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News at a Glance

• Public Power Wind Award nominations now open — March 8
• Announcing AWEA's Spring Event Line-Up!
  
• UWIG extends meeting scholarships for co-ops, public power utilities
• Presentation from final wind webinar now available
• Register now for 2010 Harvesting Clean Energy Conference — Feb. 7-9
• Economic development focus of next wind webinar — Feb. 17
• Mark your calendar for GEA 2009-10 events
• APPA-NRECA Utility News in the Spotlight
• G&T modeling tool webinar available online

Public Power Wind Award nominations now open

Deadline: March 8, 2010

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2010 Public Power Wind Award, formerly called the Wind Power Pioneer Awards. All public power utilities that are members of American Public Power Association may apply. There is no cost to enter, and utilities may nominate themselves.

This year's winner will be recognized at the APPA National Conference in Orlando, Fla., June 20-23. Contact Randy Manion, Western Area Power Administration, at 720-962-7423 for more information. Submit your completed nomination form by close of business March 8.

Announcing AWEA's Spring Event Line-Up!

Don't miss out on these exciting opportunities to network and learn.

• AWEA Wind Project Productivity and Reliability Workshop
  Jan. 19-20 • San Diego, Calif.
  Project profitability and reliability are of paramount importance to the "bottom line" of any wind power project owner/operator.
  
  
• AWEA Wind Power Project Siting Workshop
  Feb. 17-18 • Denver, Colo.
  This workshop's program will address how wind project siting and elements of the human and natural environment interconnect.
  
  
• AWEA Wind & Transmission Workshop
  March 2-3 • Denver, Colo.
  This workshop will explore ways wind and transmission companies can maximize existing transmission capabilities, work through the logjams in interconnection queues, and expand transmission capacity.
  
  
• AWEA Wind Power on Capitol Hill *
  March 9-10 • Wash., D.C.
  This event offers a unique opportunity to work with wind industry leaders and Congressional experts on pressing wind industry legislative issues.
  * AWEA Business Members only.
  
  
• AWEA Supply Chain Workshop
  March 17 • Greensboro, N.C.
  Discover how increasing domestic manufacturing of wind turbines and their components can grow your company, staff and profits.

Visit the American Wind Energy Association's events calendar for more events and information.

UWIG extends meeting scholarships for co-ops, public power utilities

The Public Renewables Partnership effort led by Western Area Power Administration and funded through the U.S. DOE Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program will offer $500 scholarships in 2010 to 30 employees of electric cooperatives and public power utilities to attend Utility Wind Integration Group meetings.

The scholarships can be applied to any UWIG workshop or user group meeting, and can be used to help defray travel expenses or registration fees. The applicant’s employer must be a member of National Rural Electric Cooperative Association or American Public Power Association. There is no limit on the number of scholarships per utility. To apply for the scholarship, please contact Randy Manion at 720-962-7423.

Presentation from final wind webinar now available

• Oct. 21– Wind Turbine Maintenance Programs
• Sept. 23 – Electric Cooperative Wind Project Case Studies
• Aug. 26 – Municipal Utility Wind Project Case Studies
• June 24 – CREBs and PTC Update
• May 20 – Small Wind and Distributed Generation
• April 15 – Green Jobs and Economic Development from Wind Power
• March 12 – 20% Wind Energy by 2030: Challenges and Opportunities
• Feb. 9 – Wind Energy Production Forecasting (audio available)
• Jan. 14 – Wind Power Siting and Environmental Issues
  • Presentations
  • Audio file (17 MB wmv)
• Dec. 17 – Transmission and Wind Integration into the U.S. Electrical System

Register now for 2010 Harvesting Clean Energy Conference

Feb. 7-9, 2010
Three Rivers Convention Center
Kennewick, Wash.

The 10th annual Harvesting Clean Energy conference is coming to Eastern Washington. A host of experts are gathering in one place to tell you how farmers, ranchers, food processors and rural communities can prosper in the new energy economy. Discover your best opportunities in wind power, solar technologies, geothermal, small hydro, biomass or biofuels and energy-efficient equipment. Connect with financing, technical expertise, and partnership assistance.

Register early to receive low rates! Farmers, ranchers and other private individuals can register early for just $90, professionals for $140. Call Dana Colwell at 253-445-4575 for more information.

Economic development focus of next wind webinar

Economic Development Case Studies
Feb. 17, 10:00 a.m.-noon MST

Explore how communities and utilities benefit from developing wind projects in the next installment of our popular online education series.

As always, webinars are presented free of charge, but space will be limited at some events. Reserve your place early. To register for any of these events, contact Ryan Harry; BCS, Incorporated; at 303-425-6800.

The Wind and Renewables Education Series is sponsored by National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, American Public Power Association, Western Area Power Administration, U.S. DOE Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Utility Wind Integration Group, American Wind Energy Association–Utility Working Group, National Wind Coordinating Collaborative and Northwest Public Power Association.

Mark your calendar for GEA 2009-10 events

Learn from top experts in the geothermal industry and network with professionals at upcoming events sponsored by the Geothermal Energy Association:

• Feb. 22-25 – Renewable Energy World North America 2010, Austin, Texas

And more!

Companies interested in sponsoring any of these events should contact Kathy Kent, GEA Marketing and Events Manager, at 202-454-5263.

APPA-NRECA Utility News in the Spotlight

• GE to Supply Turbines for Wind Capital Group's Lost Creek Project in Missouri
  GE announces that it is supplying and servicing 100 of its 1.5-MW wind turbines for Lost Creek Wind Project in DeKalb County, Mo.
  
  
• APPA Backs Proposed Legislation to Expand Grants in Stimulus Bill
  APPA supports legislation proposed to extend a provision of the Federal stimulus bill and make it applicable to public power utilities.
  
  
• Catch the Wind Completes Field Trial Program with NPPD
  The Vindicator Laser Wind Sensor significantly increased power output while reducing off-axis stress loads of the NPPD test turbine.
  
  
• TVA to Buy 450 MW of Dakota Wind Power
  The Tennessee Valley Authority agrees to buy 450 megawatts from two wind farms in North and South Dakota.
  
  
• APPA Outlines Public Power Tax Priorities to Senate Committee
  Public power utilities continue to seek incentives for clean energy or innovative technology investments comparable to incentives for privately-owned companies.
  
  
• Adams Electric Co-Op Hopes Owning Part of Wind Power Supply Helps Reduce Market Risk
  The Pigeon Creek wind turbine and partial ownership of Prairie State Generation Facility, help Illinois co-op stabilize power costs.
  
  
• SMUD Establishes Feed-in Tariff for Customer-Sited Distributed Generation
  Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) established a feed-in tariff (FIT) to streamline buying electricity generated at customer sites.
  
  
• Utilities Invited to test Transmission Modeling Tool
  Renewable energy developers and utilities ask, where are the best resources, how do we deliver the energy to our load and how much will it cost.
  
  
• South Dakota Wind Farm Puts Smart Grid Technology to Work to Yield a Greater Harvest
  Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s new wind farm creates jobs, puts GE transformers and wind turbines to work.

For more news, see the APPA-NRECA Quarterly News Brief .

G&T modeling tool webinar available online 

The generation-and-transmission (G&T) modeling tool developed by the Western Renewable Energy Zone Initiative can help your utility figure out if a renewable resource project fits into your power mix. Learn how to use the tool with a recorded webinar. Your computer must have ActiveX controls to launch the recording. Then enter your  name, email and organization.  Read more about the WREZ modeling tool in the Energy Services Bulletin, a monthly newsletter by Western Area Power Administration.