Ojibwe Tribe, Utility Study Renewable Energy in Minnesota
Nov 28 - Duluth News-Tribune (Duluth, Minn.)
Nov. 29--The Fond du Lac Ojibwe Band in Cloquet, Minn., is exploring the potential of using the winds, flowing waters and wood as sources of renewable energy.
"What we are trying to figure out is how much energy can we produce with
the winds that we have," Martineau said.
While working with DOE to assess the potential of wind power on the
reservation, tribal officials also have entered into preliminary talks with
Duluth-based Minnesota Power Co. about increasing the generating capacity of the
Fond du Lac Dam on the St. Louis River in Thomson, Minn., and of using logging
slash to help fuel one of the utility's power plants.
"We are discussing the economics and feasibilities of them providing
biomass fuel to us for our facilities," said Minnesota Power spokeswoman
Margaret Hodnik. "Over time, they might build one on their own."
Minnesota Power burns biomass -- wood and other plant material -- to help
generate electricity in Cloquet, Duluth and Grand Rapids. The Hibbard Energy
Center in Duluth is the company's largest biomass plant, burning about 1,000
tons of wood, tree bark and old railroad ties a day to generate 48 megawatts of
electricity, enough to power about 14,400 homes.
Minnesota power has the ability to generate about 1,200 megawatts of
electricity. Renewable sources account for about 160 megawatts, an amount the
company plans to increase, Hodnik said.
Much of the current renewable energy comes from the company's hydroelectric
stations. The Fond du Lac Dam can generate 12 megawatts of power. The tribe and
company are talking about increasing capacity there by 9 1/2 megawatts.
Martineau stressed that the biomass and hydroelectric discussions are in
their early stages.
"I don't know if they will work out or not," he said. "There
is some money that is available through the Department of Energy that could help
with these projects." The DOE's Tribal Energy Program offers financial and
technical assistance to tribes for feasibility studies and to reduce the local
costs of conducting renewable energy projects.
"We work to improve local tribal economies, the environment and to make
a difference in the quality of life of Native Americans," said Henry
Fowler, who works on the Tribal Energy Program.
The tribal-Minnesota Power discussion are not the first they've have had
concerning renewable energy. With Minnesota Power assistance, Fond du Lac Tribal
and Community College installed rooftop solar cells, capable of generating two
kilowatts of electricity, and a 30-kilowatt micro-turbine wind generator.
The equipment helps students in a two-year electrical utility technology
program learn about renewable and alternative sources of energy.
Renewable energy, not including hydroelectric power, accounts for just 1
percent of the electricity generated in the world. But that may change. In the
United States, sales of wind and solar energy systems have grown 20 to 40
percent a year during the last decade.
And according to the DOE's Energy Information Administration, the world's
total output of major energy sources increased about 17 percent between 1992 and
2002. During that time, geothermal, solar, wind, and wood and waste electric
power generation increased more than 75 percent.
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