State's wind farms aren't just blowing hot air

 

May 11 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - Adam Wilmoth The Oklahoman

After claiming victory with five large wind-generated electricity projects in the state, Oklahoma wind energy proponents now are focusing on development of smaller-scale projects.

Oklahoma was relatively slow to join the wind energy effort, building the state's first commercial-scale wind farm in late 2003. Since then, three more large wind-generated electricity centers have sprouted up along the west Oklahoma prairie. The fifth, Public Service Co. of Oklahoma's 94.5 megawatt Sleeping Bear Wind Farm near Fort Supply, is expected to be operational this spring.

The projects have propelled Oklahoma to sixth in the country in terms of installed wind-generating capacity.

"The whole nation is talking about energy independence," said Stephanie Buway, a graduate research assistant for the Oklahoma Wind Power Initiative. "The country is going toward renewable energy. Wind farms keep jobs in rural communities and provide economic development that is greatly needed."

The Wind Power Initiative is a partnership between the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.

The group has worked for years to map areas of the state best suited for wind energy and to help encourage wind farm development throughout the state.

The group's efforts initially focused on utilities and large-scale projects, but advocates now are working more to attract smaller projects, Buway said.

"We want to see local ownership," she said. "We want to have rural landowners and rural towns have their own wind projects. We want to produce our own wind-generated electricity here in the state. That gives the state and the rural communities a sense of ownership."

The initiative is recruiting schools, communities and other groups to consider their own small-scale projects.

One of the first converts could be the Panhandle's Yarbrough Public School District. The district in September installed borrowed anemometers and other wind-speed measuring equipment to help determine if a wind project is feasible at the school.

"We're an extremely small rural school and the wind blows pretty strong here," Superintendent Jim Wiggin said. "It looks like a wind turbine might be able to help us offset some of our electricity expenses."

The district is considering installing a 50 megawatt generator, which would supply about one-third of the district's electricity usage. Electricity bills average about $40,000 annually, Wiggin said.

At that rate, a $150,000 wind generator would pay for itself in seven to 10 years, well short of its 30-year expected lifespan.

"I would say within the next 12 months we will be ready to do something," Wiggin said. "We're proceeding with caution, but it's looking more and more favorable."

The district is looking to state and federal programs to help pay for the project. One option is the Oklahoma Department of Commerce's Energy Loan Fund for Schools. The fund provides low-interest loans for schools working to install energy conservation measures.

Besides the energy and environmental savings, wind energy advocates hope the smaller-scale wind projects also will lead to increased education about the technology.

"The schools can use the instruments and implement them into their science classes as they learn about renewable technology," Buway said.

Increased education of students and others in the community also could help lead to additional projects, she said.

"We don't yet have any successful projects in the state, so it's hard to guide people on how to do it efficiently," she said.