News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

A recent article in the Los Angeles Times, noted that Palmdale, California, has allowed business parks and shopping centers to erect wind turbines in parking lots, and install them on top of small towers.  This initiative is being undertaken in order to take advantage of one of the most naturally occurring resources and lower the cost of energy.

A firm that is bases in Massachusetts will be installing the 17 wind turbines to create Palmdale’s first wind farm. It will be developed with the assistance of a Sam’s Club store, which is a retail warehouse that allows members to shop there and receive bulk purchase discounts. To be aesthetically appealing, the wind turbines are required to be mounted on existing poles. Due to concerns over noise and vibrations created by the wind turbines, they are not allowed in residential areas.

Several other cities, such as the Antelope Valley and Lancaster are able to take advantage of the wind and solar power in the desert in order to capture the energy. A large area of desert land in Lancaster, encompassing hundreds of acres, is to be used for solar-thermal panels. The potential growth in the wind turbine industry is similar to that which has been seen in the solar panel industry.

Other cities that utilize wind farms to harness this natural energy source include Buffalo, New York, and Cleveland, Ohio, where wind farms can be found in commercial and industrial areas. Palmdale’s wind turbine plans will limit the height of the turbines to no more than sixty feet. 

Wind turbines and solar power are renewable energy sources that are naturally occurring and consistently available. These power sources are becoming more popular throughout the United States, and their price has also dropped. The government has helped to promote their use by offering federal tax credits in the states of California, New York, Ohio, and Vermont. In 2008, the number of wind turbines sold to individual homes, farms, and businesses throughout the nation totaled ten thousand, which is an increase of over seventy eight percent growth since 2007.
 
In Palmdale, the reception of wind turbines has been cool by residents of the community. A number of years ago, the city voted against a plan to erect a turbine that would stand 315 feet over Lake Palmdale.  This turbine was to be used to generate power for a water treatment plant. Complaints from the residents were raised concerning the effect on the environment and the appearance of such a structure, however the plans eventually were approved and a large turbine was erected in the southern region of the Antelope Valley.

Residents are more favorably accepting the latest proposal for smaller sized turbines, as the idea of harnessing the wind for power is growing in popularity. The smaller size of the structures means residents are not as worried about the appearance of these turbines and their negative impact on the landscape.
 
Some residents believe that the addition of small wind turbines will attract new business to the area, as the costs of power decrease. This addition will benefit the local economy.

Sam’s Club is owned by Wal-Mart, whose company initiative is to eliminate waste and operate with renewable energy. One of their stores in Arkansas is already operating under the use of a wind turbine for energy. The wind turbines at the Sam’s Club stores in Palmdale are projected to generate seventy six thousand kilowatt hours of energy each year, or enough power to sustain six individual homes for a year.

The owners of the wind turbines would be the firm, Deerpath Energy, which is based in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Deerpath Energy would then sell the power to the Wal-Mart store in Palmdale, California. This would result in an energy savings of five percent on energy bills, which is comparable with the local utility cost. Deerpath Energy has other projects located in Massachusetts and Texas.

Although wind power is currently priced at a premium over power generated by natural gas plants, it is a more reliable energy source. Wind power does not emit pollution, turbines can be installed on short notice, and it is not affected by disruptions in fuel supply or rising fuel costs.

The only down side of wind turbine power is the appearance of the large structures on the landscape, and residents must be willing to make this small sacrifice for the benefit of a having a renewable and sustainable energy source.