Independent U.S.-based wind energy project developer, First Wind (www.firstwind.com), will soon contribute to the renewable energy market and more in Washington state with the completion of the Palouse Wind Farm. Located in Whitman County, the 105MW project has the capacity to power up to 30,000 homes and over a $1 million each year in revenue once the project achieves commercial operations, says the company. The Palouse Wind Farm uses 58 Vestas V100-1.8 MW turbines and is expected to be fully operational by year-end.
The Palouse Wind project runs between State Route 195 and the town of Oakesdale, Washington. It is the first energy project for First Wind in the state.
Along with energy, the project also brings new economic opportunities to the region in the form of jobs and revenues. “In addition to representing a major source of clean energy for years to come, we are also making a major investment in the economic future of the region,” says First Wind CEO Paul Gaynor.
Once the wind farm is fully operational, Whitman County will receive about $12 million (or $600,000 annually) over 20 years in property tax revenues. Palouse Wind has hired over 20 regional contractors leading to over 200 construction jobs, spending millions in the Inland Northwest.
Major construction at the site began May 2012 and is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of the year.
The energy produced by the wind farm will be purchased by Avista Corporation and distributed through a direct interconnect to the Avista 230kV Benewah-to-Shawnee transmission line. The wind farm is the first in Avista’s service territory and will help the company reach the Washington State renewable portfolio standard. “The power from Palouse Wind will be part of a diverse, responsible energy portfolio that includes renewable resources generated right here in our community,” says Avista President and CEO Scott Morris. WPE
Filed Under: Community wind, Construction, News
Dear Sirs,
I’m looking for someone who is interested to develop the below.
By use my invention it is possible to enhance the productivity of wind farms by at least 15-20 % before they will achieve a rated power thanks to newly designed blades. Each section of these blades has an additional impulse. The power coefficient Cp at this method is the nearest to the Betz’ limit. As known from blade theory the more the airflow deflection behind an airfoil section, the more the driving force of wind turbine in whole. Leading edge slats installed at the roots of blades of horizontal – axis wind turbines allow to reach that. The additional impulses ensure to increase a number of rounds per time unit by wind turbine within speed-in and rated wind speed. After the rated power has been achieved, the rounds will be constant like at the prototype. For example, there is developed wind turbine with rated output power 100 kW at the appropriate wind speed of 13 m/s. Start up of this wind turbine is at 3 m/s. Straighten root area of blades (0-0 through X-X cross-sections), while the remainder zone is with its own relative twist angle. Install slats within named sections. What do we watch? First of all, start up of this turbine will be at lower wind speed compared to a prototype, at 2-2,5 m/s. Rated power of that wind turbine can be reached already at the wind speed of 10 m/s. This invention is working within named winds: cut-in and rated ones. That is enough I think, because not often the winds blow at which designed the prototype of wind turbine taken as example above.
This invention was filed on March, 1995 and published on February, 2000, bulletin 1.