People in the industry know that wind energy is a hot growth sector right now. Validation of this belief comes from AWEA (American Wind Energy Association) who says that in the U. S., a million new homes will be powered by wind energy in 2007. This more than doubles their prediction from last year.
And, one only needs to take a quick scan of the news to see how wind energy is taking off. For instance, just in today’s news Bluewater Wind is negotiating with the state of Delaware to put up a 450-megawatt wind farm offshore.
Near Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah, a 19-megawatt wind farm is being built that will supply power to 19,000 residents. As if the New England Patriots need any more power to win games, now they will have wind power firmly in their favor.
Constellation NewEnergy has announced that it is installing wind turbines at Gillette Stadium where the Patriots play. The Kraft family who owns the stadium has already received awards from the EPA for their environmental efforts in the construction.
OGE Energy Corporation in Oklahoma has just announced plans to quadruple wind energy production in the state from 170-megawatts to 770-megawatts. EcoEnergy is starting work on the first wind farm in Dane County, Wisconsin. This $20 million project will supply enough electricity to power 2,500 homes.
The list of stories about wind energy today goes on and on. What I’ve listed is just a small sampling from one day. I’ve noticed, however, an obvious omission in the news about onshore and offshore wind farms going up along the Gulf Coast region.
With hurricane season lasting just shy of six months out of the year and ample winds the rest of the year, the Gulf Coast is an ideal place for wind farms. So, the question remains, “Where are they?”
With many other less windy regions jumping on the wind farm bandwagon, one would think this would be a no-brainer for the Gulf Coast region. So, get on the bandwagon, people, and get that renewable energy flowing into your homes! Be part of the solution and not just the hot air that talks about solutions.