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30 Jun 2010 | 08:22:36 pm
Wind Factory Watch: Eagle Claw: Oklahoma
Eagle Claw Fabrication, LLC, yesterday announced plans to build a 150,000-square-foot factory specifically designed for construction of wind turbine towers at the Port of Muskogee, Okla. The firm said it expects to create approximately 175 jobs in Phase 1 of the project.
Ground breaking for the $28 million plant is targeted for the third quarter of 2010, and the manufacturing facility is scheduled to come online as early as spring of 2011. Eagle Claw plans to move to full capacity late in 2011 to meet what it described as "pent-up and growing demand for new wind towers."
Eagle Claw said it intends to be the most efficient manufacturer of wind turbine towers in the southern part of the central U.S. wind corridor, adding, "The Company anticipates that its new fabrication facility will generate ancillary economic development for the City of Muskogee, Muskogee County and the State of Oklahoma by creating new high-paying manufacturing and management jobs, additional transportation and shipping activity, as well as increased income, sales and use tax revenues."
Previous blogs in this series:
Wind Factory Watch: Alstom: Texas, 5/27/10
Wind Factory Watch: Beckmann Volmer, Arkansas, 5/21/10
Wind Factory Watch: Ingersoll Machine Tools, 5/15/10
Wind Factory Watch: ZF Industries, Georgia, 5/10/10
Ground breaking for the $28 million plant is targeted for the third quarter of 2010, and the manufacturing facility is scheduled to come online as early as spring of 2011. Eagle Claw plans to move to full capacity late in 2011 to meet what it described as "pent-up and growing demand for new wind towers."
Eagle Claw said it intends to be the most efficient manufacturer of wind turbine towers in the southern part of the central U.S. wind corridor, adding, "The Company anticipates that its new fabrication facility will generate ancillary economic development for the City of Muskogee, Muskogee County and the State of Oklahoma by creating new high-paying manufacturing and management jobs, additional transportation and shipping activity, as well as increased income, sales and use tax revenues."
Previous blogs in this series:
Wind Factory Watch: Alstom: Texas, 5/27/10
Wind Factory Watch: Beckmann Volmer, Arkansas, 5/21/10
Wind Factory Watch: Ingersoll Machine Tools, 5/15/10
Wind Factory Watch: ZF Industries, Georgia, 5/10/10
Posted By : Tom Gray
30 Jun 2010 | 08:17:27 pm
Crowds sign blade and deliver a home run to Congress
Guest blog by Christine Real de Azua, Director of Media Relations, AWEA
There was a good turnout for the 2010 Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park last night, and that was good news for clean energy.
As they approached the stadium entrance, the crowds saw a large wind turbine blade placed by the entrance. Many took the time to sign the blade to call for clean energy legislation and help make sure the leaders of Congress soon deliver a home run on renewable energy. TV stations that took shots of the blade at the Nationals Park included CNN, CNBC, WUSA, Fox, WJLA and News Channel 8.
This blade signing event was the culmination of a national tour organized by GE, which took the 131-foot blade from South Dakota where it was manufactured, across the country, over 4,000 miles to Dallas, Texas, for the 2010 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, and then on to Washington D.C. The blade shows how renewable energy creates U.S. manufacturing jobs and provides clean power to America’s homes and factories.
Senator Daschle talks to Fox News after signing the wind turbine blade at Nationals Congressional Baseball Game. His signature says: “Made in my hometown Aberdeen, South Dakota! Tom Daschle”
There was a good turnout for the 2010 Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park last night, and that was good news for clean energy.
As they approached the stadium entrance, the crowds saw a large wind turbine blade placed by the entrance. Many took the time to sign the blade to call for clean energy legislation and help make sure the leaders of Congress soon deliver a home run on renewable energy. TV stations that took shots of the blade at the Nationals Park included CNN, CNBC, WUSA, Fox, WJLA and News Channel 8.
This blade signing event was the culmination of a national tour organized by GE, which took the 131-foot blade from South Dakota where it was manufactured, across the country, over 4,000 miles to Dallas, Texas, for the 2010 WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, and then on to Washington D.C. The blade shows how renewable energy creates U.S. manufacturing jobs and provides clean power to America’s homes and factories.
Senator Daschle talks to Fox News after signing the wind turbine blade at Nationals Congressional Baseball Game. His signature says: “Made in my hometown Aberdeen, South Dakota! Tom Daschle”
Posted By : Anyah Dembling
30 Jun 2010 | 02:46:51 pm
Growing Consensus on Radar and Wind?
The absence of fireworks was perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of a House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness hearing yesterday on radar interference from wind turbines.
AWEA witness Stu Webster (Manager, Permitting, Iberdrola Renewables) and witnesses for the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration had very similar perspectives on the issue:
--Wind turbines and military operations/air safety can coexist;
--Such conflicts as do exist can usually be mitigated;
--There needs to be an improved process for engaging with the agencies earlier in the development of wind farms;
--A plan to upgrade radars is necessary; and
--There needs to be more mitigation R&D (research & development).
In short, no news is good news.
Some additional positive news on the radar front yesterday, coincidentally, came from the Portland Oregonian, which reported that an MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) study has found that a defense radar installation near Fossil, Ore., can be successfully upgraded to deal with interference from a large planned wind farm in the area.
As plug-in hybrid autos are introduced into the U.S. motor vehicle fleet, it will become increasingly possible for wind energy to directly replace oil and enhance our national security. It's good to know that can be done without compromising airspace security.
Further reading:
Countering the concern over wind and radar with facts (blog, 4/19/10]
Raytheon to help Brits with wind, radar issues (blog, 12/7/09)
Airspace, Radar and Wind Energy (fact sheet)
AWEA testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
Department of Defense testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
Federal Aviation Administration testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
AWEA witness Stu Webster (Manager, Permitting, Iberdrola Renewables) and witnesses for the Department of Defense and Federal Aviation Administration had very similar perspectives on the issue:
--Wind turbines and military operations/air safety can coexist;
--Such conflicts as do exist can usually be mitigated;
--There needs to be an improved process for engaging with the agencies earlier in the development of wind farms;
--A plan to upgrade radars is necessary; and
--There needs to be more mitigation R&D (research & development).
In short, no news is good news.
Some additional positive news on the radar front yesterday, coincidentally, came from the Portland Oregonian, which reported that an MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) study has found that a defense radar installation near Fossil, Ore., can be successfully upgraded to deal with interference from a large planned wind farm in the area.
As plug-in hybrid autos are introduced into the U.S. motor vehicle fleet, it will become increasingly possible for wind energy to directly replace oil and enhance our national security. It's good to know that can be done without compromising airspace security.
Further reading:
Countering the concern over wind and radar with facts (blog, 4/19/10]
Raytheon to help Brits with wind, radar issues (blog, 12/7/09)
Airspace, Radar and Wind Energy (fact sheet)
AWEA testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
Department of Defense testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
Federal Aviation Administration testimony, subcommittee hearing, 6/29/10
Posted By : Tom Gray
30 Jun 2010 | 02:21:06 pm
Tracking the Growth of U.S. Wind Manufacturing
A question came up on Twitter yesterday: "guys, i heard from a congressman that there are no Solar or Wind power mfgs in USA. is that true? Google inconclusive."
I gave a quick response: "Not true. There are several wind mfrs making or sourcing most of their U.S. turbines here, plus many parts mfrs."
After some further reflection, it occurred to me that a good place to find out more about what's happening on the U.S. wind power manufacturing scene is through our annual Wind Power Outlook reports.
For the past four years (2007-2010), each Outlook report, in addition to providing a broad snapshot of the wind energy industry, has featured a map of the U.S. showing wind equipment factories. Together, they make up an excellent resource for anyone wanting to know more.
Wind power is a brand new manufacturing industry--there are 8,000 parts in a wind turbine, and making them creates all sorts of jobs. At the end of 2009, there were 85,000 people employed in the wind industry. I don't think wind will ever be as large as the U.S. auto industry was in its heyday, but it could become another major employer like the U.S. aircraft industry.
I gave a quick response: "Not true. There are several wind mfrs making or sourcing most of their U.S. turbines here, plus many parts mfrs."
After some further reflection, it occurred to me that a good place to find out more about what's happening on the U.S. wind power manufacturing scene is through our annual Wind Power Outlook reports.
For the past four years (2007-2010), each Outlook report, in addition to providing a broad snapshot of the wind energy industry, has featured a map of the U.S. showing wind equipment factories. Together, they make up an excellent resource for anyone wanting to know more.
Wind power is a brand new manufacturing industry--there are 8,000 parts in a wind turbine, and making them creates all sorts of jobs. At the end of 2009, there were 85,000 people employed in the wind industry. I don't think wind will ever be as large as the U.S. auto industry was in its heyday, but it could become another major employer like the U.S. aircraft industry.
Posted By : Tom Gray
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