Wind Pumps
Farming Solutions reports:
 

In the semi-arid Mwingi District in Eastern Kenya, Joseph Ututu and his three brothers have revolutionized the local water supply by digging wells and constructing a wind-pump. The ingenious pump, constructed from old bicycle parts and roofing materials was designed by Joseph Ututu after spending four years at a technical college...Evidence suggests that in rural development, initiatives often take a stronger root when they have been “discovered” locally, rather than introduced from elsewhere. That shouldn’t mean an end to the propagation of sustainable technologies, but it does perhaps suggest that stimulating people to solve their own problems may lead to more lasting solutions.

The Age

Giant wind farm generates heat  

Australia's largest wind farm - a massive 204-tower complex in Victoria's Western District - will be built if an application by operator Southern Hydro is successful.

But plans for the wind farm between the towns of Macarthur and Hawkesdale have angered some of locals, who have dubbed it a "wind factory".

Southern Hydro will apply next month to build the wind farm, which would produce 337 megawatts of power and cost $650 million.

If approved, the wind generators would spread across three farms and 5500 hectares of undulating grazing land.

Tom Robertson, whose property would be home to up to 75 per cent of the turbines, said he courted wind companies to come to the area after witnessing opposition to a wind farm proposal on the coast near Portland.

"We went to the planning hearings in Portland and saw it was crazy down there, so we said 'come inland'," he said.

Farmers who, like Mr Robertson, have towers built on their properties are likely to earn $4000 to $8000 a tower in annual rent.

But not all farmers in the Macarthur area are happy.

Annie Gardner, a sheep farmer whose property is a kilometre from the proposed wind farm site, is leading the fight against the development.

She believes proximity to the wind farm could devalue her property by up to 40 per cent.

"We will experience a loss of income upwards of $50,000," she said, citing the impact of construction work and vibration from the turbines on her super-fine woolgrowing business.

But Mr Robertson said he could see no downside to the wind farm, and would be comfortable to live with the turbines nearby.

"We dont live in fear. We can't find people who live among (wind turbines) and are disturbed," he said.

The wind development manager for Southern Hydro, Brian Hall, said the wind farm proposal complied with Victorian standards.

He said neighbouring properties were considered during panel hearings before farms were approved.

"There is no evidence that farm animals can't cohabit with a wind farm, but if someone has specific evidence we'd be happy to consider it," Mr Hall said.

Southern Hydro expects the wind farm to be approved by late this year and construction, which could take up to 18 months, to start next year.

Moyne Shire chief executive Graham Shiell said the wind farm would bring 600 jobs to the region during construction.

Twenty jobs would continue once it was completed.

Mr Shiell said the farm would also boost rate income for the shire by $300,000, or 3 per cent.

"That can be put back into infrastructure," he said.

Local residents have been inundated with information from people for and against the wind farms.

An anti-wind farm group, Landscape Guardians, is holding a meeting at Hawkesdale tonight, while Southern Hydro has planned an information day next week to allow the community to see the proposed layout of the wind farm and offer feedback

MONTEREY —Citing the negative impacts of proposed turbine towers that would soar 400 feet above the ridgelines on Red Oak Knob, a recently formed citizens group, Highlanders for Responsible Development, has crafted zoning amendments that would prohibit industrial-sized wind generators in their county.

The Highland County Planning Commission will consider the group's amendments at a joint meeting with the board of supervisors at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the county Modular Center. The proposed changes would limit wind generation to 100 kW (100,000 watts), and towers to 120 feet. Industrial-strength generators are rated in megawatts, or millions of watts.

Large wind turbines have been faulted for bird and bat kills, forest fragmentation, reducing tourism and for raising the cost of producing power. Small-scale wind generation typically supplies electricity to supplement farm and small community needs.

John R. Sweet of Mustoe, whose Web site hosts the Highlanders' page, said that the county officials were "not obligated to look at the proposed amendment."

"Of course, we hope they do look at it."

The Highland County Board of Supervisors will also propose height-related zoning amendments at the Thursday meeting. Those proposals have no height restrictions, but would require tower builders to apply for conditional use permits

Bracing for a series of gusty debates, residents of Highland County have further refined their skepticism over large-scale wind "farming" through Web sites that link their cause to similar concerns as far away as Germany — and as close as the county line.

Jack Mountain, which defines a ridge in southern Pendleton County, was the proposed site of a 50-turbine project until a citizens group, Friends of Beautiful Pendleton County called into question the builder's request to condemn private land. Pendleton County, which has no zoning restrictions, have organized a wind power informational meeting at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Pendleton County High School Auditorium.

Raising new questions over wind power's already shaky "green" status, the Pendleton group has publicized Federal Aviation Administration regulations that require aircraft warning lights on structures taller than 200 feet — including wind turbines.

18 wind towers to be built
By KEN CRITES, Staff Writer kcrites@ndweb.com

Wind generators are starting to pop up all over North Dakota.
Xcel Energy company officials, Gov. John Hoeven and a representative from Global Renewable Energy Partners (GREP) announced plans Tuesday to provide wind-generated electric power to North Dakota customers.
Xcel will purchase the "green power" from GREP that will be generated by 18 generators atop 213-foot towers located a mile north of Velva. The 12-megawatt project has the capacity to serve between 4,000 and 6,000 homes, company officials said. Construction on the $10 million project is expected to start in June or July and will involve about 50 jobs until the project is completed. There will also be some maintenance jobs after that.
"We are beginning to gain momentum in establishing wind power as a major source of energy in North Dakota," Hoeven said. "I commend Xcel Energy for its foresightedness and willingness to expand its energy base."
The governor said he was "excited" by the prospects. He also noted that the state is currently setting up a transmission authority to enable the state to connect generating facilities to transmission facilities. He said more than 60 percent of the power generated in North Dakota is exported. "Transmission is the key," he said.
Laurence Greene, vice president of development for GREP, based in California, said the company estimates that the Velva wind farm will be operational by the end of this year.
Greene said his company is co-developing the project with John Ihle, a principal of PlainStates Energy, a local wind developer from Fargo.
"The project will provide real benefits to the local community, providing enough power for a community of 6,000 people and certain benefits to the local economy, including the use of local services, materials and employment during the construction and ongoing operation of the project," Greene said. "In addition, the project will contribute to the local tax base through assessed property taxes."
A fact sheet for the Velva project said it's anticipated that local supply of materials, services and consumables ­ including, for example, tower supply and construction services ­ will be in excess of $4 million. The wind towers to support the generators will be manufactured at DMI Industries in West Fargo.
Xcel has agreed to purchase power produced by the project for 20 years. Long-term leases have been signed with eight land owners for three sections of land. A project substation will interconnect into the Xcel transmission grid.
"North Dakota has one of the best wind resources in North America, which GREP has monitored since January 2003 using special instrumentation mounted on a 50-meter tower located on the Velva project site," Greene said.
Mark Nisbet, former Xcel manager in Minot, is now the North Dakota principal manager for Xcel Energy.
"We are eager to see construction of this project begin, Nisbet said. "The Velva project is the first sizable wind power purchase agreement for our company in North Dakota.
"Renewal energy is a growing part of our generation sources. This project will help our company reach our goal to triple our wind capacity by 2012."
Xcel Energy is a major U.S. electricity and natural gas company with regulated operations in 10 Western and Midwestern states.
Tuesday's announcement came hard on the heels of word that an Oregon-based energy company has filed documents with the state's Public Service Commission proposing a 100-generator wind farm north of Rugby in Pierce County.
PSC records indicate that the state currently has 48 major wind generators with 31 more planned.
 

             from the BBC

I don't know how many unused oils rigs lay wasting in the Bright of Benin which is off the coast of Nigeria's delta region but these facilites have the potential to be put into good use. Wind turbines could be erected to generate electric power for the rual coastal communities of the Niger Delta.