5 Wind Energy Trends to Watch for in 2012

As indicated in the previous post by the American Wind Energy Association (Top 10 Wind Energy Stories of 2011), below the picture are 5 wind energy trends the association recommends we watch out for. I’ll just add that I think there will be more and more media attention on the cost-saving benefits of wind energy, but that I think the clean-energy-hating-misinformation campaign will increase its attacks on wind energy. We’ll see — let’s hope for the first and pray the second is avoided or is rightly squashed by everyone not involved in that super-minority campaign. Lastly, from me, I imagine that we will see a more massive global increase in wind energy than ever before, with Asian and South American countries, especially, increasing their installed wind energy capacity.

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ECC to Build 1.5-Megawatt Wind Turbines For Air Force Center

The Energy Competence Centre (ECC) has recently finished the development of its second wind turbine project at the Massachusetts Military Reservation (MMR).

The project consists of the installation of two 1.5-megawatt GE wind turbines which will provide clean electricity to the Air Force Center for Engineering. MMR’s main goal is to obtain all of its energy from renewables.

“This highly visible project was delivered safely, with high quality and ahead of schedule through the collective efforts of the entire AFCEE/ECC team. Each time I cross the Sagamore Bridge and see the turbines spinning, I am reminded of ECC’s contribution in bringing alternative energy to Cape Cod,” said Brian LaMont, program manager for ECC.

 

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Trans Wind Energy Generation

The myriad benefits of the efficient use of wind energy for power generation have been talked about for long. The idea is being implemented in various projects around the world but a mainstream use of the technology, something that allows for the increase in efficiency and presents it as a viable alternative to fossil fuels, is missing. Trans Wind Energy Generation concept by Richard Harrington offers a solution that promises to be beneficial on several counts. This concept addresses problems relating to efficient and pollution free power generation, better use of renewable resources and commuting without having to navigate traffic snarls.

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Patrick Marold Visualizes the Wind With Thousands of Turbine-Powered LEDs

Although we can’t normally see the wind, we can feel its presence – however Colorado-based visual artist Patrick Marold has figured out a way to translate the wind’s movement into light. Using LEDs, polycarbonate tubes, and mini wind turbines, Marold has been documenting the shape of the wind through his Windmill Project. His installations involve hundreds of mini wind generators planted in breezy landscapes – as the wind blows across them, the LEDs light up based on the strength of the wind and where it blows. His project draws attention to the use of clean renewable energy and our interaction with the landscape and natural forces.
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One of the biggest hurdles for integrating renewable energy from solar or wind sources comes from the question of storage – how can power be stored for times when the wind doesn’t blow or the skies are overcast?

Researchers at Stanford University are addressing this headlong and have reported the development of a new high-power electrode that is cheap, durable and efficient. If development continues as hoped, this discovery might potentially foster the manufacture of batteries large enough to provide for economical renewable energy storage on the grid.

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Largest Battery Wind Farm Goes Online


A new 97.6-megawatt battery-storage wind power facility is now online in West Virginia. The installation represents the world’s largest lithium-ion-based wind energy storage project and the biggest advanced battery clean energy project in the United States.

Laurel Mountain will deliver 260,000 MWh of clean, flexible power to the grid, helping supply electricity to residents and business in 13 eastern states and the District of Columbia—the largest power market in the world. The farm, built by the wind generation and energy storage wings of global power provider AES Corporation (NYSE: AES), uses 61 GE 1.6 MW wind turbine generators and 32 MW of A123 Systems energy storage devices.

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