May 18, 2003 – Vol.8 No.8

WORLD WIND WATCH.

This editor doesn’t watch much television, but was lucky enough to have it on this week to view a very special advertisement.

On one of the major U.S. networks, on prime time television, in front of perhaps millions of viewers, was an ad promoting wind energy.

The ad from GE Wind Energy was clever, humorous, a bit artful and would have been an eye catcher even for those not familiar with the wonders of clean and green wind generated electricity.

Among the news from GE Wind Energy, the company has reported more than $ 2 billion in orders and commitments since its acquisition from Enron and is supplying 315 turbines to FPL Energy for use in projects in five states.

For those more addicted to the Internet than television, the above mentioned advertisement can be downloaded from the GE Wind Energy website at http://www.gewindenergy.com/

Avista Corporation, best known in the green energy arena for its work (through Avista Labs) in fuel cells, has announced it will add wind energy to its portfolio, but not for a few years. In the company’s 2003 Integrated Resource Plan, submitted to the public utility commissions of Idaho and Washington states, the company plans to acquire 75 megawatts of wind energy starting in 2008. The company did not say whether it will build new capacity, purchase an existing facility or just purchase wind generated electricity for resale.

The company is also plans to increase its energy efficiency programs. Visit Avista at http://www.avistacorp.com/ .

Speaking at WindPower 2003, the annual conference of the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), E. Linn Draper, chairman of American Electric Power (AEP) outlined some of the obstacles wind energy needs to overcome in the United States if it is ever to exceed more the 1-2 percent of the nation’s power supply.

One, transmission lines need to be extended to some of the nation’s best wind resources. Two, wind turbines need to be developed that operate at lower wind speeds to allow large scale wind farms to be developed closer to major load centers. And three - the now almost age-old complaint - the U.S. Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind energy needs to be passed in Congress for multi-year extensions or perhaps made permanent.

AEP, the nation’s largest power producer, has 311 megawatts of wind capacity in the U.S. Visit AEP at http://www.aep.com/ .

NEG-Micon has announced it will supply 45 NM72 1.65 megawatt turbines for the Blue Canyon Wind Farm being developed in Southwest Oklahoma. The NM 72s, with 72 meter ( 236 feet) rotors will generate 75 megawatts in optimal conditions. The machines were engineered by NEG-Micon to operate in higher wind speeds like those found in the central U.S. state.

Blue Canyon will be the largest wind project - yet - in the state. Visit NEG-Micon at http://www.neg-micon.com/ .