|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Strickland: Ohio to budget $5 million for wind energy |
|
|
|
| By CELESTE BAUMGARTNER
Ohio Correspondent
CINCINNATI, Ohio — Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland recently announced grant awards totaling $5 million for the development of utility-scale wind energy projects in the state of Ohio.
Two projects will receive funding for production projects: The Buckeye Wind project developed by EverPower Renewables in Champaign and Logan Counties, and the JW Great Lake’s Wood County Wind Farm in Wood County.
The awards are the result of the first round of the Ohio Wind Production and Manufacturing Incentive Program administered by the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Energy Office.
“This investment is an important first step as we aim to create thousands of good-paying jobs by focusing on advanced energy production,” Strickland said. “Ohio’s commitment to wind energy will create economic development opportunities for communities across the state.”
EverPower’s multi-million dollar Buckeye Wind project is rated at a peak capacity of 100 megawatts (MW) and will have sites in Logan and Champaign Counties.
The Buckeye Wind Project was approved for a grant of up to $3 million based on the amount of energy produced. The project will generate enough electricity to supply all the electricity needs for approximately 30,000 homes and is expected to be installed and operational by June 30, 2009.
JW Great Lakes’ Wood County Wind Farm is also a multimillion dollar project that is rated at a peak capacity of 49.5 MW. The Wood County project was approved to receive up to $2 million based on the amount of energy produced. The project will generate enough electricity to supply all the electricity needs for approximately 15,000 homes in Wood County and is expected to be installed and operational by June 30, 2009.
The governor said he liked to talk about “wind farms” although some people are puzzled by that nomenclature.
“I think the agricultural community through the use of their land, if they chose to use it for these purposes (wind farms) certainly may realize significant benefit,” Strickland said.
“I think this emphasis on wind power enables all sectors of our economy, but certainly the agriculture sector to feel increasingly confident that Ohio is not going to allow utility monopolies or outside providers of resources for energy to have an inappropriate control over what happens in Ohio.”
Right now Ohio is hugely dependent upon fossil fuels and coal for electricity and that will be the case for probably many decades to come.
Many people do not realize that the majority of those coal resources are imported, Strickland added.
“As governor my goal is to have the broadest energy portfolio possible,” Strickland said.
“I’m promoting biodiesel. I’m supportive of ethanol production facilities in Ohio and that’s a part of our energy portfolio. I’m supporting research into fuel cell technology.”
Ohio has the capacity to produce solar panels and Ohio could possibly become the leading state in solar power equipment. Strickland is emphasizing clean coal technology and finally, wind power.
“All of these things taken together are good for Ohio and I think they’re good for the agricultural community,” he said.
Also, while this wind energy grant will not result in financing for small projects Strickland said he is trying to make it possible for farmers who want to install a turbine for their own needs to have any excess energy they produce placed on the transmission grid. They may receive economic benefit from that.
“That will be a part of our energy bill,” Strickland said.
Funding for the Ohio Wind Production and Manufacturing Incentive was authorized by House Bill 251, introduced by Representative Joseph Uecker (R-House District 66), passed in early 2007. The Ohio Department of Development administers the production incentive through the Advanced Energy Fund. Originally called the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund, it was established in 1999 by the Ohio General Assembly during electric restructuring. The Ohio Department of Development also supports wind development in Ohio by maintaining an on-line, high-resolution interactive wind map and by participating actively in the Ohio Wind Working Group.
More information is available at www.ohiowind.org
This farm news was published in the Sept. 12, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee. |
| 9/12/2007 |
|
|
|
|
