Get on your bike to spread the word
Wisconsin currently lies 25th in the list of US states for wind-power capacity. Its 648MW is dwarfed by that of neighbouring states Iowa with nearly 7GW and South Dakota on 3.5GW. But James Tinjum intends to change that.The professor, who teaches professional development in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's engineering department, is embarking on a one-man mission to raise awareness of the benefits of wind power in the state. By bicycle.
Tinjum is taking a 2,000km bike ride through Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota, passing through more than 50 wind farms on the way, and stopping to talk to local people about wind energy. The information he gathers will form the basis for a book and lectures to his students.
Early feedback from Tinjum's two-wheel tour is that he has been surprised by the sheer lack of awareness of wind power's benefits, but encouraged by the interest shown. "A 90-year-old lady in a convenience store talked with me for 25 minutes, just fascinated about what I'm doing," he said.
The Zephyr hits ten
A pretty sure bet of a wind turbine's public acceptance is when it gets a name. This one, at the Jiminy Peak winter resort in Massachusetts, is known by the locals as The Zephyr, and it celebrated its tenth year of operation in August.
The 1.5MW GE turbine was considered a big financial risk when it was installed ten years ago, but it paid for itself within seven years, according to the resort owners, the Fairbank Group.
"It handles 33% of our energy needs on an annual basis, up to 66% in the winter when the winds blow strongest," the company said. "It has been an exceptional dependable power producer for us."
India figures and facts
10% Annual rate of growth in electricity demand over the past decade. It is forecast to more than triple by 2030
80 million Number of households that have limited or no access to electricity. It equates to over 300 million people across the country
23 million Number of electric four-wheeled vehicles that will be on Indian roads by 2030. Electric twoand three-wheelers are predicted to reach 300 million in the same period
180,000 Number of people who will be employed in the country's wind power industry by 2022. The number working in solar PV is forecast at one million
(Source: International Renewable Energy Agency)
Quote of the Month
"He fought for our independence, he fought against the tyranny of nuclear weapons, and he led the global fight against climate change. The very existence of the Paris Agreement owes a lot to Tony de Brum"
Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine, on former foreign minister Tony De Brum, who died on 21 August.
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