Wind power in Arkansas

Wind power in Arkansas remains nearly untapped and as of 2019 there was little to no electricity was produced by wind turbines in the state.[1][2] As of 2015 Arkansas had not established a renewable portfolio standard.[3] Studies conducted conclude that while the state is generally considered to have low resources there are significant pockets throughout the state.[4][5]

Import by transmission

The Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) purchases electrical power from wind farms outside the state, including[6] 51MW from Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm in Kansas.[7][8] In 2013 AECC entered a long-term agreement to buy 150 megawatts of wind energy from Oklahoma from the RES Americas-built Origin Wind Farm, which has 75 turbines in Murray County and Carter County, Oklahoma, and came on line at the end of 2014.[9][10] It was taken over by Enel.[11]

Wind Catcher project

In 2018, SWEPCO, an Arkansas utility, faced opposition to its $4.5 billion Wind Catcher project,[12][13] and indicated that ads opposing the project were being sponsored by an unknown non-profit, "Protect Our Pocketbooks".[14]

SWEPCO entered a settlement in which it agreed to "provide a number of guarantees, including a cap on construction costs, qualification for 100 percent of the federal Production Tax Credits, [and] minimum annual production from the project."[15]

The Wind Catcher project involved "acquisition of a 2,000-megawatt wind farm under construction in the Oklahoma Panhandle and construction of a 360-mile dedicated generation tie line to the Tulsa area, where the existing electrical grid ... [would] deliver the wind energy to customers."[14]

The Wind Catcher Energy Connection project was approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the Louisiana Public Service Commission in 2018.[16][17]

Existing wind power capacity

Arkansas is home to one wind energy company, LM Windpower, which builds wind turbine blades at a plant in Little Rock,[18] and to 12 facilities involved in the wind energy industry, such as PPG Industries and ABB.[19]

In 2018, a 100-foot wind turbine near Prairie Grove was "one of the only turbines in the state".[20]

Potential

It is estimated that Arkansas could install 9,200 MW of wind generation capacity based on 80 meter hub height turbines. This could potentially generate 26.906 TWh of electricity each year.[21] In 2015 Arkansas used 46.346 TWh of electricity.[22] Raising the hub height to 110 meters, though, vastly increases the potential to 180,978 MW, capable of generating over 555 TWh of electricity each year.[23]

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See also

References
  1. "Renewable Energy in Arkansas" (PDF). Acore. October 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  2. "NRDC: Renewable Energy in Arkansas". nrdc.org. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. "State Renewable Portfolio Standards and Goals". National Association of State Legislatures. February 19, 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  4. http://www.cleanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/Arkansas-Elevated-Opportunities-Wind-Technology-for-the-South.pdf
  5. "Arkansas Wind Energy Fact Sheet" (PDF). Southeast Wind Coalition. December 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  6. http://www.newportindependent.com/article/20150521/NEWS/150529884
  7. "Arkansas Co-ops Commit to More Wind". Electric Co-op Today. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  8. "Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation Adds Wind Capacity". Ozarks Electric Cooperative.
  9. "Oklahoma wind farms to provide power to Arkansas, Nebraska". NewsOK.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  10. Administrator. "RES Americas". res-americas.com. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  11. "Enel takes helm at 150MW Origin". reNEWS - Renewable Energy News. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  12. Tennille, Grant (2018-02-27). "Why Oklahoma's Wind Catcher is a bad deal for Arkansas". Talk Business & Politics. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  13. Tidwell, John (2018-05-01). "Don't Let New York Drive Energy Policy for Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas". National Review. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  14. Brantley, Max (2018-03-07). "Mystery: Dark money behind opposition to wind energy project". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  15. "SWEPCO Announces Arkansas Settlement Supporting Wind Catcher Energy Connection". www.swepco.com. 2018-02-20. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  16. "Arkansas Public Service Commission Approves Wind Catcher Project". Transmission & Distribution World. 2018-05-10. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  17. "Louisiana Public Service Commission Approves Wind Catcher Project". Transmission & Distribution World. 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  18. Barnes, Sam (2019-02-26). "At Michoud, LM Wind Power taps into a growing market". 10/12 Industry Report. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  19. "Arkansas Wind Energy Fact Sheet" (PDF). Southeastern Wind Coalition. December 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  20. Holtmeyer, Dan (2018-05-21). "Lone turbine in Prairie Grove a remnant of Arkansas wind power". Arkansas Online. Retrieved 2019-06-01.
  21. Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential, by State
  22. Electric Power Monthly Table 5.4.B.
  23. Potential Wind Capacity
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