Feasibility of Wind Energy In New York State
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A little known fact about renewable sources of energy is that while it can be produced easily enough, using it is another thing.
Wind energy farms like one in Upstate New York have invested hundreds of millions of dollars to build turbines that they are forced to shut down, sometimes on windy days, because they are simply producing too much electricity for the power grid to distribute it.
In spite of this realization, energy companies are chomping at the bit to develop more wind energy. Iberdrola, a Spanish energy conglomerate has just been approved to acquire a large utility with operations in New York. Iberdrola promises to invest $2 billion in wind energy throughout the northeast, a region that like many, that struggles to accommodate the existing production.
Right now, New York has about 1,500 megawatts of wind capacity and with support from Sen. Charles E. Schumer and Gov. David A. Paterson, there are plans to add 1,000 megawatts by the end of the year and 1,000 more within the next few years. It will be interesting to see whether that is even enough and furthermore, how much support there continues to be for expanding the grid’s capacity nationwide.
In the months before the presidential election, environmental organizations have generally offered their endorsement to the Obama campaign, but both candidates promise to develop renewable sources of energy.
By Brian Geraghty at The Element Agency in New York