$750 million wind farm proposed for area (Cheyenne WY)

[jpak]

http://www.wyomingnews.com/articles/2011/12/08/news/20local_12-08-11.txt

CHEYENNE - The city of Cheyenne stands to make more than $100 million and possibly draw a wind blade manufacturing facility here under a proposal presented Wednesday.

The Morley Company of Jackson Hole is proposing building a 300-megawatt, $750 million wind farm composed of 120 towers on the west end of the city-owned Belvoir Ranch, which is six miles west of the city.

The proposal was presented to the Cheyenne City Council during a work session.

The project would only consume a small portion of the 17,000 acres that the city owns at the Belvoir Ranch.

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[Bob Wallace]

1. Transmission...

New HVDC lines are in the works to tie together the upper ends of the Pacific Intertie and Intermountain Intertie and bring Wyoming wind onto the Western grid.

The Republican Governor of Wyoming has been campaigning for more support for wind. When we see elected Republicans supporting some part of renewable energy it's a signal that renewables are moving into the main stream.

Wyoming wind, I seem to recall, works great in conjunction with Southwest solar. The wind in Wyoming tends to build up in the Pacific Coast's late afternoon as the Sun is fading. The SW can sell daytime solar up and buy wind back. Cuts the need for storage.

[jpak]

2. Yup - solar and wind compliment each other

In Texas, winds blow the strongest at night and the sun can produce power during the day - almost a perfect match for diurnal power demand.

With power-wheeling. solar and wind combined with NW hydro could reliably produce much of the West's electricity.

:hi:

[Bob Wallace]

3. Add in...

Geothermal and tidal. Eventually some wave power. And the hydro we already have.

The West can get all of its power from renewables.

As can the entire world.

If the US gets as smart as Europe we could link the East and West Coasts and have a three hour longer solar day.

[PoliticAverse]

4. When elected Republicans support a type of renewable energy it's a sign where the subsidies are

as they do so love privatizing the profits and socializing the losses.

[Bob Wallace]

5. Republicans, at the state level...

Are supporting wind because it is creating jobs, bringing money to farmers and ranchers, funding local governments, and creating tax revenues for state coffers.

Small towns are now in much better shape because of the money wind farms bring to their areas. They can once again fund schools and infrastructure. Local businesses are making some money for a change.

Republican officials are hearing from their supporters that wind is good.

We've seen fossil-fuel sponsored legislation designed to curtail wind farms get turned back in Republican dominated states.

Like it or not, a very large factor in getting us off fossil fuels will be profits made from renewable generation and electric vehicles.

[diane in sf]

8. Thanks and welcome. I like your comments!

[Bill USA]

6. recommended!

[jwirr]

7. That is good news - I think this area is know for its windy days.