Utah lends out anenometers for free
In an effort to jump start wind development in Utah, The Utah Geological Survey's (UGS) State Energy Program will lend anemometers to public or private entities at no cost to the participants. The UGS, with the support of the US Department of Energy's Wind Powering America Program, will install 20 metre or 50 metre anemometer towers with monitoring equipment for a period of one year for qualifying applicants. Once a month, program participants must report the daily measurements to the state energy program and in return they will receive a monthly data analysis report. At the end of the loan period UGS will provide the participant with a final report summing up the feasibility of small or large scale wind development on the participant's property. "We are looking for sites with strong, consistent winds that could be developed commercially or for private use," says the program's Jason Berry. "We are specifically looking for potential sites along the Utah-Wyoming border in Rich and Summit counties as well as other areas in south-western Utah." Utah has less than one megawatt of operating wind plant, but there is potential and projects are underway. UPC Wind is developing a 200 MW project called the Milford Wind Corridor in Beaver County and will export the power to California through a long term power purchase agreement. Utah also has a state-based production tax credit to provide financial incentives for wind power (“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç, May 2007).