A personal quest to promote the use of wind energy and hydrogen technology in the Great Lakes area of the United States. The Great Lakes area is in a unique position to become an energy exporting region through these and other renewable energy technologies.
"One thing that many people do not realize is that states like Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan are sitting on a gold mine of wind energy potential. Or, more properly, next to the mine. The Great Lakes are probably the area in the USA with the third largest inland wind energy potential. Think of just the nickname for Chicago. "The Windy City". Milwaukee is even windier, I can tell you. Why? Because they sit on the edge of a great flat area where there is both a land-water temperature differential, and a large flat expanse of water that is comparably shallow. Oilrigs certainly operate in deeper waters. And you won't have to construct transmission lines all the way from the plains of Montana to put it to use. The Great Lakes area has an opportunity to get the jump on wind energy's future, if that fact is recognized and exploited. Wind energy means jobs for construction and maintenance workers, thousands of them. Wind energy means leasing rights and extra money for family farmers struggling to make it on agriculture alone. In most cases farmers can grow crops right up to the base of a windmill. The land footprint has a small impact on total farm acreage. Wind energy also means freedom from fluctuating fuel prices. Wind is free. The cost of a barrel of polluting oil can be raised or lowered drastically based on fears or political whims. The potential gains are enormous. We've all seen the flow of good manufacturing jobs out of the area. Well, they can't tell the wind to blow in another country so it's more "convenient" or cheaper to produce. The wind is perfectly happy to whip up opportunities for us right around here. Most of all, because we here in the Great Lakes region have the potential to have a huge positive impact on U.S. energy industry emissions' contribution to global warming."
Archives
05/11/2003 - 05/17/2003
05/18/2003 - 05/24/2003
05/25/2003 - 05/31/2003
06/01/2003 - 06/07/2003
06/08/2003 - 06/14/2003
06/15/2003 - 06/21/2003
06/22/2003 - 06/28/2003
06/29/2003 - 07/05/2003
07/06/2003 - 07/12/2003
07/13/2003 - 07/19/2003
07/20/2003 - 07/26/2003
07/27/2003 - 08/02/2003
08/03/2003 - 08/09/2003
08/10/2003 - 08/16/2003
08/17/2003 - 08/23/2003
08/24/2003 - 08/30/2003
08/31/2003 - 09/06/2003
09/07/2003 - 09/13/2003
09/14/2003 - 09/20/2003
09/21/2003 - 09/27/2003
09/28/2003 - 10/04/2003
10/05/2003 - 10/11/2003
10/12/2003 - 10/18/2003
10/19/2003 - 10/25/2003
10/26/2003 - 11/01/2003
11/02/2003 - 11/08/2003
11/09/2003 - 11/15/2003
11/16/2003 - 11/22/2003
11/23/2003 - 11/29/2003
11/30/2003 - 12/06/2003
12/07/2003 - 12/13/2003
12/14/2003 - 12/20/2003
12/21/2003 - 12/27/2003
12/28/2003 - 01/03/2004
01/04/2004 - 01/10/2004
01/11/2004 - 01/17/2004
01/18/2004 - 01/24/2004
01/25/2004 - 01/31/2004
02/01/2004 - 02/07/2004
02/08/2004 - 02/14/2004
02/15/2004 - 02/21/2004
02/22/2004 - 02/28/2004
02/29/2004 - 03/06/2004
03/07/2004 - 03/13/2004
03/14/2004 - 03/20/2004
03/21/2004 - 03/27/2004
03/28/2004 - 04/03/2004
04/04/2004 - 04/10/2004
04/18/2004 - 04/24/2004
04/25/2004 - 05/01/2004
05/02/2004 - 05/08/2004
05/09/2004 - 05/15/2004
05/16/2004 - 05/22/2004
(!Not tax deductible!
The AWEA's annual expo:
Global WINDPOWER 2004
McCormick Place
Chicago, Illinois, USA
March 28-31, 2004
I was there...
---------------
Dan Stafford - Publisher
WE WELCOME ENERGY STORY SUBMISSIONS!
Please note the E-mail link by the title of the webpage. Comments, stories, and article submissions are welcome. Any accepted submission entitles the submitter to a link on the Journal page included at the bottom of their submitted entry when published to the journal. The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal makes no claim as to the accuracy of submitted material. The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal neither endorses nor opposes opinions expressed in submitted material. Submitter must provide name, city, and state or country. The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal imples no promise to publish all submissions. Adult content wil definitely NOT be published. Submitted material will be screened and appropriate entries published at the owner's discretion.
Safe, healthy, good for the economy, good for the environment, good for farmers, good for you, and just downright good produce:
State-by-state directory of farmers' markets
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For additional information and resurces, please visit my Wind Energy links page at: Whizzyrds.com
T-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts, cards, and posters are available at: Wind Energy T's
Wind Energy poetry is located at: Wind Poems
(Both mp3 and text versions are available in some cases, we are working on doing mp3 for all of them.)
I strongly encourage those seriously interested in learning about the technology, players, politics, and issues of Wind Energy to spend time browsing the American Wind Energy Association website. They are the premier industry trade organization and have extensive resources available.
(www.awea.org)
Alpha Solar
Clean energy generation systems for off-grid living and environmental impact reduction.
The Great Lakes Information Network:
*PING*
The Distributed Resources & Green Power weBlog by Bruce Irving
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit your question at www.emagazine.com;
or e-mail Earth Talk at earthtalk@emagazine.com.
OTEC News weBlog: Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion
The Green Ocean Project: Using solar energy to distill water for agriculture.
Other weBlogs by Daniel Stafford:
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal
*Spell Book*
Affirmation Station
Remembering Mom
Save Hotel Baker
Uncle Harold's Farm
The Last Legend of Memphis
The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal
From Back Yard To Wind Farm...Win-Wind!
E-mail Your Comments & Stories!
After an extensive review of proffessed policy intentions, I will reverse myself and offer my personal endorsement of Democratic Candidate Dennis J. Kucinich for President of the United States.
His environmental policy alone is excellent, but this candidate is on every issue statement I have so far seen solidly for human rights, civil rights, workers' rights, sound environmental and energy policy that will result in a much cleaner and more sustainable economy, support of family sustainable agriculture over industrial agricultural operations, clean water, investment in critical infrastructure, and much, much more. This is a candidate that supports a liveable world for all, and a world at peace. I strongly urge you to review his platform statements at: http://www.kucinich.us
Alternatively, you can view the ten key points of his campaign at: Ten points acrobat
Try this: http://www.presidentmatch.com It will run you through a series of poll questions and then show how close each candidate is to your views.
Anyone interested in interviewing Dennis Kucinich please write to: interviews@kucinich.us
24/7 Dennis Kucinich Internet Radio - Progressive Mojo
MP3 clips of rhetorical history, musicians' songs on the state of politics in the USA, and more:
http://www.benfrank.net/nuke/Free_Peace_mp3s.html
In the Primary, you ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT.
In the General Election, you TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET!
(Until this one because Dennis Kucinich is going to win!)
Progressive Newswire: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire.htm
"Prayer For America" Speech
(Real Audio)
Air America Radio - Listen Live!
Friday, June 13, 2003
From ENN, a Cal Tech study indicates there is potential for destruction of up to 8% of stratospheric ozone if an emerging hydrogen energy economy is not cautiously developed to eliminate hydrogen leaks. Read about it at: Ballyhooed hydrogen fuel cells may have environmental drawback. Even with ozone depletion a possibility, hydrogen is still far less impactive on the environment than fossil fuels.
An interesting discussion of issues with offshore wind plants, including some specific to such plants in the Great Lakes. Read it HERE.
How to buy green power certificates online and directly help increase renewable source energy production no matter where you live: Renewable Choice Energy.
October 2002 Energy Tidbits From the state government of Michigan outlining good energy news around the Great Lakes region. Well worth checking out.
Cargill Dow LLC, a Minnetonka, Minnesota company, is quietly building a green revolution in packaging and bedding materials made out of corn byproducts. How about a clear wrap that looks like the petroleum based plastics currently used for most products, and acts like plastic, but that composts into organic fertilizer in six weeks and is made from corn byproducts? Or bedding for your home that feels like cotton or silk but can be composted after it's worn out? Made right here in the Great Lakes region, and already marketed globally, read all about this fast-growing boon to the environment and our farmers at: In "green" container, corn replaces petroleum from Planet Ark.
It appears that Chicago Tribune commentary writer Molly Ivins feels the breeze; read her 06/12/2003 opinion letter: Here's How the Wind is Blowing.
Thursday, June 12, 2003
An internet service provider that helps: EcoISP - donates 50% profits to ecocauses & shares econews...this is a great resource for dial-up. I'm still investigating if they have a broadband offering.
The Irish are building the world's largest offshore wind farm, 520 MW and when complete, THREE TIMES the current capacity of every existing offshore wind plant on the planet combined. Check it out! "Phase 1 of the project, when operational, will replace some €330 million of imported fossil fuels. The social benefit of avoided pollution is estimated at €25 million ($22.3 million). " We could be doing this.....
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
An excellent series of average annual wind resource maps well subdivided by region and state. From the looks of it so far, Minnesota has the best wind resource on land, followed by Michigan, then Illinois, then Wisconsin, then Indiana. This is not counting out on the lakes. Take a look-see for yourself.
Green Nature's pages on The Great Lakes' environmental issues and ecology is interesting and a good solid basis for understanding the natural surroundings of these lakes and their environmental challenges.
From ENN & The Green House Network: US Congresswoman Judy Biggert (R-IL) to be Honorary Chair as Green House Network, in Partnership with The Field Museum, adds Chicago to its Environmental Awareness Raising Series of Runs/Walks. Check it out.
The Nuclear Free Green Energy Task Force - a Great Lakes region environmental group dedicated to energy conservation and clean renewable energy source developement in the Great Lakes region. Check them out!
Interesting and more interesting - a New York wind farm developement near the shore of Lake Eerie, with a wind developer considering putting turbines on the lake itself, and of course, mis-informed controversy over the project. Read all about it in the Great Lakes Environmental Directory article from January 2003...
Monday, June 09, 2003
Just an early FYI, but I am working on a possible project to document the stories of renewable energy suppliers in the region. I will so note any entries that become available.
Sunday, June 08, 2003
Michigan residents - the benefits of purchasing green power from Bay Windpower - Equal to taking one car off the road and planting an acre & 1/2 of trees for every year you purchase it, keeps jobs and economic activity local, decreases foreign oil dependence, lessens economic support to potentially hostile foreign nations, and promotes further spending on renewable energy equipment installations. Check it out...
An interesting take on Great Lakes wind energy potential and current status from the Energy Star program. (Appliance efficiency and conservation certifiers.)
How much power can be produced?
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