Wind power in Pennsylvania

Turbines at the Somerset Wind Farm in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

There are more than twenty wind power projects operating in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and several future wind farms planned or under construction. The most productive wind energy regions generally fall in mountain or coastal terrains. The northern portion of the Appalachian chain, including most of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is one of the areas with the highest potential for wind energy in the Eastern United States. The mountain ridges of central and northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Poconos in the eastern part of the state, offer some of the best wind resources in the region.[1]

If all wind energy potential in Pennsylvania was developed with utility-scale wind turbines, the power produced each year would be enough to supply 6.4% of the state's current electricity consumption.[2] As of 2010, Pennsylvania ranks 15th in the nation in the production of wind power.[3] 24 wind projects currently operating in Pennsylvania have an installed capacity of 1,334.5 MW and generate about 3,507 gigawatt-hours per year (GWh/yr), enough to power nearly 390,000 homes, less than 1% of the state consumption.

In 2006, Pennsylvania's legislature ruled that wind turbines and related equipment may not be included in property-tax assessments. Instead, the sites of wind facilities are assessed for their income-capitalization value.

In 2007, Montgomery County became the first wind-powered county in the nation, with a two-year commitment to buy 100 percent of its electricity from a combination of wind energy and renewable energy credits derived from wind energy.[3]

In 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored Swarthmore, Pennsylvania as a Green Power Community — the only one in the Eastern United States - for its commitment to buy clean energy generated from wind turbines in mountainous region of western Pennsylvania.[4]

In 2012, a coalition of wind farm developers, owner, operators, their supporters, and retail suppliers joined together to form ChoosePAWind. This coalition's goal is to educate Pennsylvanians about the environmental and economic benefits of supplying energy from local wind farms.

Many smaller wind farms in Pennsylvania are operated by NextEra Energy Resources, based in Florida.[5]

Wind farms

Name Turbines Capacity
(MW) 		Power
(MW·hr/yr) 		Location
(county) 		Year
Operational 		Status
Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm 40 80 210,240[6] Blair and
Cambria 		2007 Operational
Armenia Mountain Wind Farm 67 101 unknown Tioga and
Bradford 		2010[7] Operational
Bear Creek Wind Power Project 12 24 70,000[8] Luzerne 2006 Operational
Casselman Wind Power Project 23 34.5 90,666[6] Somerset 2007 Operational
Chestnut Flats Wind Farm 19 38 unknown Blair and
Cambria 		2011 Operational
South Chestnut Wind Project 23 46 unknown Fayette 2011 Operational
Forward Wind Project 14 29.4 77,263[6] Somerset 2008 Operational
Green Mountain Wind Energy Center 8 10.4 27,331[6] Somerset 2000 Operational
Highland Wind Project 25 62.5 unknown Cambria 2009 Operational
Laurel Hill Wind Energy Project 30 69 unknown Lycoming 2012 Operational
Locust Ridge I 13 26 68,328[9] Schuylkill 2004 Operational
Locust Ridge II 51 102 268,056[6][10] Columbia and
Schuylkill 		2008 Operational
Lookout Wind Project 18 37.8 99,338[6] Somerset 2008 Operational
Mehoopany Wind Farm 88[11] 140.8[11] Unknown Wyoming 2012 Operational
Meyersdale Wind Power Project 20 30 78,840[6] Somerset 2003 Operational
Mill Run Wind Energy Center 10 15 39,420[6] Fayette 2001 Operational
North Allegheny Wind Farm 35 70[12] unknown Blair and
Cambria 		2009 Operational
Patton Wind Farm 15[13] 30 unknown Cambria 2012 Operational
Rausch Creek Wind Farm 50-60[14] 100-120 unknown Schuylkill Planned
Sandy Ridge Wind Farm 25 50[15] unknown Centre 2012 Operational
Stonycreek Wind Farm 35 52.5[16] unknown Somerset 2009 Operational
Somerset Wind Farm 6 9 23,652[6] Somerset 2001 Operational
Twin Ridges Wind Farm 68[17] 140 unknown Somerset 2012 Operational
Waymart Wind Farm 43 64.5 169,506[6][18] Wayne 2003 Operational
Kimberly Run Wind Project 40 80 unknown[19] Somerset Proposed
Mason Dixon Wind Project 30 60 unknown[20] Somerset Proposed

Location map

Sandy Ridge
Somerset
Casselman
Forward
Lookout
Patton
-->
Wind power projects in Pennsylvania
  Operating
  Under construction

Installed capacity and wind resources

Pennsylvania Wind Generation Capacity by Year
Megawatts of Installed Generating Capacity[21][22]
2010 wind power density map for Pennsylvania at 80m above ground

The graph at left shows the end of year wind generation capacity growth from 2002 until 2011.

On February 11, 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the first comprehensive update of the wind energy potential by state since 1993, showing that Pennsylvania had potential to install up to about 3,300 MW of onshore wind power nameplate capacity at 80m, which would generate enough clean power annually to meet the energy needs of 1,168,000 homes, or 7,200 MW at 100m, capable of generating 21,200 GWh/year.[23][24] Despite the state's limited shoreline, on Lake Erie, Pennsylvania has the potential to install up to 5,670 MW of offshore wind turbines in an area of 1,135 square kilometres (438 sq mi), capable of generating 23,571 GWh/year.[25] Offshore wind turbines tend to have a higher capacity factor than onshore wind turbines.

Wind generation

Pennsylvania Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec
2009 1,075 79 74 82 83 80 58 49 55 92 127 178 234
2010 1,854 203 167 174 166 141 121 88 89 132 186 179 222
2011 1,968 171 206 202 226 146 130 79 107 87 144 195 205
2012 265 202 217 220 137 165 114 90 126 209 202

Source:[26][27]

See also

References

  1. ↑ A new crop takes root accessed March 1, 2010.
  2. ↑ State wind energy fact sheet - Pennsylvania, American Wind Energy Association, Dec. 2011
  3. 1 2 Pennsylvania profile ((secondary source)) Natural Resources Defense Council, accessed March 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ Town in Pennsylvania Catches Wind of Clean Energy Future April 7, 2009. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  5. ↑ Wind Farms in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Wind Working Group, accessed March 1, 2010.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Wind farms in Pennsylvania Penn Futures: Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, accessed March 3, 2010.
  7. ↑ AES Wind Generation Announces Commercial Operation of Armenia Mountain Wind Farm, U.S. AES press release, January 4, 2010. Accessed March 6, 2010.
  8. ↑ Wind Farms in Pennsylvania accessed March 2, 2010.
  9. ↑ Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Pennsylvania accessed March 1, 2010.
  10. ↑ 51 windmills will top local mountain; Massive project to stretch 10 miles March 23, 2008. Accessed March 1, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Renewable Energy Systems America, accessed July 28, 2013
  12. ↑ Duke Energy steps up US wind farm development July 6, 2009. Accessed March 30, 2010.
  13. ↑ Patton Wind Farm Accessed August 26, 2011.
  14. ↑ Residents, company talk wind turbine plans for Rausch Creek Pottsville Republican & Herald, December 16, 2009. Accessed March 26, 2010.
  15. ↑ Gamesa moves turbine blades Gamesa moves turbine blades. Accessed August 26, 2012.
  16. ↑ U.S Wind Energy Projects, Pennsylvania American Wind Energy Association, December 31, 2009. Accessed March 30, 2010.
  17. ↑ 68-turbine wind farm to be constructed in Somerset Co. , accessed August 26, 2012.
  18. ↑ Waymart Wind Farm Safeway Wind Energy, accessed March 1, 2010.
  19. ↑ Everpower Wind Holdings, accessed January 28, 2015.
  20. ↑ Everpower Wind Holdings, accessed February 9, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Wind Powering America: Installed U.S. Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations". U.S. Department of Energy. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  22. ↑ "AWEA 4th quarter 2011 Public Market Report" (PDF). American Wind Energy Association(AWEA). January 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  23. ↑ "Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential by State for Areas >= 30% Capacity Factor at 80m" (XLS). National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  24. ↑ "Pennsylvania Wind Activities". National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-19. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  25. ↑ Renewable Energy Technical Potential
  26. ↑ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.A.". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  27. ↑ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.B.". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.

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