Wind power in Virginia

2003 US Department of Energy wind resource map of Virginia

Wind power in Virginia is in the early stages of development. In March 2015, Virginia became first state in the United States to receive a wind energy research lease to build and operate offshore wind turbines in federal waters.^[1]

Wind Development Authority

The Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority was created by 2010 legislation to facilitate, coordinate, and support development of the offshore wind energy industry, offshore wind energy projects, and supply chain vendors and to ways to encourage and expedite offshore wind industry development. It attempts to collect metocean and environmental data, identify regulatory and administrative barriers, work with government agencies to upgrade port and logistic facilities and sites, and ensure development is compatible with other ocean uses and avian/marine wildlife and ^[2] Loc

Wind for Schools

Sponsored by the Departement of Energy, the Wind for Schools program has installed small scale wind turbines for educational use at schools throughout state to encourages the incorporation of renewable energy education into the K-12 science curriculum through the Virginia Center for Wind at James Madison University^[3][4][5] and built by Baker Renewable Energy. The first went up at Northumberland Middle and High School at Heathsville. Other socations include Luray High School ^[6] and Chesapeake High School.^[7] In 2012 turbines were installed at Central High School in Woostock and Thomas Harrison Middle School in Harrisonburg.^[8]

VOWTAP

The Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP) is a program to establish offshore wind farms in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia.^[9] In May 2014, Dominion Virginia Power was awarded $47 million from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to help fund the construction of a 12-megawatt demonstration project, consisting of two 6-megawatt offshore wind turbines.^[10] It intended to have them in full operation in 2017, but postponed the project since the single bid for construction was too high.^[11] Some exploratory boring off the coast has taken place.^[12]

See also

• List of offshore wind farms in the United States
• Block Island Wind Farm
• Cape Wind
• Fisherman's Energy
• Atlantic Wind Connection

References

Wind power in the United States American Wind Energy Association NASA wind turbines United States Wind Energy Policy Wind farms in the US Offshore wind farms in the US Wind Powering America Wind power by state Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Large wind farms Alta Wind Energy Center Altamont Pass Biglow Canyon Buffalo Gap Capricorn Ridge Cedar Creek Fowler Ridge Highland Horse Hollow Lone Star Meadow Lake Panther Creek Peetz Peñascal Roscoe San Gorgonio Pass Klondike Shepherds Flat Tehachapi Pass Windy Point/Windy Flats Wind power companies Aermotor Windmill Company Deepwater Wind GE Wind Energy Iberdrola Renovables Infigen Energy Invenergy National Wind Native Wind NextEra Energy Resources Siemens Wind Power UGE International Vestas Wind Capital Group