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 By Cynthia Crooks
The modern age wind energy industry has its roots in Europe. It was born out of the oil embargo in the 1970s. This event was a wake-up call to the European nations of Denmark, Germany, Spain, and others. Policy makers in these countries set out to reduce their dependence on foreign oil, in part by establishing national policy that favored domestic sources of energy. Hence, the modern day wind industry was born. These governments provided tax incentives to private individuals that invested in wind energy development. At one point, the majority of wind energy installations in these countries were owned by a collection of individual owners—the precise definition of “community wind.” A high proportion of the wind energy in these countries still comes from community wind today.
Community wind (CW) is defined by local ownership and, in some cases, by size. Generally, one or several people local to the community where the wind farm is being built have a significant financial stake in the project. Community wind projects are commercial-scale and can range in size from sub one megawatt (MW) to hundreds of MWs.
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 By Ed Feo; Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP
Along with 20,000 other enthusiasts, I attended the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2010 Conference & Exhibition, held this year in Dallas, Texas (http://2010.windpowerexpo.org). The exhibit floor was especially impressive, having expanded to nearly 370,000 square feet while accommodating 1,400 exhibitors from 22 countries. The wind industry in the United States installed over 10,000 MW in 2009, for a world-leading total capacity of 35,000 MW. Very impressive for an industry that in early 2000 had installed capacity in the US of less than 2,500 MW.
To be expected, the AWEA show was an opportunity for the industry and its trade organization to trumpet the accomplishments of the past year, and to reiterate its bright future. The overall theme was that “wind works,” as an energy source and as a provider of jobs in the US.
Despite the overall positive tone, a couple of trends were noted that would suggest some uncertainty for the wind industry—and for renewables in general. |
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 By Naomi Pierce
What are wake effects, why are they important to the wind industry, and how is remote sensing technology helping?
When siting turbines, it is important to understand not only the characteristics of the wind resource, but also the impact of neighboring turbines. The offshore wind farm at Horns Rev off the coast of Denmark has been famously photographed to show wind turbine wake effects—that is, the effect of wind turbines on the amount and type of wind available to turbines behind them.
Meteorologists have been studying wake effects since the 1980s, when larger-scale wind farm development made these effects more apparent. Jack Kline is a consulting meteorologist who has been involved in the wind industry since 1982. |
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 By Mateo Chaskel
As the energy sector rapidly evolves to accommodate the growing need for renewable energy, small wind turbines have emerged as a serious option for providing local energy. While the small wind industry has shown significant growth lately, which is expected to continue well into the future, there are significant challenges the industry must overcome to achieve its full potential. The ability to affect regulatory change and the continued improvement in economic viability of wind energy, as well as to gain consumer confidence, are the most significant challenges the small wind industry must face to continue growth throughout the decade.
Government institutions have been cautious in terms of allowing the installation of small wind turbines in both rural and urban environments. The primary motivation for this caution by municipal, city, and state legislatures is to ensure the safety of constituents. |
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 By Shamshek Asad
While onshore wind farms have mushroomed in the US in recent years, with generating capacity growing from over 16,800 MW in 2007 to over 35,000 MW by the end of 2009, offshore wind has met with numerous challenges. These range from technological and regulatory concerns to marine environment and “not-in-my-back-yard” issues. These challenges make capital expenditure per MW of capacity of offshore wind considerably higher than that for onshore wind. Nevertheless, once in place, offshore wind farms offer several advantages over onshore installations.
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