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Tour Ohio's First Wind Farm at Bowling Green at GEO's 5^th Annual Meeting - Saturday, May 14 11am - 3pm

Join GEO for our 5th Annual Meeting Celebration under the 30-story, utility-scale wind turbines at Bowling Green's AMP-Ohio/Green Mountain Wind Farm, festivities will begin at 11am.   We will meet in a large tent under one for the four 1.8 Megawatt Vestas wind turbines City of Bowling Green Municipal Utility Director, Daryl Stockburger will lead tours of Ohio's first four utility-scale wind power machines producing enough power for over 1,500 homes.

Festivities at the wind farm begin at Noon with an informal lunch for a nominal charge at the meeting tent followed at 1:00 to 3:00 PM by the 5th Annual Meeting of Green Energy Ohio featuring an overview of clean energy activities, presentation of annual GEO Recognition Awards and networking amid clean energy exhibits and small discussion groups on wind, solar, biomass, energy efficiency and green buildings led by GEO experts from across Ohio.  A grid-connected solar power

At the wind farm site, a "virtual" tour of Northwest Ohio solar and clean energy homes and buildings will take place prior to the Annual Meeting.  Check back to this GEO web site for more "virtual tour" information.  For more GEO Annual Meeting information, click here.

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Central Ohio Clean Energy Network Meeting May 5, 2005 7:15am - 9:00am

Join Green Energy Ohio at Burgess and Niple (4085 Reed Road, just South of Bethel) for the next Central Ohio Clean Energy Network Meeting.  Last meeting featured Barry Adler, a GEO Member who is in the process of constructing a renewable energy sustainable farm on his 9 acre family farm in Plain City, Ohio.

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Northwest Ohio Clean Energy Network May 10, 2005

The next Northwest Ohio Clean Energy Network will be held on May 10, 2005 at Owens Community College.  For more information, contact Jessica@greenenergyohio.org.

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Renewable News
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First Solar to Triple Yearly Production

Perrysburg, Ohio --- Beginning this month, Arizona-based First Solar will begin production expansions at their Ohio facility that will triple their output, bringing their thin-film solar photovoltaic production to approximately 40 MW annually by next year and a full 75 MW by 2007.

"The expansion is prompted by strong customer demand for the product and our ability to replicate the current process while continuing to rapidly increase conversion efficiencies" said Mike Ahearn, CEO of First Solar.

This announcement comes after the successful scale up of First Solar's base manufacturing plant in Perrysburg, Ohio to a "steady state" annual production volume of 330,000 modules, representing 21.5 MW of capacity in 2005. The company said their thin-film modules have an average module efficiency of 9 percent.

"The successful scale up of this advanced thin film process represents a major milestone for First Solar, marking our shift from development to high volume production" said Ahearn. The production figures reported by First Solar equate to an average annual compound growth rate of over 230 percent over 2002-2005, making it one of the fastest growing solar module manufacturers in the World.

"These accomplishments strengthen the position of U.S. manufacturers as leaders in the next generation of thin film solar technologies and accelerate our national drive to make solar electricity competitive with conventional electricity costs," said David Garman, Assistant Secretary of Energy.

The Department of Energy, through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has played an instrumental role in the development and support of First Solar's technology, according to Mr. Ahearn.

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Global Wind Power Capacity Grew 20 Percent in 2004

The global wind power industry installed nearly 8,000 megawatts (MW) of new wind turbines in 2004, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). The 20 percent growth in global wind power capacity is actually somewhat lower than in 2002 and 2003, when the world wind capacity grew by 28 percent and 26 percent, respectively. According to GWEC, the slower growth is largely due to a slowdown in the United States, caused by last year's expiration of the production tax credit for wind power (the credit was renewed this year, but will expire again at year's end). With the U.S. slowdown, Europe continued to dominate the world wind power market, installing 5,774 MW that accounted for 72.4 percent of the growth in 2004. Total world wind capacity is now at 47,317 MW, with 16,629 MW in Germany, 8,263 MW in Spain, and 6,740 MW in the United States. See the GWEC press release.

As many wind power developers in the United States rush to take advantage of the production tax credit, one project was recently completed: Catamount Energy's 91.5-MW Sweetwater 2 project, located west of Abilene, Texas, achieved commercial operation in February. Among the many projects underway is a 151-MW expansion of the 74.25-MW Blue Canyon Wind Farm near Lawton, Oklahoma. The Vestas Group is providing 84 1.8-MW wind turbines for the project, which Zilkha Renewable Energy expects to complete in December. Public Service Company of Oklahoma is buying all the wind power from the project. Another project aiming for a year-end completion is the 120-MW San Juan Mesa Wind Project, near Elida, New Mexico, about 65 miles northeast of Roswell. Xcel Energy recently agreed to buy all the power from the project, which is being developed by Padoma Wind Power. Xcel Energy also announced in late February that it will buy all the power from a 12-MW wind project near Velva in central North Dakota. Construction of that project is expected to begin this summer. See the press releases from Catamount Energy, Vestas, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma, Padoma Wind Power, and Xcel Energy.

Taking the longer view, Washington State's Last Mile Electric Cooperative has submitted the permit application for a 200-MW wind plant in Klickitat County, just north of the Columbia River near Roosevelt. If the White Creek Project is approved, the cooperative plans to complete it by the end of 2006. And in New York, plans are underway for the 27-MW Adirondack Wind Energy Park, slated to be built about 80 miles north of Albany in 2007. See the press release and White Creek Project description from the Last Mile Electric Cooperative, and visit the Adirondack Wind Energy Park Web site.

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NOPEC Extends Contract with GMEC through 2008

The Northeast Ohio Public Energy Council (NOPEC), a council of governments comprising 115 communities in eight northeast Ohio counties, recently announced the extension of its contract with "cleaner energy" supplier Green Mountain Energy Company (GMEC) through 2008. The council said GMEC has supplied "less-polluting, reliable electricity to hundreds of thousands of NOPEC customers since September 2001."

"We are delighted to extend our contract with [GMEC] through 2008," said NOPEC chairman Joe Migliorni. "Together, NOPEC and [GMEC] have made energy history in this state, providing our customers with a quality product at a discounted price and proving that competition in Ohio can work."

In addition to providing customers in northeastern Ohio with cleaner energy at a lower rate than local utilities can, NOPEC said its partnership with GMEC has also contributed to the construction of a 26-kilowatt solar array in Kirtland, OH.

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Canadians Plan 99 MW of Wind Near Lake Erie

March 30, 2005

Atlanta, Georgia

Canada's wind resources continue to grow, and GE Energy is there to supply the turbines.  GE will supply 66 turbines, each rated at 1.5 MW installed capacity, to the Erie Shores Wind Farm, which should be one of the largest wind power projects in Canada when completed in early 2006.  The project will add 99 MW of wind power capacity to the country's energy generation.

"GE has a presence in Canada that reaches back 112, and the Erie Shores project will benefit from the support of our Canadian businesses which employ more than 9,500 people." - Mark Little, Vice President Power Generation for GE Energy.

Erie Shores Wind Farm Limited Partnership (ESWF) is developing the project, which is situated along the northern shoreline of Lake Erie in Ontario.  The ESWF is a joint venture between the Clean Power Income Fund of North America and the AIM PowerGen Corporation, a private Canadian developer of wind power projects.

Clean Power Income Fund provides stable, long-term cash flow to investors from the environmentally preferred generation of electricity. The Fund invests only in power generating assets that use renewable energy sources such as water, wind, wood waste and landfill gas.

ESWF was a successful bidder in the Ontario government's recent request for proposals for 300 MW of new renewable energy capacity. Clean Power will own 100 percent of the project through the partnership, which holds a 20-year renewable energy supply contract with the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation.

In addition to supplying the wind turbines, GE Energy will also operate and maintain the project during its first four years of operation.

"With its well recognized environmental benefits and competitive economics, wind energy has grown dramatically on a global basis over the past decade" said Mark Little, vice president-power generation for GE Energy. "We are pleased to support the Canadian Government's efforts to increase its use of wind power. GE has a presence in Canada that reaches back 112 years, and the Erie Shores project will benefit from the support of our Canadian businesses which employ more than 9,500 people."

The project also supports the Canadian government's recent decision to increase its original 1,000 MW Wind Power Production Incentive (WPPI) to 4,000 MW.

According to the Canadian Wind Energy Association, the WPPI increase indicates the federal government's willingness to partner with provincial governments to move forward with wind projects now under consideration or in the early stages to add between 4,500 and 5,000 megawatts of wind energy capacity by 2012.

As of September 2004, Canada's installed wind energy capacity was 439 megawatts.

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ASES Publishes New Book on 50-year History of Solar Energy

It will be titled:

The Fifty-Year History of the International Solar Energy Society (ISES) and its National Sections

This two volume book, well over 1,100 pages, will be available in June 2005 for $180.00. We are offering libraries a pre-publication price of $100.00 if they place an order by May 15, 2005.

We are also offering ASES and ISES members* a pre-publications price for orders placed prior to May 15th of $50.00.

As the United States Section of ISES, we are anxious to share the
history of solar through the vision, hard work and pioneering efforts of
ISES Sections around the world. For more complete information on this
incredible history and to view the publication flyer please visit our
website at http://www.ases.org/about_ases/50year_history_4_6_05.pdf

Please Help! You can help spread the word by forwarding this information and the website to:

The public libraries in your town/city; the universities, colleges or school districts in your state; your Alma Mater; or The library where you work if applicable.

To those interested in owning an account of our industry's history, the trials and tribulations and the persons who moved us to where we are today.

Thanks for your help.
*ASES or ISES members can place their order directly by emailing:
dmcclain@ases.org

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Ohio Giant Eagle Becomes First LEED-Certified Supermarket in U.S.

Cleveland, Dec 27, 2004 - Supermarket retailer Giant Eagle, Inc. last week became the nation's first grocer to operate a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified supermarket at one of its locations in Northeastern Ohio.

LEED, a national green building rating system administered by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), designates that Giant Eagle has and will continue to meet required standards by incorporating environmentally responsible features and systems into the building.

The 80,000 square-foot supermarket, opened this past summer and located in the Brunswick Town Center shopping plaza, is the first supermarket to earn an environmentally-friendly designation. No other supermarket has earned an equivalent award in the world. The LEED designation builds on the company's commitment to responsible resource use, as it was recognized in February as a 2004 ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for adopting smart and efficient energy practices.

"Becoming the first LEED-certified supermarket underscores the importance of being an environmentally responsible member of the communities we serve," said Giant Eagle Vice President of Marketing Kevin Srigley. "It is a continuation of our pledge to understand the environmental issues that we all face and to adopt appropriate practices to meet those challenges. Our conservation department continues to pursue alternative sources of energy and conservation initiatives."

Full article in http://www.greenbuildings.com/news_detail.cfm?Page=1&NewsID=27528

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Second to Ohio, PA DEP Unveils New Solar PV System at Governor's Residence

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently unveiled a new 16-panel, 2.8-kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic (PV) system atop the governor's residence in Harrisburg, PA, which provides approximately 22 hours of backup power to critical infrastructure in the event of a blackout.

According to DEP, the solar system was funded in part by a $20,000 grant from The Reinvestment Fund's (TRF) Solar Photovoltaic Grant Program and installed by MESA Environmental Sciences, Inc.

"This first-of-its-kind project highlights the importance of investing in renewable energy technology as a tool to ensure a reliable energy supply if the power grid ever goes down," said DEP secretary Kathleen McGinty. "Diversifying our energy resources is a key piece of ensuring against economic and security vulnerabilities."

This PV system at the Governor's Residence is actually second to Green Energy Ohio's PV system at the Ohio Governor's Residence commissioned in September 2004. Featured on the Ohio Solar Tour, this 3.2 kW solar electric and back-up power system at the governor's residence is a unique merger of historic architecture and renewable energy resources.

This PV system at the Governor's Residence is actually second to Green Energy Ohio's PV system at the Ohio Governor's Residence commissioned in September 2004.  Featured on the Ohio Solar Tour, this 3.2 kW solar electric and back-up power system at the Governor's Residence is a unique merger of historic architecture and renewable energy resources.

This PV system celebrates Ohio's rich heritage of invention and innovation, demonstrating solar power as a viable means to generate electricity while conserving natural resources.  GEO maintains a monitoring system on the PV array to determine the amount of electricity produced over time.  The performance data and educational information are available on-line at: <www.greenenergyohio.org/govres/>

Contact: PA DEP, website http://www.dep.state.pa.us.

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Proposed Rules to Accommodate Wind Energy in Wholesale Markets

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission today proposed rules designed to better accommodate an increased participation of wind energy in wholesale markets.  The proposal addressing transmission tariffs will allow intermittent resources, including wind, to compete on a level playing field and become a larger part of our nation's energy portfolio. The proposal would encourage the development of renewable resources by removing barriers that affect intermittent resources access to the transmission grid.

Renewable resources bring benefits to energy customers by providing environmental benefits and support increased reliability by broadening the diversity of energy supplies, the Commission said.

The Commission noted that while wind-generated power was not a significant source of generation when its landmark open-access transmission rule, Order No. 888, was issued in 1996, wind resources have grown at an annual average rate of about 20 percent.  As a result, these resources are now ready to take advantage of the open access transmission tariff but are facing challenges due to the outdated design of the tariff that was designed for generation with controlled fuel input and more precise scheduling ability.

Today's proposal would establish a new generator imbalance service schedule under the pro forma open access transmission tariff (OATT) for intermittent resources that will aid in the removal of barriers to entering the open access market for these resources. The new schedule addresses the unique operating characteristics and constraints of wind generation.

Specifically, the new proposed service schedule sets up an intermittent generator imbalance bandwidth of plus or minus 10 percent for differences between the amount scheduled to be generated and the actual amount generated for each hour.  Deviations within the plus or minus 10 percent bandwidth will be priced at the transmission provider's system incremental/decremental cost at the time of the deviation.  Deviations outside the bandwidth will be priced at the transmission provider's system incremental/decremental cost plus or minus 10 percent.

In instances where a transmission provider's tariff includes a generator imbalance charge provision more lenient than the one outlined by today's rulemaking, the Commission proposes that the transmission provider assess the lesser charge.  The Commission does not propose to modify existing energy imbalance service under the tariff, and seeks comment on whether generator imbalance provisions in future interconnection agreements should conform to what is proposed in the rulemaking.

The proposal reiterates the existing pro forma tariff provision that allows for the modification of generation schedules up to 20 minutes before the hour to minimize exposure to the costs associated with imbalances.

The Commission noted that system reliability should not be compromised by the proposal since the impact of these resources for most transmission systems will be relatively small in comparison to total generation and transmission on any system.

Commission staff a briefing paper in November 2004, Assessing the State of Wind Energy in Wholesale Electric Markets.  The Commission followed this with a technical conference in December 2004 to discuss the issues associated with wind energy in the energy market. The Commission has conducted extensive outreach with the industry and public on wind energy issues and means to facilitate the renewable energy technology's integration into the nation's highly interconnected power grid.

In January 2005, the Commission proposed regulations that would remove barriers to wind-generated electricity's interconnection to the power grid (RM05-4-000).  The Commission proposed uniform interconnection procedures tailored to the technical requirements of wind- generated power.

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Ohio State Experiment to Hitch Ride on Shuttle

When the space shuttle Discovery takes off next month, it will carry Ohio State technology that could power the next generation of space vehicles.  NASA is trying out new types of solar cells - devices that convert solar energy to electrical energy - and Ohio State engineers have an innovative design that they're ready to put to the test.  These solar cells are tough enough to take all the heat, cold, and radiation that space can throw at them.  They're also potentially cheaper and easier to build, and weigh half as much as the conventional cells NASA uses today.

Steven Ringel, the Neal A. Smith Professor of electrical engineering, and professor of physics, and his team designed the materials in collaboration with scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and NASA Glenn Research Center.  As part of this NASA-funded project, astronauts will install a small prototype solar cell device outside the International Space Station, and Ringel and his other colleagues will monitor its performance in real time over the next year.

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