Walney Wind Farm, off the coast of Cumbria in the United Kingdom, became the world's largest offshore facility when its second phase, Walney 2, opened on February 9, 2012. With 102 turbines over 28 square miles, both phases of Walney are estimated to provide about 320,000 homes with power. Walney 2's 51 Siemens turbines are 492 feet tall with 3 blades whose total diameter is 394 feet. They operate at wind speeds between 9 and 56 mph with a peak in winds of 31 mph. They are positioned between 9 and 16 miles from the coastline which reduces the visual impact. Walney transmits at 132 kV, stepping up its voltage from 34 kV using offshore substations for better efficiency. The phase 2 installation was completed in 6 months, a joint venture of Walney Offshore Windfarms Limited, DONG Energy, and SEE as major stakeholders. http://www.siemens.com/energy/services
A 1000 MW wind farm London Array, phase 1 of which should have a 630 MW available in 2012, will surpass Walney in the near future. DONG is major stakeholder of it as well.
One concern about wind turbines (not as much of a problem in the offshore wind farm locations) has been the killing of birds. An estimate by ABC is that 10,000 to 40,000 birds are killed yearly by wind blade collision or about one-tenth of one percent of unnatural U.S. bird deaths versus 130 million to 174 million killed by powerlines and vehicles 60 to 80 million per year all American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) estimates. http://www.awea.org
Altamont Pass in northern California is where wind turbines got the reputation of bird killers. Thousands of old style turbines built in a major migrating route for large birds and the habitat of the golden eagles' world's largest single population kill roughly 4700 birds yearly. The 20 year old lattice blade turbines are gradually being replaced with new styles that have larger surfaces and can spin more slowly to turn the turbines and be a little safer for the birds.
Wind power costs less than nuclear and coal power and contributes very few pollutants to the environment. But wind power's federal incentive, the Production Tax Credit (PTC), is expiring and at risk are roughly 6000 jobs in the state of Colorado alone. A bipartisan group from CO has asked the senate and house to include a PTC extension in the current payroll tax negotiations.
In Geenville, S.C., Industrial Innovative Controls (IIC) is striving to bring about 30 jobs to the upstate developing wind farms. Joseph Ramirez, founder and president of IIC said, "Most wind turbines require stronger and more steady gusts to operate. However, IIC's wind turbines can work under milder conditions allowing states like my home state of South Carolina to benefit from this form of green, sustainable energy." Smaller turbines operated from a state-of-the-art control room will monitor each turbine's data for interface management between the turbine generator
and the electrical grid. The company will mount the turbines 60-120 feet above ground on towers and distribute the electricity generated to the grid. Mr. Ramirez estimates wind energy could mean one thousand plus jobs for southeastern states and close to $100 million in revenue in 3-5 years. http://www.industrialcontrols.biz
Greenville based Industrial Innovative Controls, Inc. has been in business since 2004, provides consulting, engineering and on-site services for the renewable energy industry, and sells residential, commercial and industrial wind turbines in North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Contact: Joe Ramirez at 864.449.4129 or ramirez@industrialcontrols.biz
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