Wind Power Makes Economic Sense & Simply Works

First and foremost, wind power makes economic sense. If the price of oil drops to $50 a barrel (it won’t), the economics still work; even without government subsidies.

You see, wind can be used to generate electricity for 6 to 8.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

For comparison’s sake, the cost of nuclear power runs about 15 cents per kilowatt-hour. Coal now costs north of 10 cents (without factoring in carbon capture and storage). And gas-fired power costs approximately 12 cents.

Keep in mind, too, that just a few years ago, wind costs rested north of 15 to 20 cents. But today, costs are low enough in some markets to compete with conventional power generation methods. And future advancements will make wind power even cheaper.

Look no further than Denmark. It already generates 20% of its electricity from wind. And Spain, Portugal and Germany boast similarly impressive penetration rates of roughly 12%, 10% and 7%, respectively.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect, either. While wind energy costs are dropping, costs for competing technologies – coal, nuclear and gas – are headed in the opposite direction.

Wind is the cost effective way our nation can start solving its oil addiction. And unlike many of the other far-fetched solutions to our energy needs …

Wind is realistically attainable.

Good investing,

by Louis Basenese, Advisory Panelist, Investment U
Associate Investment Director, The Oxford Club
Issue #856

leave it to Washington to muddle through the important issues of Tax Credits for Renewables!
T. Boone Pickens has been expending a lot of energy boosting the “Pickens Plan” to invest in natural gas and wind power. He might get more mileage if he devoted some of that time to persuading Congress to extend the tax credits that have helped fuel growth in the alternative energy field. If the credits are allowed to expire at the end of the year, the wind and solar industries may end up being as limp as a ship’s sails on becalmed seas.

Until now, the solar credits have required an annual renewal by Congress, but the top proposals currently being debated extend them for eight years. In typical Washington fashion, however, the bills are languishing.

this is the way you do Wind……….out in BFE and power with Clean Renewables!

North Dakota regulators have approved construction of North Dakota’s largest wind project, a 200-megawatt development north of Valley City. Its backers plan to spend $350 million on the wind farm and a new power transmission line.

The Ashtabula Wind project, so named because the turbines will be located just east of Lake Ashtabula, should be operating by year’s end, members of the state Public Service Commission said Friday. It includes 133 wind turbines, which will be spaced over 77 square miles in Barnes County.

“This is a major wind farm from a national perspective,” Commissioner Tony Clark said. “If you look at where wind farms are being built … there are a few larger nationally, but not a lot.”

Press Release Source: Otter Tail Corporation

Otter Tail Corporation Announces Public Offering of Common Stock; Updates 2008 Earnings Guidance
Monday September 15, 6:55 am ET

FERGUS FALLS, Minn., Sept. 15, 2008 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Otter Tail Corporation (NasdaqGS:OTTR – News) (the Company) announced today the commencement of a public offering of 5,000,000 shares of its common stock. The Company also expects to grant the underwriters of the offering an option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares to cover over-allotments.
The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to finance the construction of the Ashtabula Wind Center in Barnes County, North Dakota; the expansion of wind tower manufacturing facilities in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and West Fargo, North Dakota; and to fund working capital needs of the Company’s other businesses.