Environmental Law & Policy Center » wind power

jgeiger — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 19:10:18 +0000

New major interstate transmission lines in the Midwest/Great Plains are a double-edged sword: On the one hand, they can provide additional needed delivery capacity for wind power and other new renewable energy development; on the other hand, they can provide enabling delivery capacity and lifelines of support for the continued operation of old Midwest highly-polluting coal plants (for example, to sell to higher-priced East Coast power markets).

The importance of new transmission capacity to support wind power development is relatively clear. There is a less obvious and equally important goal of relating transmission advocacy to spur the retirement of old, highly-polluting coal plants in the Midwest/Great Plains states. There is a very important set of strategic leverage points because of the structure of the Midwest/Great Plains power market in 2010 – 2020.

ELPC hosted a Midwest Transmission Strategy meeting in Chicago in April 2010. The meeting brought together Midwest environmental, clean energy and consumer leaders to develop strategies to address delivery capacity issues for wind power and other renewables as well as important cost-allocation issues for new transmission. Below are links to some of the resources shared at that conference.

Midwest Transmission Strategy Meeting
Presentations and Materials (April 2010)

Other Resources

Using Regional Energy Markets to Reduce Energy Demand and Costs
Webinar and Materials (September 28, 2010)

Transmission 102 Training (September 30, 2010)

Howard Learner Says Offshore Wind Farms Unlikely In Lake Michigan

Kcoleman — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 17:16:17 +0000

Crain’s Chicago Business examines the prospects for offshore wind power in Lake Michigan. ELPC Executive Director Howard Learner says that wind farms near Chicago would trigger public opposition. ”There’s a reason lakefront property is so valuable in Chicago,” said Learner.

Offshore wind farms in the Great Lakes are less likely to be built because the Midwest has excellent sites for wind power available on land, where wind power development is much cheaper than offshore. Read the article in Crain’s Chicago Business.

National Clean Energy Standards

Kcoleman — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:28:54 +0000

Developing clean energy is critical to solving global warming, strengthening our economy and increasing our energy independence. A clean energy future will require us to use energy more efficiently and generate more of our electricity from clean, renewable sources including wind and solar power.

Efficiency

Energy efficiency is the fastest, cheapest and easiest way to meet our growing energy needs. Taking advantage of energy efficiency will lower consumers’ energy bills, reduce pollution and put hundreds of thousands of people to work performing energy audits, retrofitting older buildings, manufacturing energy efficient building materials and more. ELPC is part of the national Campaign for an Energy Efficient America that is pushing for nationwide energy efficiency standard- you can learn more at www.energyefficiencyworks.org

Renewables

Generating electricity from renewable sources like wind, sunlight, plants, moving water and the earth’s heat will greatly reduce global warming pollution while increasing our energy independence creating new jobs and income, especially in rural America. Investing in clean energy will diversify our energy supply and create a sustainable way to move our country forward.

ELPC is working on state and local policies that encourage renewable energy development and is part of the coalition advocating for federal clean energy legislation. You can learn more at www.renewableenergyworks.org.

Working Together

In combination, energy efficiency, renewable energy and greenhouse gas cap-and-trade will greatly reduce global warming pollution, grow the clean energy economy and stabilize consumer energy prices. Click here to read an analysis of how the three components work together.

What can I Do?

Transitioning to a clean energy economy will take political courage. Contact your elected officials and ask them to support that national Energy Efficiency and Renewable Electricity standards.

ELPC’s Howard Learner Says Stimulus Will Help Wind Power Development, Rural Economies

Kcoleman — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:01:48 +0000

In an article in South Dakota’s Argus Leader, ELPC President Howard Learner said that funding and tax incentives from the economic stimulus will help the wind industry continue to grow and create clean energy jobs. Like almost every industry, growth in wind power has slowed during the current economic crisis.

“Wind makes sense in rural areas, where stimulus is needed the most – South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa,” said Learner. “This is about job creation – good, new clean jobs. And that’s why wind is going to continue to be robust. It just makes good sense, good policy sense.”

ELPC has worked for years to help South Dakota take advantage of its opportunities for wind energy. Our organization played a crucial role in the formation of the South Dakota Wind Energy Association.

Read the full article here.

South Dakota Wind Energy Association Holds First Meeting

Kcoleman — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 16:16:58 +0000

The South Dakota Wind Energy Association (SDWEA) elected a Board of Directors, named an Executive Director and set goals for 2009 at its first official meeting on January 13. ELPC worked for months with a diverse group of stakeholders to help organize the SDWEA.

The group will work to support the development of wind energy as a sustainable economic and environmentally-friendly resource for South Dakota and its citizens. Board President Jeffrey L. Nelson commented on South Dakota’s wind energy opportunity, “South Dakota has the fourth best wind in the country and many people want to further maximize this potential.” Nelson said, “We look forward to SDWEA advancing the opportunities for South Dakotans as further wind energy is developed throughout our state.”

ELPC will continue to work with SDWEA to maximize the benefits of wind energy for the environment and the people of South Dakota.

Read SDWEA’s press release here

Argus Leader Says Energy Stakes Attract Green Groups to South Dakota

jgeiger — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:30:03 +0000

Argus Leader reporter Thom Gabrukiewicz pointed to rising energy concerns around, “biofuels, wind, coal, solar technology and the prospect of the first new oil refinery to be built in the United States in more than 30 years” as attracting national and regional groups like ELPC to work in the state.

“South Dakota has a tremendous opportunity to create clean energy on its farms and ranches that is good for the environment,” said Howard Learner, president and executive director with the Environmental Law & Policy Center, which has an office in Sioux Falls. “We’re here to help make a difference in South Dakota.”

Learner said the attention his group is placing on South Dakota is not fleeting. “We’re not dropping in for a year, then dropping out,” he said. “We’re here for the long term.”

Read the full article.