Responsible Renewable Energy in Canada: Ontario Moratorium on Offshore Wind Farms

The Ontario government has placed a moratorium on all development of offshore wind farms. Nothing mentioned about onshore wind farms. See CBC News – Money – Ont. declares moratorium on off-shore wind farms

It is my opinion that this moratorium is a sacrificial tactic, taken in the hope that it may diffuse some of the upwelling opposition to wind farm development by taking out the higher profile, and proportionately more controversial, focal point for opposition to wind power in Ontario. Offshore wind is the most expensive form of wind power on the table, meaning that the Feed in Tariff rate to be paid for the power is higher for offshore wind than for onshore wind ($0.19 per kWh vs. $0.135 per kWh). At the same time, the loss of renewable energy production represented by offshore wind projects will be negligible in comparison to all the onshore wind, solar, hydro, and so on. There are only five off shore wind farms under development in the Ontario portions of the Great Lakes. The only one that has received a FIT contract award is Windstream’s development by Wolfe Island, Lake Ontario, near Kingston.

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Community Wind Systems

CURRENT Mariah Community Wind Energy Systems

MARIAH turbines are Omni-Directional and do not have to orientate into the wind.

Vertical blades have no time-dependent gravity loads, like horizontal propellers. Drive train, generators, operating parts are easily accessible for repair and maintenance.

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The Hill Country – Mason County News

Once you’ve visited Enchanted Rock, you never forget the scenic beauty and power of this natural wonder. What would a farm of 400-foot-tall wind turbines do to the unique vista adorned by the dome profile of this pink granite marvel?

Junction is known as the “Land of the Living Waters” and is named for the rivers coming together there: the North and South Llano Rivers. The Johnson Fork Creek, that feeds into the rivers, provides amazing canoeing and kayaking experiences. Young boys fishing the creek boast about catching 50 pound catfish. How will this wild, beautiful area, change if high voltage transmission lines cross the creek in four places?

Jan and Bill Neiman have worked for 36 years to build their Native American Seed Farm, environmental restoration and eco-tourism business. Their son and daughter work in the family business. How will their lives change if a 200 foot wide path is cut across their native seed farm to accommodate towers and transmissions lines?

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Price Comparison Solar Panels

If you like to start a solar energy project for your home, then its great idea to buy a solar panel kit which suits your budget. There is variety of kits available in the market and planning is important before stepping in the store to buy a suitable solar panel kit.

Solar Panel Kits for Home

Your Own Experience
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Two Canadian IPPs For Your Portfolio

Most alternative energy investors are aware of North American wind power’s very bright growth prospects. In past articles, we discussed encouraging projections for the US and Canadian (PDF document) wind markets between now and 2015. While onshore European capacity is fast being exhausted, North America is only beginning its foray into wind and some major capex can be expected in this space over the coming years.

Besides solid expected growth, another phenomenon is currently impacting the wind industry; consolidation. This is a global movement that is affecting all of the power gen sector, and that has no-doubt been aided by easy credit in the past few years. Examples of recent deals in the North American wind industry include EDP’s July, 2007 acquisition of Horizon Wind for $2.7 billion, and Suez’ July, 2007 acquisition of Ventus Energy (PDF document) for C$124 million.

Playing Growth & Consolidation

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Wind Power India Cost

wind power india cost

Overview of Wind Energy Sector in India

Overview of Wind Energy Sector in India

India has a wide range of green energy resources and has a major program to implement these resources. A unique ministry for renewable energy called Ministry of unconventional energy sources later renamed Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MND) has been created.

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Beyond the spin: The truth about wind energy generation

Since President Obama’s energy strategy meeting with Senate leaders has been postponed, the future of energy legislation remains unclear.

It is clear, however, that when the administration does meet with Congress, they need to develop a plan that will allow the United States to seek reliable and affordable power without damaging our ecosystems or precious natural resource base. As I’ve written many times, a “one-size-fits-all” approach will not work because reliability, cost, and/or the environment could potentially be jeopardized if we only seek to use one or two sources. The Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) believes that discussions about any particular resource must include consideration of the resource’s cost, reliability, and cleanliness.

Based on these guidelines, an energy plan that is heavily reliant on wind-generated energy is not realistic. Although wind energy is clean and abundant in a few states like Colorado and Texas, it is not reliable or affordable for the majority of the country.

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Wind Turbine Plans to Build Your Own Wind Turbine and Save on Energy

Wind power is an excellent source of alternative energy. Not to mention that it is one of the cleanest forms of energy available. Problem is, commercial wind turbines are very expensive. Some cost thousands of dollars and that doesn’t include the installation fee. The least expensive solution is to make your own wind turbine or windmill with the help of a detailed wind turbine plan or manual.

Having a good plan is the first thing that you should consider if you want to make your own wind turbine. A good plan will serve as a blueprint for your wind turbine and will be the basis for its design and structure. The best thing about these plans is that they are very inexpensive. You can get a plan for a basic windmill for $100 or less and the return on your investment will be big. Imagine if you can totally eliminate paying monthly electric bills altogether.

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Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2010: Q2 Update

These stocks are intended for small investors wanting to put some money in the sector, but not satisfied with the performance or holdings of clean energy mutual funds or clean energy exchange traded funds (ETFs). Please consult your investment advisor to decide if any or all of them are appropriate for your portfolio.

The diagram below shows the two versions of the my Ten Clean Energy Stocks for 2010 mini-portfolio, with the outer ring denoting an equal weight portfolio of ten stocks, including three energy efficiency stocks, three electric grid stocks, three alternative transportation stocks, and one biomass/waste to energy stock. The inner ring denotes a simplified portfolio, which substitutes the Smart Grid Infrastructure Index Fund (GRID) for the three electric grid stocks and the Powershares Global Progressive Transport ETF (PTRP) for the three alternative transportation stocks. For future reference, I’ll call the portfolio shown in the outer ring “10 stocks for 2010″ and the portfolio shown in the inner ring “4 stocks plus 2 ETFs for 2010.”

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Grid Integration in Germany (2)

Grid Integration in Germany (2)
Impact of an Increase in Renewable Energies on the Electricity Grid

– Results of the dena Grid Study –

1. Introduction

The research paper “Planning of the Grid Integration of Wind Energy in Germany Onshore and Offshore” (the dena Grid Study) analyses the integration of renewable energy sources (RES), and particularly wind energy, into the electricity grid and the impact of this integration on the power pool in the period 2003 to 2015. According to the scenario presented in the paper, renewable energies will already contribute 20% to the supply of electricity by 2015. The contribution made by wind energy will be 13%. Using models provided by the network operators participating in the study, analyses of both statistical and dynamic network stability were carried out in respect of the further development of onshore and offshore wind energy. In a follow-on study (dena Grid Study II), a further increase in the contribution of renewable energy sources to the generation of electricity will be examined, the time horizon being 2025.

2. Adaptation of the Electricity Grid
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