

 

I just don't want to hear any PETA complaints.  Better to have the occassional seagull suffer blunt force trauma death than have one die a slow and painful death covered in oil.  Plus, it seems like it would advance evolution of the seagull - i.e., the dumby who flies straight into the two hundred foot high spinning thingy on the lake won't grow up to have little seagulls of its own.

 

Can someone teach Kasich to fly??  I think that would take care of the "recall" desire by itself.

Fossil fuel industry lobbyists are trying to get Ohio Republicans to repeal the law establishing a "renewable portfolio standard" /RPS that was featured in the 2008 deregulation bill for electricity SB221, IIRC.

The Lincoln Electric Wind Turbine off of the east Rt 2/ I-90 shoreway is completely up as of yesterday. It's not spinning yet but the tower, turbine housing and blades are all installed.

^And it's damn impressive too.  I've heard that it will be fully operational in approximately 3 weeks.

It's quite impressive, you can see it from Eddy road on the freeway.

Yep.  Just noticed it today.  Very big.  Now we have turbines in sight no matter which way you are traveling on the east shoreway.

Just noticed somebody else erecting a smaller wind turbine, just north of Rockside Rd on the East side of the road. It's probably only a 25 -35 kW unit.

some of it rolled through my town square (chardon). 

Here's a drive by video I shot just after it was raised.  Its gigantic.

 

Saw it today, it is huge!

I love it- and I think it can be a source of pride for Euclid.  The city has been getting a bad rep because of its growing "diversity"- I think its developments like these which could help change that perception.

I didn't see a thread about wind turbine construction in NE Ohio. Of course there's a lot of talk about turbines on Lake Erie, but the construction has already taken place for several already on the mainland! Please list any that I have not yet mentioned:

 

1. Great Lakes Science Center. Built in 2006.

2. PearlWind (I-480 @ Pearl Road)

3. Case Western Reserve University (Adelbert Road) - Built in early 2011.

4. Olympic Steel (Richmond Road in Bedford) - Built in June 2011.

5. Lincoln Electric (I-90 at E. 222). This is the biggest of them all and is one of the biggest in North America. Built in June 2011.

6. Sopko (I-90/Route 2 split on the SOUTHWEST quadrant) - Built in Fall 2011

7. Stampco (to be constructed late 2011)  (I-90/Route 2 split on the SOUTHWEST quadrant - adjacent to the Sopko turbine)

Not the traditional design, but CSU has something on top of one of its buildings - http://www.portofentry.com/site/root/resources/technology/8015.html

I always thought the operation of the turbine at the Science Center almost does more harm than good.  It is probably the most visible, but the blades are hardly ever turning & if so very slowly.  Since it is short (Burke/FAA regs., I'm sure.) does the stadium protect it from prevailing winds?  Is it turned off?  Is it broken?  It certainly encourages the anti-wind power camp.

Below are 2 links to the Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) study queues for generator interconnect. The RTOs are the open access controllers of the high voltage power grid and both operate the grid and wholesale energy markets in their terriotory. You can filter both of these by fuel time to get an idea of how much wind is being studied and already approved. This list will only include turbines or windfarms  selling into the grid over 1MW. Feel free to PM with questions, this was part of my old job.

 

 

https://www.midwestiso.org/Planning/GeneratorInterconnection/Pages/InterconnectionQueue.aspx

 

One project proposed 48 MW wind farm in Erie County, about 12-15 turbines like the one at Lincoln Electric.

 

http://www.pjm.com/planning/generation-interconnection/generation-queue-active.aspx

 

 

I always thought the operation of the turbine at the Science Center almost does more harm than good.  It is probably the most visible, but the blades are hardly ever turning & if so very slowly.  Since it is short (Burke/FAA regs., I'm sure.) does the stadium protect it from prevailing winds?  Is it turned off?  Is it broken?  It certainly encourages the anti-wind power camp.

 

First off you don't want the blades spinning too fast, they are long to generate torgue and then gearing is used to spin the generator faster. And the big thing is that wind power happens mostly at night, so most people won't see it spinning. And last, that turbine like most of the exhibits at the science center are there to demonstrate a scientific principle, not really a viable commercial application.

I was going to refer to it as an exhibit and my point is that is how it fails.  I live along the lake and there is usually a breeze/wind day or night.  (I just stepped out on the balcony and there is, as usual, wind from the west.)  I reread my post and confirmed that I didn't mention commercial production or fast spinning; just want it to do something and not just stand there.  I make a point to observe it a lot, but will do so even more often and will report back.  Maybe it's just shy and turns when I'm not looking.  Trust me, I want it to be an inspiring exhibit.

^I drive by the Science Center wind turbine twice a day and I'd say it is spinning to some degree about 70% of the time.  I think you're just unlucky...

I can see your point. Although fail is probably a strong word. I agree with you that CBS probably blocks most of the prevailing wind, the location could be better but it is what it is. I don't think it's capable of being an inspiring exhibit at that size. It's just too short, it's catching the breezes and not the "winds", the Lincoln Electric should be pretty inspiring.

 

Ironically enough, the winds tend to die down in the morning due to the land and water temperature differential being smaller,  when the largest amount of people drive past the GLSC.

 

Great Lakes Wind Density:

 

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/GreatLakes_final_PWR50_20May08_237341_7.pdf

Fortunately, not unlucky in love.  Thanks to both of you for talking me out of one of my pet peeves.  The LE turbine should knock our socks off.

From NPR (with audio clip):

 

Great Lakes May Beat Atlantic To Offshore Wind

 

States along the Atlantic Coast are racing to be first in the country to put wind turbines offshore. But a group in Ohio says the first offshore wind farm in America isn't likely to be in the Atlantic but in the fresh waters of Lake Erie about 7 miles off the Cleveland coast.

 

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/21/137295524/great-lakes-may-beat-atlantic-to-offshore-wind

Saw it today, it is huge!

 

and now it's moving:

 

Wind turbine starts up in Euclid above Lincoln Electric Co.

Published: Monday, June 27, 2011, 6:15 AM   

Andrew John, The Plain Dealer

 

 

EUCLID, Ohio -- The sprawling blades on Ohio's largest wind turbine started turning 278 feet above the headquarters of Lincoln Electric this weekend in Euclid.

 

Euclid Mayor Bill Cervenik said Sunday that he anticipates this as only the beginning of his city's place in becoming a symbol of clean alternative energy.

 

"We have a lot more planned," Cervenik said of the massive wind turbines. "We're hoping this is the start of putting Euclid among the leaders in the nation."

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/06/wind_turnbine_starts_up_in_euc.html

It was moving pretty well this morning when I drove past, especially considering that the trees were perfectly still.

 

Ill get to pass it today. Hopefully I see it going strong!

It's amazing what a little breeze can do!  I believe the nominal speed of the turbine is something like 13 rpm so it really does look quite elegant as it spins relatively slowly in the breeze all the while pumping out up to 2.5 MW of electricity.  It's an impressive machine.

 

EDIT - Just a heads up that they are doing some inspection work on the turbine, so it's feathered and not rotating at the moment.  Likely a little break in inspection to make sure everything is running smoothly.

I saw it spinning this weekend.  But I just drove by it around noon and it was at a dead stop.

It was stopped when I drove by. Excited for nothing!

Not good....I hope they can bounce back.

 

Wind-Turbine Maker That Obama Praised Files for Bankruptcy

Company is having trouble obtaining financing for working capital.

 

By Josh Cable

 

July 1, 2011

 

Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co., a Cleveland-based manufacturer of screws and bolts for wind turbines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday.

 

Cardinal President John Grabner told the Cleveland Plain Dealer that the bankruptcy filing is necessary because the company is having trouble obtaining "working-capital financing" from its primary lender, Wells Fargo.

 

Grabner also told the Plain Dealer that the company is profitable and its revenues are growing....

 

http://www.industryweek.com/articles/wind-turbine_maker_that_obama_praised_files_for_bankruptcy_25001.aspx?SectionID=3

Grabner also told the Plain Dealer that the company is profitable and its revenues are growing....

 

Is anyone else confused by this statement? 

Grabner also told the Plain Dealer that the company is profitable and its revenues are growing....

 

Is anyone else confused by this statement? 

Sound like the company can meet payroll, market and sell products, but does not have the upfront capital to buy materials which makes it difficult to go after larger contracts because the backend cannot produce the product.  Chicken and egg theory.  Sounds like they cannot get a bridge loan, for R&D and non administrative operations.

I've been hearing crap like this from other business seeking to get financing. I think U.S. banks have outlived their usefulness.