Wikipedia

Wind power in Pennsylvania

In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, wind power is one of the primary sources of renewable energy, and accounts for over one third of the state's renewable energy production.[1] There are more than 27 wind farms currently operating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Theoretically, the energetic development of these wind farms could provide power for nearly 350,000 homes, or 1,300 megawatts.[2] A majority of the farms are located in the southwest-central and northeastern regions of the state.[3] Pennsylvania is an East Coast leader in wind energy due to its natural wind resources and governmental incentives brought on by the state. There is a lot of potential for growth within the wind power industry in Pennsylvania and the Northeast. Despite being one of the few landlocked states in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pennsylvania is close to several offshore sites along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.

Turbines at the Somerset Wind Farm in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

Wind power is also environmentally friendly. Wind power is efficient to create and sustain because it creates 31 times more energy than it requires during the manufacturing process and over its 20 year lifetime.[4]

If all wind energy potential in Pennsylvania were developed with utility-scale wind turbines, the power produced each year would be enough to supply 6.4% of the state's current electricity consumption.[5] In 2016, the state had 1369 megawatts (MW) of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for 1.6% of in-state electricity production.[6] This increased to 1459 MW in 2020.[7]

History

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Several Southwestern Pennsylvania wind farms: Casselman (foreground), Meyersdale (near background), Twin Ridges (far background), and Lookout (near background towards end of video).
 
Turbines at the Highland North Wind Farm in Cambria County, PA.

In 2000, Pennsylvania's first commercial wind farm, the Green Mountain Wind Energy Center, was completed in Somerset County, but deactivated in 2015. [8]

In 2006, the state legislature ruled that wind turbines and related equipment may not be included in property-tax assessments. Instead, the sites of wind facilities are assessed for their income-capitalization value.  [9]

In 2007, Montgomery County became the first wind-powered county in the nation, with a two-year commitment to buy 100 percent of its electricity from a combination of wind energy and renewable energy credits derived from wind energy. [10]

Voluntary agreements with wind energy companies in Pennsylvania have been signed by The Pennsylvania Game Commission to avoid, minimize, and potentially mitigate any adverse impacts the development and production of wind energy may have on the state's wildlife resources. [11]

Many smaller wind farms in Pennsylvania are operated by NextEra Energy Resources, based in Florida. [12]

Wind Farms[13]

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Patton Wind Farm

See also: List of power stations in Pennsylvania § Wind

Wind Farm County Number of Turbines Turbine Capacity (MW) Farm Capacity (MW)
Somerset Somerset 6 1.5 9.0
Mill Run Fayette 10 1.5 15.0
Waymart Wayne 43 1.5 64.5
Meyersdale Somerset 20 1.5 30.0
Bear Creek Luzerne 12 2.0 24.0
Locust Ridge I Schuylkill 13 2.0 26.0
Allegheny Ridge Cambria, Blair 40 2.0 80.0
Casselman Somerset 23 1.5 34.5
Forward Somerset 14 2.1 29.4
Lookout Somerset 18 2.1 37.8
Locust Ridge II Columbia, Schuylkill 51 2.0 102.0
Highland Cambria 25 2.5 62.5
North Allegheny Cambria, Blair 35 2.0 70
Armenia Mountain Tioga, Bradford 67 1.5 100.5
Stony Creek Somerset 35 1.5 52.5
Chestnut Flats Blair 19 2.0 38
South Chestnut Fayette 23 2.0 46
Turkey Point Wind Project (Frey Farm Wind) Lancaster 2 1.6 3.2
Highland North Cambria 30 2.5 75
Sandy Ridge Blair, Centre 25 2.0 50
Twin Ridges Somerset 68 2.05 139.4
Laurel Hill Lycoming 30 2.3 69.0
Patton Cambria 15 2.0 30
Mehoopany Wyoming 88 1.6 140.8
Ringer Hill Somerset 14 2.85 39.9
Big Level Potter 25 3.6 90
Total 751   1459

Location map

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Sandy Ridge
 
 
 
 
Somerset
 
 
 
Casselman
 
Forward
 
Lookout
 
 
Patton
class=notpageimage|
Wind power projects in Pennsylvania
    Operating
    Under construction

Installed capacity and wind resources

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In recent years, there have been advancements in both on and offshore wind power in Pennsylvania. At least 1300 MW of wind power is currently[when?] installed at the 27 wind farms in Pennsylvania.[14] According to the U.S. energy information administration, 1 MW of wind power can power about 650 average American homes.[15]

Offshore wind power has been proposed on the state's limited shoreline on Lake Erie.[16]

 
Pennsylvania 80-Meter Wind Map

Wind generation

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Pennsylvania Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2001 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2002 59 9 5 7 6 5 3 3 2 3 4 7 5
2003 112 7 7 6 7 6 3 4 2 4 8 18 40
2004 307 41 29 31 32 21 16 14 12 17 24 30 40
2005 283 26 27 33 26 19 15 12 11 15 26 37 36
2006 360 37 38 39 31 27 19 19 18 22 37 27 46
2007 470 49 45 51 45 26 30 23 22 26 46 46 61
2008 727 77 60 69 59 65 40 27 30 35 69 87 109
2009 1,076 57 69 53 60 74 43 46 43 92 127 178 234
2010 1,966 224 190 176 151 128 116 77 73 132 186 179 222
2011 1,796 174 212 215 217 114 92 69 90 87 144 195 187
2012 2,129 252 194 207 209 107 150 106 76 120 206 207 294
2013 3,352 356 336 396 363 294 202 121 128 158 240 405 353
2014 3,536 403 332 402 398 227 158 175 161 178 354 397 351
2015 3,353 391 314 416 348 206 230 132 118 156 317 363 361
2016 3,476 412 387 355 274 184 215 155 149 179 338 370 458
2017 3,590 307 327 377 361 322 274 223 183 249 341 317 309
2018 3,566 412 386 292 334 288 219 206 200 221 330 341 337
2019 3,252 346 297 339 329 230 243 169 176 193 287 278 365
2020 3,748 387 331 381 374 341 203 151 180 213 306 437 444
2021 3,536 319 319 403 340 272 227 184 184 265 287 341 395
2022 3,767 363 373 400 369 310 247 209 182 235 315 400 364
2023 1,111 328 394 389

  Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.

  Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.

Source:[17][18][19]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Pennsylvania - State Energy Profile Analysis - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  2. ^ "Wind Power". Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  3. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Farms | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  4. ^ "Wind Energy in Pennsylvania". Penn State Extension. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  5. ^ State wind energy fact sheet - Pennsylvania, American Wind Energy Association, Dec. 2011
  6. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Energy" (PDF). U.S. Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 January 2016.
  7. ^ Wind Energy in Pennsylvania
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Farms | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  9. ^ "Property:Incentive/Summary | Open Energy Information". openei.org. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
  10. ^ Corcoran, John (20 March 2019). "Montgomery County Announces 100% Wind Power Purchase & Commitment To Sustainable Operations". Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Wind Power". Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  12. ^ "Info for Pennsylvanians: PA Wind Farms". www.pawindenergynow.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  13. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Farms | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  14. ^ "Wind Power". Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  15. ^ "How much wind energy does it take to power an average home?". www.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
  16. ^ "ERIE WIND". cleanair.org. Retrieved 2021-09-28.
  17. ^ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.A." United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  18. ^ EIA. "EIA Electricity Data Browser". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
  19. ^ Wind Energy in Pennsylvania
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