This week: the wind energy industry gusts ahead as additional capacity comes online in United States, while projections for offshore capacity continue to grow into the future as innovation cuts the cost of wind tech. What cleantech news have you been reading? Share them with us @GreentownLabs!
Scientific American : Huge Transmission Line Will Send Oklahoma Wind Power to Tennessee
A deal that would create the largest clean-energy transmission project in the United States was announced yesterday, a $2.5 billion effort to build a high-voltage, direct-current (HVDC) power line that would take wind energy produced in Oklahoma’s windy Panhandle region to the Memphis, Tenn., area.
Huffington Post : North America Finally Has Its First Offshore Wind Farm
North America’s first offshore wind farm, Deepwater One, started operations last Wednesday and is expected to be in full swing by Thanksgiving. When it is running at full capacity, the farm will generate enough electricity to power 17,000 homes, or about 4 percent of all households in Rhode Island.
Clean Technology Business Review : Amazon to Set Up Second Wind Farm in Ohio, US
Amazon Web Services is establishing another wind farm, a 189-MW project in Ohio, US, as part of its commitment to achieve 100% renewable energy usage for the global infrastructure footprint.
Clean Technology Business Review : IRENA Says Offshore Wind Could Hit 100GW in 2030
A new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has revealed that offshore wind has the potential to reach 100GW of capacity by 2030 driven by technology advancements and cost declines.
Renewable Energy Magazine : Falling Costs and Tech Innovations Will Drive Offshore Wind Boom, Says IRENA
Stefan Gsaenger, Secretary-General of the World Wind Energy Association, added that the potential for offshore wind is enormous, but to realise it, governments must support technology innovation, and implement mechanisms to reduce technical risk and finance costs. The IRENA report will help to lay the foundation for such action.
Gizmodo : The Battle to Bring Offshore Wind Power to America
Anchored to the seafloor twenty miles south of Rhode Island, the five turbines comprising Deepwater Wind’s $300 million Block Island Wind Farm were erected over the summer. The blades were unlocked several weeks back, and in November, they’ll start generating electricity—30 megawatts (MW) at peak capacity, which is enough to power 17,000 homes.
Fastcoexist : This Typhoon-Proof Wind Turbine Can Produce Power in a Storm
When a typhoon hit Japan in September, it was the perfect test for a new wind turbine prototype. The hundred-mile-an-hour winds that can shut down most wind farms—or even sometimes destroy blades and knock over towers—were a bonus for the new design: The harder the wind blows, the more energy the turbines can produce.