The Crossroads wind power project will meet the electrical needs of about 70,000 average homes,” said Jesse Langston, OG&E’s vice president of retail energy. “Crossroads also will deliver significant net savings to our customers for the balance of the project’s 25-year expected life.”
Crossroads is OG&E’s third wind farm. It previously built the Centennial wind farm, which was completed in Harper County in 2007, and the OU Spirit wind farm near Woodward, which was completed in 2009.
]]>The Germany-based Siemens Energy has announced plans for implementation of new wind service warehousing operations in Woodward.
Siemens has already been utilizing a 12,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Woodward's industrial park by the airport, but will now expand to utilize another 52,000 sq. ft. facility, according to Woodward Industrial Foundation President LaVern Phillips.
According to a Siemens press release, "with a total of 64,000 square feet, the combined main component, tooling and spare parts facilities will be Siemens' largest wind power service distribution center to date in the U.S."
Phillips said the expansion is part of efforts by Siemens to centralize their service operations for more than 250 of their wind turbines which are already in service or are in the process of being installed in the area.
"In the past, wind farms such as OU Spirit, Crossroads and Keenan 2, which all use Siemens turbines, would just stockpile parts at each location," Phillips said.
But once construction is finished to renovate the interior of the 2 buildings at the Woodward industrial park, he said Siemens will be able to "centralize those parts and have one place from which they can send out parts to all locations."
A YEAR IN THE MAKING
Siemens' announcement was made Monday morning during the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) annual convention in Anaheim, Calif.
Phillips said the announcement comes almost exactly one year after the Woodward Industrial Foundation first met with representatives with Siemens at the 2010 AWEA conference in Dallas.
Gov. Mary Fallin was in attendance for the announcement as she was leading a delegation of state energy partners at the convention as part of efforts to market Oklahoma as the place to do business for wind energy development, according to a press release from her office.
Read the entire Woodward News article
Read more coverage on the Siemens distribution center:
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Maryland-based CPV Renewable Energy Co. has completed construction and testing of its 152-megawatt Keenan II wind farm near Woodward. The wind farm is up and running, delivering renewable energy to thousands of Oklahoma Gas & Electric customers.
Keenan II sits on about 8,000 acres 12 miles southwest of Woodward. The project is the second phase of a large wind generation development that will ultimately have the potential to generate 350 megawatts.
“We are delighted to bring this wind farm project in on schedule and to be generating more clean energy for the people of Oklahoma,” said Sean Finnerty, head of CPV Renewable Energy Company, in a written statement. “Keenan II will provide energy and environmental benefits to people of this region for decades to come.”
The new wind farm consists of 66 Siemens 2.3-megawatt wind turbines. The turbines can produce enough electricity to power about 45,000 Oklahoma homes and eliminate 413,000 of greenhouse gas emissions each year, which is equivalent to taking about 72,000 cars off the road.
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"This is a good outcome resulting from collaboration of the various parties interested in the expansion of renewable energy in Oklahoma," said Jesse Langston, vice president of Utility Commercial Operations for OG&E. "We reached unanimous agreement with customer and shareholder groups, state agencies and regulatory officials which culminated in today's 3-0 Commission vote to approve the Crossroads project."
Crossroads, to be built in Dewey County near Canton, will add at least 198 megawatts of renewable generation. Pending the results of a Southwest Power Pool regional transmission study, today's Commission order allows for Crossroads to be constructed with up to 227 megawatts of generating capacity.
The new wind farm, to be constructed by Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc. (RES Americas), will have at least 86 Siemens turbines rated at 2.3 megawatts each and will connect with OG&E's new Windspeed transmission line to Oklahoma City, which was energized earlier this year.
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Electric grid coordinator Southwest Power Pool moved to expand the region’s electric transmission grid on Tuesday, approving six projects worth $1.14 billion... Four of the six projects are in Oklahoma and one, an $840,000 line reactor, will be in Tulsa.
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Woodward’s wind power industry continues to grow.
This growth was highlighted by Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the Keenan II Wind Farm southeast of Woodward.
Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) invited community leaders and other dignitaries to the site which over the next several months will have 66 wind turbines erected along an 8-mile stretch of the Sharon-Shattuck road.
“The community has been very supportive,” CPV CEO Doug Egan said, adding “Woodward County is a great county to do business with.”
Watch this video of the groundbreaking ceremony:
Read the entire Woodward News Article, or watch another video (via KOMI TV).
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The Lt. Governor's Turkey Hunt is underway as hunters in Woodward were treated to a welcome dinner last night at Boiling Springs State Park --- greeted by Lt. Governor Jari Askins, who spent much of the evening with the group. Hunters from across the country including Illinois, Massachusetts, Texas, Louisiana, and West Virginia are in town for the three-day event. For a video excerpt, click here now. For additional footage, including a rendition of "Amazing Grace" with T.Z. Wright and the Lt. Governor, click here now.
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Mayor Bill Fanning (photo: komitv)
On National Public Radio's daily Morning Addition program, Judy Woodruff traveled to Woodward to report on one young man who chose a future in wind energy over his previous trade - oil and gas. The report's subject, Quentin Johnson, is studying wind training at the High Plains Technology Center.
Johnson was one of the first students to enroll in the new training program in Woodward, Okla.
But when most people think about energy in Oklahoma, they think of the fuel that comes from the ground. Oil and natural gas helped build this state, and there are oil derricks all around Woodward. There's even one at Johnson's school; in fact, he uses it to practice climbing, because you need to climb 300 feet high to fix a wind turbine.
Listen to the entire NPR report
On May 21st, Woodward Industrial Foundation President Lavern Phillips testified in Washington D.C. in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment & Public Works. The topic hearing titled “Oversight of the Economic Development Administration" was led by Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and James Inhofe (R-OK).
Read full transcripts of Phillips' opening statement (pdf)
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Via okhorizon.com:
Boone Pickens on Wind Energy: Billionaire Boone Pickens may have made his fortune in the oil patch, but believes our energy future lies with alternative energy and that’s why he wants to invest billions in wind farms.
Wind Tech Program: A recent slow-down in the energy sector has led to some job layoffs for wind turbine manufacturers, yet, industry watchers believe the construction and maintenance of these huge energy generators has nowhere to go but up. That's why High Plains Tech Center in Woodward has created a wind tech program.
Download a new brochure promoting wind energy in NW Oklahoma (PDF):
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