Wind Today - Q4 2008 - (Page 27) According to the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Projects list (www.awea.org), the state of Indiana, with potential wind energy capacity calculated at 30 megawatts (MW), ranks 44th in the United States. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) reports that its Indiana wind resource map, depicting wind speed estimates at 50 meters above the ground, shows the highest wind resources in Indiana as Class 3 areas located across the north-central region of the state. (NREL states that wind is classified according to wind power classes based on typical wind speeds. The classes range from class 1 at the lowest, to class 7 at the highest.) Despite these projections, Turner Hunt, founder and CEO of Vision Energy, Cincinnati, OH, began exploring the potential for wind energy development in 2003 in Indiana, as well as in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio on behalf of Orion Energy Group (OEG), Oakland, CA. The result of OEG and Hunt’s vision has been development of the 130 MW Benton County Wind Farm about 90 miles northwest of Indianapolis, IN, as well as the Camp Grove Wind Farm located approximately 150 miles to the west in Camp Grove, IL. “The areas we’ve developed are some of the best areas in the eastern Midwest,” says Hunt. The developer explains that resource maps are based on anemometer readings at 50 meters while a wind farm’s turbines operate at 80 meters where winds are stronger. “This is actually a very good wind resource area,” says Hunt. “Determining that has been a matter of accumulating data and experience in an area over a period of time,” he says. OEG/Vision OEG/Vision Energy Dev Development With a background in aeronautical engineering and real estate, Hunt, based in Cincinnati, got into wind farm development with OEG in 2003, methodically identifying potential sites in the eastern Midwest. “There are several necessary steps in development,” says Hunt. First, the developer must understand the makeup and environmental Facility Highlights Location: Earl Park, Benton County, IN Size: 130 MW, 87 GE 1.5 turbines Distance Betweeen Towers: Approx. 750 ft. Developer: Orion Energy Group LLC & Vision Energy LLC Managing Member: Orion Energy Group LLC Project Capacity: 130.5 MW Power Contract: 100.5 MW Duke; 30 MW Vectren Connector & Transmission System: 138 kV system Utility: NIPSCO Date On Line: Commercial Operation Date May 7, 2008 Power System: Underground infrastructure 34.5 kV T urbine Features Turbines: GE 1.5 sle Tower: Marmon, 80 meter Blade Length: 130 ft. Pad Construction: Spread Footing Rotor: 77 Meter Onboard Computer: GE Gears: Rex Roth 78.03 to 1 Transformer: GE Prolec Power Output: 1.5 MW at 575 vac Key Operators: O&M Provider: enXco Project Manager: Orion Energy Group LLC 27 http://www.awea.org
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