Global View
This picture offers a view of the past and future of energy resources.
The windmill sits on a former coal strip mine in Pennsylvania. A dragline
used in the mining operation was left behind to rust away, and still stands
beside the new windmill. (Photo: Chris Thomas / IUPUI Earth Sciences)In 2006, wind energy interest hit Indiana, with the first wind farm now open in Benton County, northwest of Lafayette, which sells the power to Duke Energy. Another wind farm in Benton County, Fowler Ridge Wind Farm, is also under construction, with plans to sell power to AES-Indiana Michigan Power. Feasibility studies through 2009 are underway near Winchester, Richmond, and Muncie in eastern Indiana for possible wind farms. The Hoosier Environmental Council indicates up to 40,000 megawatts of electricity could be generated by wind, or the equivalent of 40 large coal-fired power plants. The drive to add wind farms has been driven by consumer demand for “green” energy choices. Many electric utilities allow consumers to buy “green” electricity for an extra fee (usually $5 to $10). The utility then must purchase enough energy from “green” sources, such as wind power, to cover the electricity used by the program participants. View these two example programs:
- Duke Energy green power program and
- Touchstone Energy Cooperative (REMC) green power program.
- To see more, view this Department of Energy Website: “Can I buy green power in my state? Indiana.”
The other windy area likely to see wind farms is just northwest of Indianapolis, which also has high sustained winds; but no proposals to build in this area are on the table yet. Currently, wind energy only makes up 2% of our energy needs, but if we work toward fulfilling that 40,000 megawatt potential, we can become less reliant on coal and fossil fuels in general. (Want to see how we stack up against other states? You can click here for an interactive state-by-state map of renewable energy production.) By 2013, Indiana is projected to have 5,000 megawatts of wind capacity.
This is good for jobs. We have many skilled automotive workers here who can easily transfer those job skills to this new market. Indiana is ranked sixth in the nation for job creating in the wind energy industry. This growth is paying off for Hoosiers, with more than 45,000 people working in jobs directly related to the renewable energy industry (Inside INdiana Business).
Continued reliance on more oil for the United States and more nuclear power can only hurt America’s future energy needs. America’s energy needs must be met by using more renewable energy, less reliance on nuclear power, and significant investment in making more energy efficient uses of fossil fuels. Government policies and incentives can steer Americans and businesses towards an energy policy with a common goal of efficiency and conservation.
Please complete this section by taking the assessment.
