From the Grand Island Independent:
http://www.theindependent.com/stories/12082007/new_wind08.shtml

New group to power wind energy industry in Nebraska

By Robert Pore
robert.pore@theindependent.com

Recognizing Nebraska's wind energy potential, Gov. Dave Heineman said Friday that the formation of the Nebraska Wind Working Group is a "big step forward" in developing the state's wind energy industry.

Heineman made his remarks Friday in Grand Island at the Nebraska Farmers Union convention.

During the convention, John Hansen, president of the Nebraska Farmers Union, announced the formation of the Nebraska Working Group.

Hansen said the group will be similar to wind working groups already established in other states.

"Its focus will be to provide education and information concerning wind energy development in Nebraska," he said.

The Nebraska Energy Office will provide administrative support for the group.

Hansen said the group will identify and bring together small and large wind stakeholders, conduct public information and outreach on potential of wind energy, and encourage information sharing among wind energy stakeholders.

He said the ground will work with Nebraska's public power structure to find appropriate ways to move wind energy development forward in the state.

Hansen points to President Bush's goal of using wind energy for 20 percent of the nation's electricity demand by 2030.

With Nebraska ranked sixth in the nation in wind energy, "We are a pivotal state in wind energy development in the attainment of the national goal," Hansen said.

Heineman said there's a $7 billion economic impact that could come from developing the state's wind energy.

"We have a great potential, but our biggest challenge is the federal incentives that apply only to private power states and we are the only public power state in the country," Heineman said.

Financing for the group comes from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Energy Department's Wind Powering America Initiative.

As a state and federal partnership, the Wind Working Group will have access to NREL's expertise to help develop Nebraska's wind resources.

Earlier this year, Heineman signed LB629 and LB629A, which authorized the creation of C-BED (Community-Based Energy Development) in Nebraska. The legislation was introduced by Sen. Cap Dierks, who is also a member of the Nebraska Wind Working Group, along with Hansen, Sen. Don Preister and Larry Pearce of the Nebraska Energy Office.

Dierks said the C-BED legislation encourages Nebraska public power companies to work with rural citizens and communities in the development of Nebraska's wind energy resources.

"Wind energy provides many economic development possibilities to help our rural residents and communities become even more successful and profitable," Dierks said.

The bill authorizes and encourages the use of community-owned electrical generation. C-BED is the private-sector wind energy development model that maximizes the rural economic development benefits by allowing only Nebraska residents and landowners to own the wind turbines.

Heineman said that because Nebraska is the nation's only public power state, passage of the C-BED legislation was vital to getting Nebraska wind energy industry off the ground and led to the formation of the Nebraska Wind Working Group.

"We have to continue to look at ways to take advantage of our opportunity, relative to wind, because it's important to our state," Heineman said.

Earlier at the Farmers Union convention, Steve Sorum of the Nebraska Ethanol Board, said revised ethanol production figures have Nebraska by late 2008 or early 2009 producing 2.6 billion gallons of ethanol and using 1.3 billion bushels of corn.

Sorum said Nebraskans use an average of 810 million gallons of gasoline each year, with only about 10 percent of the ethanol produced in Nebraska used by state motorists through E10 and E85 purchases.

Heineman said the wind industry has the same potential for growth in Nebraska as the ethanol industry had.

"Energy independence is important for our state and America," he said. "We are developing a comprehensive energy policy here in the state. We have some unique opportunities with alternative energies here and we need to take advantage of that."

Farmers will be told today they could be penalized if they do not stop their flatulent animals farting so much methane gas. The environment secretary, David Miliband, will tell a farming conference in Oxford that agriculture now contributes 7% of all UK greenhouse gas emissions and more than a third of all emissions of methane one of the most dangerous greenhouse gases.

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hesslei

Nebraska Treatment Centers

Yes, We have to find another source because fuel price is increasing day by day. So this is good work for this state. I think; California has already established this.
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Nishantha
Addiction Recovery Nebraska