Wind Powering America Clean Energy for the 21st Century
Since earliest recorded history, wind power has been used to move ships, grind grain, and pump water. Today, wind power is also being used to provide electricity to homes, schools, busi- nesses, and entire communities. More than half the United States have wind resources that could support the devel- opment of utility-scale wind power plants. We have enough wind in Colorado to generate 288 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh)
of electricity annually. That’s enough to 08604 serve double the entire state’s popula- Twenty-nine turbines generate tion. Construction on Colorado’s first How Do I Sign Up? 20 megawatts of wind power at the wind farm, Public Service Company’s Residential and commercial customers Ponnequin Wind Farm along the can join wind power programs across Colorado-Wyoming state line. To see Ponnequin wind farm located near the the turbines in action watch 9news Colorado-Wyoming border, began in the state by signing up through their (KUSA TV). KUSA maintains a solar- January 1997. The first wind turbine was local utilities to buy wind energy in powered live action camera on site installed in January 1998 and began 100-kWh blocks on a monthly basis for and purchases enough wind power to $2.50-$3.00 per month above existing provide for the needs of its weather generating electricity in April 1998. center and maintains live solar-pow- Today, Ponnequin boasts 29 turbines residential rates. Since wind power pro- ered cameras on site. that generate 20 megawatts (MW) of grams were introduced in Colorado in electricity. 1996, more than 16,000 customers have signed up for wind power for their homes Colorado utilities also purchase wind and businesses. power for their customers from wind farms in Wyoming. Public Service You can sign up for wind power through Company purchases wind power from your local utility or online. To sign up for the Foote Creek Rim Wind Farm near green power and calculate the environ- Arlington, Wyoming. In addition, four tur- mental benefits of your purchases, visit bines recently installed at Medicine Bow http://www.cogreenpower.org/ by the Platte River Valley Authority will Colorado utilities currently offering serve green-pricing customers and green power include: renewable energy programs in Aspen, What is the installed Fort Collins, Longmont, Loveland, and Carbon Power & Light wind energy capacity Estes Park. Chimney Rock Public Power in the United States? What is Green Pricing? Colorado Springs Utilities By 2000 the total U.S. installed wind energy In Colorado, customers can arrange Delta-Montrose Electric to purchase a certain amount of wind capacity is 2,650 MW. power (actual energy in kWh) per month, Estes Park Power & Light (See http://www.awea.org/ faq/instcap.html) That’s for which they commonly pay a small Fort Collins Utilities premium to completely or partly offset enough electricity to meet any higher cost of renewable power Gunnison County Electric the needs of 600,000 to sources. The policy of transferring the Holy Cross Energy 800,000 typical U.S. slightly higher costs for "green power" homes. to customers is called "green pricing." La Plata Electric Green power is power produced by Longmont Power & Communications renewable or environmentally friendly energy sources, as distinct from power Loveland Water & Power produced by fossil fuel, nuclear, and Morgan County Rural Electric Mountain other types of generators. Parks Electric Mountain Parks Electric Northwest Rural Public Power District Colorado State Summary Installed—21 MW Purchased—30 MW from Wyoming In-State Wind Energy Potential: 170,000 MW capacity after land use and environmental exclusions Additional Resources 288 billion kWh per year electric energy American Wind Energy Current Wind Power Commitments: Association 20 MW, Ponnequin Wind Farm, Public Service Company of Colorado, 122 C Street, NW, 4th Floor NEG Micon turbines. Washington, D.C. 20001 25 MW in customer rates, purchased power from Foote Creek Wind Farm phone (202) 383-2500 fax (202) 383-2505 Planned Wind Power Commitments: www.awea.org Public Service Company 10 MW for green pricing, extension of Ponnequin Wind Farm National Renewable Energy 25 MW for green pricing, 6 MW built per year starting 2002. Laboratory Platter River Power Authority National Wind Technology Center 4.8 MW, Medicine Bow Wind Farm. 1617 Cole Boulevard Golden, Colorado 80401 Platte River Power Authority (303) 384-6979 www.nrel.gov/wind Poudre Valley Rural Electric Public Service Company U.S. Department of Energy Denver Regional Support Offices San Isabel Electric 1617 Cole Boulevard San Luis Valley Rural Electric Golden, Colorado 80401 Cooperative (303) 275-4826 http://www.eren.doe.gov/dro/ San Miguel Power
United Power 09080 U.S. Department of Energy New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Wind Energy Program Y-W Electric. Colorado, is the largest business in Colorado Forrestal Building to purchase 100% of its electricity from wind power. 1000 Independence Ave., S.W. Key Contacts Washington, D.C. 20585 Colorado Springs Utilities (202) 586-5348 Joanie Callahan www.eren.doe.gov/wind 719-668-3809 Links National Wind Technology Center Fort Collins Utilities National Renewable Energy Laboratory Wind Power Program http://www.nrel.gov/wind/ Lori Clements-Grote 970-221-6396 Green Power Network http://www.light-power.org/windpowr.HTM U.S. Dept. of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Holy Cross Energy Energy Network Wind Power Pioneers http://www.eren.doe.gov/greenpower/ Dave Church 970-947-5406 Colorado Wind Power Campaign [email protected] http://www.cogreenpower.org/ www.holycross.com National Wind Coordinating Committee Land and Water Fund of the Rockies http://www.nationalwind.org/ Produced for the U.S. Department Rudd Mayer 303-444-1188 ext. 227 Wind Energy Resource Atlas of Energy by the National http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/ Renewable Energy Laboratory, [email protected] a DOE national laboratory Public Service Company of Colorado Colorado Renewable Energy Society DOE/GO-102000-0996 WindSource Program http://www.cres.gen.co.us March 2000 800-824-1688 http://www.psco.com/solutions/ Land and Water Fund of the Rockies Printed with a renewable-source ink on paper http://www.lawfund.org containing at least 50% wastepaper, including windsource.Asp 20% postconsumer waste