Wind Power

By 2020 General Electric partnered with Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation hopes to have installed a wind farm of the shore of Lake Erie. Consisting of 5 wind turbines, by the time it is completed, the farm should light up over 15,000 homes. Normal land based turbines are facing a lack of demand which is putting a strain the wind energy industry, however the new-design looks to get the energy from off-shore wind in hopes to bring some enthusiasm to the industry. For more information on the Wind Farm Click HERE.

“Recent reports and surveys estimate the potential for renewable energy project on Indian Tribal lands would meet the energy needs for one quarter of the entire U.S.” Winds average 18 mph across the great plains of South Dakota and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, located in central South Dakota was the first tribe to own and operate a commercial scale wind turbine in 2003. Currently they are developing two large scale wind farms.
“The wind blows all the time,” says Bruce Renville, Consultant for Citizens Wind and Tribal Development Coordinator. Little Solider, their first attempt at a using wind power was built in 1993 and because of its success they are in the process of developing two more wind sources that could power over 60,000 homes.
Because they are considered a sovereign nation, they do not qualify for U.S. tax credits so in order to build the farms they have to partner with a larger firm. However, with partnership comes the possibility of exploration and the tribe has been clear that they are looking for part ownership.
What the tribe does not know is that they could use the resources in the Global Innovation Commons to develop the wind farms themselves. Within the data, we have all patented technology that has been expired or abandoned in the United States under renewable energy.
A video on the tribal project:

United States Interior Secretary Kenneth Salazar approved the nation’s first offshore wind farm yesterday. The Cape Wind project is going to be placed in the Nantucket Sound and the government hopes this will begin a new era of clean energy. The 130 foot turbines will be constructed by Cape Wind Associates and the project will create over 1,000 construction jobs and put Massachusetts on the map as the national clean energy leader. There has been many opposition groups to the proposal including the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound who are currently working to see an injunction to prevent construction from commencing. To read more about the article click HERE

“Far from damaging marine wildlife, offshore wind turbines act as artificial reefs which provide protection for fish, explains marine biologist, Xavier Pastor. Pastor, who is Executive Director of the conservation organisation Oceana in Europe, firmly defends this technology as one of the best ways to tackle climate change.” See the interview at Renewable Energy Magazine HERE.