Wind power in Ohio

Two new wind farms, the Buckeye Wind Project and the Wood County Wind Farm, are proposed for Ohio.

Wind Farms

The Buckeye Wind Project will be located in Champaign and Logan counties. Developed by New York-based EverPower Renewables Inc., the 100,000-kilowatt farm could meet the electricity needs for about 30,000 (the referenced article erroneously states 300,000) homes. The 49,500-kilowatt Wood County Wind Farm, developed by Cleveland-based JW Great Lakes Wind LLC, could support about 15,000 homes. The state estimated both projects would be commissioned by June 2009. [http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2007/08/27/daily34.html State promising grants of $5M for Ohio wind farms] ]

Grant funding for both wind farms will be based on how much energy the wind farms generate. Both will receive 1 cent per kilowatt-hour for electricity generated, a rate that goes up to 1.2 cents if the projects contain Ohio-made components. Payments from the state will continue for five years or until a maximum amount is reached. Funding comes from the Ohio Department of Development's Ohio Wind Production and Manufacturing Incentive Program, created in 1999 and re-authorized in early 2007.

Resources

One large untapped resource of wind in Ohio is Lake Erie. Its shallow depth and shelter from hurricanes provide advantages in terms of both ease of construction as well as safety of investment. Although land based wind farms frequently have lower siting costs, sea based wind farms usually have better wind.

ee also

*Wind power in the United States
*Wind power in Texas
*List of large wind farms
*Wind power in California
*Renewable energy commercialization in the United States

References

External links

* [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5727020.html Group says wind energy an economic boon in Ohio]