Wind power in Oregon

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File:Wind Turbines.JPG
Wind turbines in eastern Oregon

The U.S. state of Oregon has large wind energy resources. Many projects have been completed, most of them in rural Eastern Oregon and near the Columbia River Gorge. Wind power accounted for 11.3% of the electricity generated in Oregon in 2015.[1]

Legislative actions

Laws passed by the Oregon Legislative Assembly in 1999 and 2007 have aimed to encourage both small and large wind projects. Oregon passed a net metering law in 1999 that helped encourage installation of small wind power systems.[2] As of 2008, a handful of Oregonians have installed small-scale wind-power systems to reduce their carbon footprint.[3] In 2009, 691 MW of wind-powered capacity was added in Oregon, the fourth biggest increase in the U.S. that year.[4]

Under Senate Bill 838, wind, solar, geothermal and other types of renewable power must account for 25 percent of an electric utility's retail sales by 2025. Intermediate requirements set the standard at 5 percent by 2011, climbing gradually until 2025.[5]

In 2016, Oregon's RPS requirement target was raised to 50%, as two companies must supply 50% of Oregon's power as renewable by 2040.[6] The US Energy Information Administration expects this to increase windpower in Oregon, as older hydropower is exported to California and not eligible for the RPS.[7]

Companies

Vestas, the largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world as of 2009, has its North American headquarters in Portland.[8][9] Iberdrola Renovables, one of the larger wind farm operators, also bases their American offices in Portland.

Capacity

File:Oregon wind resource map 50m 800.jpg
2002 image from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showing Oregon's estimated wind power resources

Potential

Estimates from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory showed that Oregon has potential to install over 27,000 megawatts of onshore wind power.[10] The offshore wind potential is estimated at 225,000 MW, and would be capable of generating 962,723 million kWh.[11]

Installed growth

Installed wind power capacity in Oregon has seen large growth in recent years and Oregon now ranks among the top ten states with the most wind power installed. Climbing from 1 percent in the early 2000s (decade), wind power accounted for 12.4 percent of total electricity generated in Oregon during 2013.[12][13]

Notable projects

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Main article: List of power stations in Oregon
Oregon Wind Generation
Gigawatthours (Million kWh)[14][15]
Large wind farms in Oregon
Station Location Capacity (MW) Status Notes
Shepherds Flat Wind Farm Gilliam and Morrow Counties 845 Operational [16]
Biglow Canyon Wind Farm Sherman County 450 Operational [17]
Klondike Wind Farm Sherman County 399 Operational [17][18]
Vansycle Wind Project Umatilla County 124 Operational [17]
Stateline Wind Project Umatilla County 123 Operational [17]

In 2009 GE Wind Energy was awarded a $1.48 billion contract to build the Shepherds Flat Wind Farm.[19] The 845-megawatt project uses over 300 turbines and spans across Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1851: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). of Gilliam and Morrow Counties in north-central Oregon.[20] When it was completed in September 2012, it became the largest wind farm in Oregon, and the second largest in the world, although many larger ones are planned. It was completed in 2012 to take advantage of the 2.2 cent/kWh Production Tax Credit.[21][22]

Conflicts

About four gigawatts of new wind energy development in Eastern Oregon and Washington has not been built due to the interference it could cause with aviation radar. The radar in Fossil was upgraded in June 2015 to stop "radar clutter" caused by nearby wind farms.[23]

Generation

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Oregon Wind Activities
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Oregon Senate Bill 1547
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Renewable Energy Technical Potential
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ EIA electricity data browser
  16. ↑ "World's largest wind farm coming to Oregon". Retrieved January 16, 2010.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Google Invests $100 Million In Oregon Wind Farm
  22. ↑ Shepherds Flat wind farm fully operational in US with 845MW
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ AWEA 4th quarter 2011 Market Report, American Wind Energy Association, January 2011
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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