Turbines like these from Vestas are sprouting up on wind farms in the western countryside of Ohio.
Construction workers, about 200 by one count, are working on the 99 MW wind farm Timber Road II. And just south of that in Ohio’s southwestern Paulding County sits Van Wert county where more wind turbines are beginning to pop up. Horizon Wind Energy is at work there on an initial stage. The original plan for Timber Road II has been divided into two projects. The portion under construction will consist of 55, 1.8-MW Vestas’ with 95-m rotors for a max possible output of 99 MW. Turbines to produce the remaining 50 MW are part of what is now being called Timber Road III.
“Construction on Timber Road II began December 2010 and will complete with operation start by mid-summer,” says Project Manager Erin Bowser. “A few turbines are up, and the guys are starting to hit their stride, so weather permitting, one or two more will finish every day.”
Timber Road I will come later in Paulding County’s Harrison Township. There, 30 turbines will generate up to 48.6 MW. Still in planning stages is Timber Road IV which will take in eastern Harrison Township, work south through Paulding and Blue Creek Township and across into Tully Township of Van Wert County. Another developer in the county, Iberdrola Renewables’, is working on the Blue Creek Wind Farm, which will put up 152 turbines to generate a peak of 304 MW.
If all goes as planned, Horizon Wind Energy will install about 200 turbines among the four phases of Timber Road Wind Farm. That makes 350 turbines between the two projects. Developer BP Wind Energy is exploring the possibility of a wind farm in southern Van Wert County.
The county has also hired an operations manager who will run the wind farm upon its completion. In addition, the Timber Road Wind Farm will also have technicians on site as well as personnel from Vestas.
Horizon Wind Energy
horizonwind.com
Filed Under: Construction, News, Projects
Hi Paul:
Obviously you are a big “wind turbine fan”. I was too until I completed writing my book: “Renewable Energy: A Common Sense Energy Plan”. Please check it out. It’s available at online bookstores (e.g. Amazon), search by author, Brad Linscott (retired project engineer on DOE/NASA large horizontal axis wind turbine research)
What??
Horizon (the US branch is HQ’d in Texas) is owned by EDP Renováveis, a Portugese company.
Iberdrola is headquartered in Valencia Spain.
So, we ARE sending our money overseas. And wind power is much more expensive than coal or natural gas, and just a small bit more expensive than nuclear… see federal government numbers on EIA.gov web site. If you’re talking about off-shore wind, then it’s 200% to 350% more expensive than coal, natural gas and even nuclear.
The cost to consumers for retail electricty from wind is often 2 to 3 times higher than current rates, depending on your location in the US.
Mr. Greenjeans:
Thanks for your comments.
You mention foreign-based companies and then criticize them for spending money in the US and employing Americans. With over 9% unemployment (probably about 15%) I would say to them, thank you very much.
When the hidden costs of atomic and coal power are factored into its cost, wind looks pretty good. Gas is the least expensive because there is promise of much of it. (Futures market) When gas’ use edges up, so will it’s cost. At wind-industry supply chain meetings, the stated goal of many turbine OEMs is to produce electricity at a lower cost than gas and developments in the works will make that possible in about 5 to 7 years.
The federal government now supports wind with a production tax credit, about 2.2 cents/kWh. Coal and Atomic get similar tax breaks. Right now, at this instant, you know the cost of fuel that drive a wind turbine, and you know what it will be in 5 years, and 10 years, and 50 years. Can you say that about gas, coal, or atomic power?
Build, Baby, Build
Yes, I totally agree with Kent . . . Now, exactly how will these wind energy devices substitute for consumption of crude oil? (Careful with your answers – remember, this is supposed to be an ENGINEERING forum).
Of course our electricity comes from domestic coal, and natural gas and nuclear power whose fuels are also plentiful in North America. Yes, in New England, bunker fuel is still burned at peak times, and accounts for one percent of electricity nationally. But this will become uneconomical on its own – and much faster than wind energy will become economical as a peaker fuel.
Idealize all you want, Erin. Wind and free market principles just don’t (and won’t) get along. As AWEA ought to know by now, NOTHING is less patriotic than lying your way into taxpayers’ pockets – and trying to convince legislators they can rewrite the laws – of physics while soap selling windmills through television media.
This a huge national security improvement. We won’t be sending our money overseas, to people who will spend it to kill our soldiers. Wind is free and forever, and clean and green. Way to go, Horizon, and Iberdrola!