K-State Wind Application Center cooperate to install elementary school wind turbine – Kansan.com.
Quotable: “Ruth Douglas Miller, a member of the Wind Applications Center at K-State, said Walton Rural Life Center was an attractive site for a wind turbine because she believes wind power will provide jobs in rural settings in the future. “When there is a wind farm there is a need for people to operate them,” Douglas Miller said. “And that happens in rural areas. In fact, in big cities we really don’t want to build wind farms. Let’s get these kids excited, say ‘This is cool’ and consider careers in wind.” The turbine was lifted into place by Westar Energy Tuesday morning as students and interested adults looked on.”
Kansas Energy Council member gives reactions to presentation on energy efficiency by Summit Blue – Kansas Health Institute.
Quotable: “Gunn said conservation programs can be effectively administered either by utilities or the state. He said successful programs include strong education and marketing campaigns and often provided consumers with financial incentives. State policies also can play a role. Minnesota requires electric utilities to spend between 1.5 percent and 2 percent of their revenues on energy efficiency and demand-reduction programs. But Sen. Jay Emler, R-Lindsborg, chairman of the Senate Utilities Committee, said he didn’t think Kansas lawmakers were ready to impose a similar requirement. He said some alternative steps might include setting conservation targets for state government and initiating a consumer education campaign. “Education is so important,” he said.”
To maintain and improve the electrical grid – let alone integrate more renewable energy – the nation desperately needs new transmission lines. There’s some pushback.
California transmission line drama – LA Times
Minnesota transmission line drama – (really well researched story) – Minnesota Post
Landowners receive legal advice on how to develop their wind resources – Garden City Telegram
Quotable: “The afternoon speaker, (Mike) Irvin (KS Farm Bureau Legal Fdn), spent time talking about what landowners wanted to know most about: money. He told landowners to view energy companies not as enemies, but as business partners. He outlined the lifetime of a wind farm in four parts: The pre-development stage, the lease and construction stage, the operation stage, and the remedial stage where the wind farm is decommissioned. The third stage, the operation stage, could last from 20 to 150 years. Irvin said. “This is a long-term venture. It’s going to affect your kids, great grand-kids and their kids,” Irvin said. He also urged landowners to make sure the energy companies pay for everything associated with the wind turbine, including transmission lines and roads. “If you’re going to take something from me, pay me for it,” Irvin said. Irvin outlined the different ways landowners can be compensated for wind energy, including: an up-front, lump sum payment; annual rental payments per turbine, per megawatt or per acre basis; and royalty payments based on a percentage of the revenue of the project. Irvin said land owners should think twice about receiving a lump-sum payment per turbine, because inflation and the cost of living likely will rise. But Irvin also cautioned that turbines, like vehicles, need maintenance. He said if a turbine needs maintenance and isn’t generating revenue, royalty payments won’t mean much. “I’d like to see a royalty mixed with a lump sum payment,” Irvin said. “Protect yourselves.”
— Maril Hazlett, www.climateandenergy.org
