Southwest Windpower - Renewable Energy Made Simple

Local cooperatives taking part in wind project

ENC Today.com (NC)
December 7, 2008
www.enctoday.com
By Jannette Pippin

One hundred wind turbines located more than 1,200 miles away are benefiting area electric cooperatives.

Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative and Jones-Onslow Electric Membership Corporation have joined other electric cooperatives in the state in participating in a 150-megawatt wind farm in Iowa. It's part of a larger joint project between North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and five other generation and transmission cooperatives across the country.

The project is believed to be the first time several cooperative utilities from different regions have banded together to benefit from a large-scale wind project.

The Story County Wind Energy Center in Iowa is comprised of 100 General Electric 1.5-megawatt turbines operated by a subsidiary of FPL Energy, a clean energy provider with natural gas, wind, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear power plants in operation across the nation.

The facility began commercial operation earlier this month, and at its maximum capacity will be capable of generating enough electricity for approximately 37,500 average-sized homes.

The participating cooperatives will purchase the entire output, with the North Carolina cooperative's share being 12 megawatts.

It's an opportunity for local cooperatives to learn more about a large-scale wind facility even though there's not one nearby.

"Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative is committed to furthering the development of renewable energy. This project, while located in Iowa, presents an opportunity to gain further insight into large-scale wind energy resources, an option not currently available in North Carolina," said CCEC CEO and General Manager Craig Conrad.

The Iowa project is also an important addition to the cooperatives' portfolio of renewable resources.

The participating cooperatives will receive renewable energy certificates, which can be used to assist the North Carolina cooperatives in complying with the state's Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard or sold into the renewable energy certificate marketplace.

With the ratification of Senate Bill 3 in August 2007, North Carolina became the first state in the Southeast with a Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Portfolio. Under the standard, electric cooperatives will be required to meet up to 10 percent of their energy needs through renewable resources such as solar, wind and thermal power either alone or in combination with energy efficiency measures.

"We want to meet the mandate but we're also trying to do our part for the environment and looking at renewable (energy) options," said Steve Goodson, the vice president of energy services for Jones-Onslow EMC.

And while the Iowa wind project is a major initiative, Goodson said energy can be practiced by everyone.

"On the local level we're doing what we can to get the word out (to promote energy efficiency)," he said.

The Web sites for both local cooperatives - www.carteretcravenelectric.coop and www.joemc.com - include cost-saving tips and energy-saving information for customers to consider for their homes.

Carteret-Craven is also watching renewable initiatives of some of its members, such as gathering data to gauge to cost benefits of residential solar water heating systems installed in a few homes. The cooperative has planned to provide output data on its Web site from a Skystream 3.7 residential wind turbine installed by a member on Harkers Island.

The cooperatives have also joined GreenCo Solutions, a member-owned green cooperative formed this year that manages energy efficiency programs and renewable energy projects for the members of North Carolina's electric cooperatives.