Second annual wind power — energy alternative for the midwest — conference, Rochester, MN, U.S.A. April 3–4 1981
- Book ID
- 103899473
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1981
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 169 KB
- Volume
- 7
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0378-7753
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
4 1981
"As many of you here are aware, utilizing just 10 percent. of the energy available in our winds could provide all of the annual energy used in the United States. A goal of providing just 10 percent. of our energy needs from wind power is thus not only feasible, it is realistic -if we have the will to do it."
Six hundred and eighty-five delegates from 24 different States had little argument to offer to this statement by Don Marier, Executive Editor and Director of Alternative Sources of Energy Magazine at the 2nd Annual Windpower Conference which his organization sponsored. At issue, rather, was how to overcome institutional barriers to reaching the goal which he proposed.
The number of attendees was impressive enough, given the regional nature of the conference, but what was even more impressive, was the general level of knowledge apparent at the conference. The dialogue between the speakers and the audience throughout the conference indicated that workers in the field were giving serious thought to the subject and it was a great advantage to have consumers, utility representatives, government researchers and marketers of windpower all present at the one time.
Dr. Irwin Vas, keynote speaker and manager of the Wind Energy Program at the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) explained his government agency's role in implementing wind power usage in the United States. He did not consider that it was or should be, in the business of 'marketing' wind power. However, much research and development was necessary in the field which would be effective and helpful in terms of being a marketing catalyst. At some point private manufacturers would take over the R & D role, but at present they could not be expected to undertake the tremendous amount of paperwork associated with the current feasibility studies. At present the Institute was involved in the development of computer programs on economics and "value of wind systems to utilities" data that would become available to all manufacturers. A recently prepared map that utilizes wind economics and demographic data for the agricultural sector would be of great use to dealers and manufacturers interested in selling to the farm sector in the United States. Interim standards for the wind industry and its consumers were being developed; private capital was not yet available for this type of research programme. Of course, as in any other industry, some companies would fail. The current high interest rates were an unfortu-