World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

March 17, 2002 – Vol.6 No.51

WORLD WIND WATCH.

Brazil may be in the top five leading wind producing countries in the world when 43 new wind projects are completed by 2005. The nation, heavily dependent on hydroelectric power, has been in an energy crunch for the past year or so as a two-year drought has afflicted the nation. Wind power is seen as one way to end the crisis which has brought on electricity outages and rationing.

According to an article distributed by the Inter Press Service, wind power skeptics in Brazil once thought the country didn’t have enough wind resources for viable wind power production. (Studies have now shown that the country has the potential for 60,000 megawatts, mostly in the northeast portion of the country.)

Then skeptics thought there wasn’t enough equipment (turbines) available in the market place worldwide to meet the demand. (There’s plenty; turbines are built to order.)

Finally it was thought that the nation would not be able to find enough investors for the necessary projects. (French, Spanish, German as well as Brazilian companies are now interested in wind power development for the nation.)

Wind power may be the quickest way to solve Brazil’s ongoing energy problem. Wind power facilities can be built faster than conventional power plants such as those operating on natural gas, another choice for the country. Visit the Brazilian Center for Wind Energy (CBEE) at http://www.eolica.com.br/ .

According to a privately funded analysis by the New England Wind Energy Project (NEWEP), the U.S. state of Vermont could realistically build 725-750 megawatts of wind power capacity. The potential for the state is higher, but the study concluded that sites within the operating territories of the state’s 22 utility companies would be the best possibilities for wind development.

The study also said that 15-30 megawatts of new wind power should be developed each year to meet the growing demand for electricity. The state’s governor has recommended that 2 megawatts be built each year. A map of potential project sites are available by request at windinfo@charter.net .