First wind energy flows to city: Alternative power source goes online

Sep 6 - McClatchy-Tribune Regional News - T.J. Greaney Columbia Daily Tribune, Mo.

Columbia got its first dose of wind power yesterday. It wasn't much more than a puff, but for those working to make it happen, it felt great.

"This is a terrific step forward and a demonstration of our attitude and responsibilities on sustainable power," Mayor Darwin Hindman said. "This will be one of our energy components for many, many years."

The Columbia Water and Light Department received 8 megawatt-hours of energy from Bluegrass Ridge Wind Farm in King City in northwest Missouri. Yesterday, the city used a total of 4,000 megawatt-hours of energy, meaning wind energy made up only two-tenths of a percent of its total portfolio.

Wind is projected to make up an average of almost 2 percent of Columbia's total energy portfolio over the course of a year, said Connie Kacprowicz, spokeswoman for the city utility.

Jim McCarty of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives said he doesn't expect the wind to really start humming until fall and spring.

"That's actually one of the drawbacks of wind energy," McCarty said. "It's going to work best when you really don't need power that much. When you think of springtime when the wind is blowing and people are out flying kites, that's when you have windows open, and you're not running your furnaces as much."

Columbia voters in 2004 mandated by ordinance that the city buy 2 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2008 and 5 percent by 2013. The electric cooperative predicts its wind output a day ahead of time based on weather reports. Columbia is contractually eligible to receive power from three of the 27 turbines at the King City farm.

The wind might be a bit stronger today, and Columbia officials expect to receive 13 megawatt-hours.

"It's never going to shut down the big power plants," McCarty said. "It's always going to be supplementary power, but when it blows, it's great."

Because Columbia's wind power pushes its share of regional transmission lines slightly over capacity, the city receives its wind energy on a "nonfirm" basis. This means transmission might be subject to interruptions. Columbia, which pays $1.32 million a year for its wind power, will be shifted to "firm," or guaranteed, status in February.

But for some, it's about much more than money or percentages.

"This wind energy is symbolic of how the city is responsive to the citizens' vote that we have a percent of power from sustainable sources, so once again Columbia is a leader, and we're proud of that," Hindman said.