News roundup: Ohio wind moves forward, a wind grant for South Dakota Sioux, a new tower design

There’s exciting news in wind power across the country, with the approval of a proposed wind farm in western Ohio, a potential billion-dollar project for a tribe in South Dakota, and a new tower design from GE.

The 176-turbine Scioto Ridge wind project obtained initial approval Monday, initiating the process of getting turbines in the ground by next year:

  • The state Power Siting Board today authorized the installation of up to 176 turbines over 17,000 acres of leased land in Hardin and Logan counties. Regulators also gave consent to construction of a 345kV substation and a five-mile 345kV transmission line to an existing AEP 345kV circuit.
  • The proponent expects the project to create 8 to14 full-time, permanent positions and 150 full- and part-time positions during construction. It will generate an estimated $67m in tax revenue through a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes program for local governments and school districts throughout the life of the project.

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe of South Dakota recently obtained a federal grant to begin the process of building the first utility-scale wind farm on the state’s reservations:

  • The Crow Creek tribe, based in central South Dakota, learned Friday that it was chosen as one of 21 tribes across the country to share in $3.2 million worth of grants from the U.S. Department of the Interior for energy and mineral projects.
  • "We never hardly hear good news," he said. "This was one of the greatest pieces of news I have heard since being chairman for Crow Creek." Sazue and other tribal leaders hope that the wind farm will not only provide free electricity to the reservation's 2,000 residents but generate significant profits from the sale of electricity off the reservation.
  • If the project is a reality, it could become the second or third tribal-run wind farm in the nation. The Campo Band of Kumeyaay Indians has a wind farm in California. In Oklahoma, a wind farm is currently in development on Cherokee land.

GE last week unveiled a new space-frame tower, one designed to use less metal while building taller:

  • GE is introducing the space frame tower with its new 2.75-120 wind turbine and has demonstrated it in a full-scale turbine at the company’s prototype site in Tehachapi, Calif. The company explains that the lattice tower is assembled at wind farm locations and then wrapped in an architectural fabric to provide familiar solid structural aesthetics.
  • According to GE, the tower’s five legs offer additional down-tower space, allowing for storage within the turbine and making it easier to perform maintenance, site organization and balance of plant. Furthermore, the company says the tower has a “maintenance-free” bolting system.

Be sure check out this week’s other news roundups:

Sources:

Staff, “Ohio OKs 300MW EverPower farm.” reNews. 17 March 2014.

Daniel Simmons-Ritchie, “Crow Creek receives federal grant to launch billion-dollar wind farm.” Rapid City Journal. 18 March 2014.

Staff, “GE Launches Space Frame Tower For Wind Turbines.” North American Windpower. 11 March 2014.

 

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