Wind power in Arkansas explained

Wind power in Arkansas remains nearly untapped, with just a single wind turbine in the state.[1] [2] Arkansas does not have a renewable portfolio standard.[3] Studies have concluded that while Arkansas is generally considered to have low wind resources, there are significant pockets of it throughout the state.[4] [5]

Import by transmission

The Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) purchases electrical power from wind farms outside the state, including[6] 51MW from Flat Ridge 2 Wind Farm in Kansas.[7] [8] In 2013 AECC entered a long-term agreement to buy 150 megawatts of wind energy from Oklahoma from the RES Americas-built Origin Wind Farm, which has 75 turbines in Murray County and Carter County, Oklahoma, and came on line at the end of 2014.[9] [10] It was taken over by Enel.[11]

Wind Catcher project

In 2018, SWEPCO, an Arkansas utility, faced opposition to its $4.5 billion Wind Catcher project,[12] [13] and indicated that ads opposing the project were being sponsored by an unknown non-profit, "Protect Our Pocketbooks".[14]

SWEPCO entered a settlement in which it agreed to "provide a number of guarantees, including a cap on construction costs, qualification for 100 percent of the federal Production Tax Credits, [and] minimum annual production from the project."[15]

The Wind Catcher project involved "acquisition of a 2,000-megawatt wind farm under construction in the Oklahoma Panhandle and construction of a 360-mile dedicated generation tie line to the Tulsa area, where the existing electrical grid ... [would] deliver the wind energy to customers."

The Wind Catcher Energy Connection project was approved by the Arkansas Public Service Commission and the Louisiana Public Service Commission in 2018.[16] [17]

Existing wind power capacity

Arkansas is home to one wind energy company, LM Windpower, which builds wind turbine blades at a plant in Little Rock,[18] and to 12 facilities involved in the wind energy industry, such as PPG Industries and ABB.[19]

A 100-foot wind turbine near Prairie Grove was the only turbine in the state.[20]

Potential

It is estimated that Arkansas could install 9,200 MW of wind generation capacity based on 80 meter hub height turbines. This could potentially generate 26.906 TWh of electricity each year.[21] In 2015 Arkansas used 46.346 TWh of electricity.[22] Raising the hub height to 110 meters, though, vastly increases the potential to 180,978 MW, capable of generating over 555 TWh of electricity each year.[23]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Renewable Energy in Arkansas . Acore . October 2013 . 2 June 2015 . 4 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151004025407/http://www.acore.org/files/pdfs/states/Arkansas.pdf . live .
  2. Web site: NRDC: Renewable Energy in Arkansas. nrdc.org. 6 June 2015. 24 May 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150524024730/http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/arkansas.asp. live.
  3. Web site: State Renewable Portfolio Standards and Goals . National Association of State Legislatures . February 19, 2015 . 2 June 2015 . 8 June 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150608203009/http://www.ncsl.org/research/energy/renewable-portfolio-standards.aspx . live .
  4. Web site: October 2014. Low Wind Speed Case Study - Arkansas Wind Energy Resource. Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. 2015-06-06. 2016-03-04. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304093215/http://www.cleanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/Arkansas-Elevated-Opportunities-Wind-Technology-for-the-South.pdf. live.
  5. News: Arkansas Wind Energy Fact Sheet . Southeast Wind Coalition . December 2014 . 2 June 2015 . 24 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161124094839/http://www.sewind.org/images/fact_sheets/SEWC%20AR%20Wind%20Energy%20Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Dec%202014.pdf . live .
  6. Web site: Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation adds 108 megawatts of wind energy - News - Newport Independent - Newport, AR - Newport, AR. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20160826232140/http://www.newportindependent.com/article/20150521/NEWS/150529884. 2016-08-26.
  7. Web site: Arkansas Co-ops Commit to More Wind. Electric Co-op Today. 6 June 2015. 24 July 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150724133255/http://www.ect.coop/power-supply/renewable-energy/arkansas-co-ops-commit-to-more-wind/81499. live.
  8. Web site: Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation Adds Wind Capacity. Ozarks Electric Cooperative. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175345/http://www.ozarksecc.com/newsblog/arkansas-electric-cooperative-corporation-adds-wind-capacity. live.
  9. Web site: Oklahoma wind farms to provide power to Arkansas, Nebraska. NewsOK.com. 6 June 2015. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060502/http://newsok.com/oklahoma-wind-farms-to-provide-power-to-arkansas-nebraska/article/3864823. live.
  10. Web site: RES Americas. Administrator. res-americas.com. 6 June 2015. 23 April 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150423144748/http://www.res-americas.com/en/portfolio/wind/constructed/origin-wind-energy-project. live.
  11. Web site: Enel takes helm at 150MW Origin. reNEWS - Renewable Energy News. 6 June 2015. 28 December 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141228013321/http://renews.biz/54648/enel-takes-helm-at-150mw-origin/. live.
  12. Web site: Why Oklahoma's Wind Catcher is a bad deal for Arkansas. Tennille. Grant. 2018-02-27. Talk Business & Politics. en-US. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175345/https://talkbusiness.net/2018/02/why-oklahomas-wind-catcher-is-a-bad-deal-for-arkansas/. live.
  13. Web site: Don't Let New York Drive Energy Policy for Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Tidwell. John. 2018-05-01. National Review. en-US. 2019-06-01. 2019-10-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20191012132323/https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/05/new-york-should-not-drive-energy-policy-for-other-states/. live.
  14. Web site: Mystery: Dark money behind opposition to wind energy project. Brantley. Max. 2018-03-07. Arkansas Times. en-US. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175344/https://arktimes.com/arkansas-blog/2018/03/07/mystery-dark-money-behind-opposition-to-wind-energy-project. live.
  15. Web site: SWEPCO Announces Arkansas Settlement Supporting Wind Catcher Energy Connection. 2018-02-20. www.swepco.com. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175346/https://www.swepco.com/info/news/viewRelease.aspx%3FreleaseID%3D2509. live.
  16. Web site: Arkansas Public Service Commission Approves Wind Catcher Project. 2018-05-10. Transmission & Distribution World. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175345/https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/arkansas-public-service-commission-approves-wind-catcher-project-300644781.html. live.
  17. Web site: Louisiana Public Service Commission Approves Wind Catcher Project. 2018-06-21. Transmission & Distribution World. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601185353/https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/louisiana-public-service-commission-approves-wind-catcher-project-300669541.html. live.
  18. Web site: At Michoud, LM Wind Power taps into a growing market. Barnes. Sam. 2019-02-26. 10/12 Industry Report. en-US. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175345/https://www.1012industryreport.com/uncategorized/lm-wind-power-michoud/. live.
  19. Web site: Arkansas Wind Energy Fact Sheet. December 2014. Southeastern Wind Coalition. June 1, 2019. February 5, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180205153533/http://www.sewind.org/images/fact_sheets/SEWC%20AR%20Wind%20Energy%20Fact%20Sheet%20-%20Dec%202014.pdf. live.
  20. Web site: Lone turbine in Prairie Grove a remnant of Arkansas wind power. Holtmeyer. Dan. 2018-05-21. Arkansas Online. en. 2019-06-01. 2019-06-01. https://web.archive.org/web/20190601175344/https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/may/21/lone-turbine-in-prairie-grove-a-remnant/. live.
  21. Web site: Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential, by State . 2016-03-06 . 2016-12-29 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161229102757/http://apps2.eere.energy.gov/wind/windexchange/pdfs/wind_maps/wind_potential.pdf . live .
  22. Web site: Electric Power Monthly - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). 2021-11-26. www.eia.gov. 2022-02-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20220211121357/https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/index.php. live.
  23. Web site: Potential Wind Capacity . 2016-03-06 . 2016-03-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303233505/http://apps2.eere.energy.gov/wind/windexchange/windmaps/resource_potential.asp . live .

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