Seated at a stretch limo-sized conference table inside Cleveland law firm Thompson Hine’s offices on the 39th floor of Key Tower, a high-wattage assemble of county officials, Fortune 500 leaders and tech geeks from NASA, GE, and academia poured their will into the logistics of raising a wind farm on the surface of Lake Erie. With this much star power and business acumen in the room, the vision of turbines spinning in the (strong) breeze became palpable—a matter of how soon and pinpointing where.
“In the last five years, we’ve seen tremendous growth in the desire for wind power,” observes task force member and wind power developer Aaron Godwin. Ohio is in a strong position to capitalize on the newfound interest, says Godwin, who cites the 2004 Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP) report showing 12,000 jobs could be created in Ohio from the wind industry.
Why? Because the state’s manufacturing supply chain can be retooled to build wind components like the blades and towers.
Wind turbines on fresh water is untested, so it's fueling a race be the first. That’s why Cleveland Foundation alternative energy czar Richard Stuebi proposed the task force form the Lake Erie Wind Energy Center. It will provide research and development for a Lake Erie wind farm—up to a dozen turbines standing a few miles offshore and hundreds of feet tall generating five to 20 megawatts of electric power.
The wind farm and research center would seek public funding, most likely from Cleveland-area foundations and Ohio’s tech development “Third Frontier” fund.
“The R&D facility for offshore wind, like the one in Germany will defray the cost of the wind turbines and serve as an attraction for Northeast Ohio as a hub for research and development of offshore wind power,” Stuebi says. “It will be the first of its kind in the U.S.”
The German government announced last October it will contribute 50 million euros to build 12 wind turbines and R&D facility off the coast of the North Sea.
Undoubtedly, the prospect of being the first to build wind turbines on a body of fresh water like Lake Erie (where wind is ample) adds a coolness factor. Proving the economics of wind so that Northeast Ohio becomes the world capital in off-shore wind is also a strong attraction.
Locating the turbines depends on a combination of where winds are strongest (the edges of the county, Godwin says), how much they affect the views from the shore, impact bird migrations and even air travel patterns. Cleveland Foundation is funding a study to ‘visualize’ how the turbines will look, Stuebi says. Also, turbine manufacturers and projects like the Long Island Off-shore Wind Park have data on environmental and avian impacts, an official from Northcoast Wind & Power told the task force.
An off-shore Cleveland site might play off some unique local conditions, Task Force Chairman and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason says. Perhaps the Cargill Cleveland salt mines, which stretch for 14 miles under Lake Erie, could act as a storage chamber for compressed air—the excess energy produced by the turbines (similar to a wind farm proposal in Iowa that will use mines for that reason).
The task force will make the wind farm and R&D center an official recommendation at their February meeting. Final details like the site, legal and financial issues are still being worked out.
For more information on Wind power in Northeast Ohio.
Windustrious Cleveland
David Beach Says:Check out the cool web presentation promoting wind energy in Cleveland. Thanks to Sarah Taylor and Yurich Creative.
Here's the pitch from Sarah:
"Over the past few months, the media have noted the growing interest in wind power generation for Cleveland, and for other parts of Ohio as well. The most dramatic aspect of wind power's potential importance for Cleveland has, however, not been mentioned: A wind farm, off-shore from Cleveland, would actually be THE WORLD'S FIRST FRESH-WATER WIND FARM.
"There will eventually be wind turbines producing power out on the Great Lakes, and the opportunity to be the first to do that is staring us in the face. Europeans have led the way in exploiting powerful maritime off-shore winds, and we can take the lead in the next phase of this cutting-edge technology -- by putting up those first turbines in fresh water. We can grab that role, and all the branding and business opportunities that will accompany it, or we can just watch it slip by, while we content ourselves with erecting wind and solar devices on land - all worthy and very useful, but not headline-creating around the world.
"Let's not play catch-up to Michigan or Ontario by building our turbines out on the lake only after their communities have taken the initiative on their own Great Lakes. Let us be out in front. We should be expressing our great support for those in Cleveland who are working to install a wind farm a few miles out from shore, where the winds are strong and steady -- as opposed to the weak and unreliable breezes on shore. Those turbines on the lake will symbolize our city's commitment to addressing our, and the nation's, future energy needs. They will also act as a constant and gentle reminder that we must all do our part in conserving our environment, and making the most of our clean natural resources. Cleveland will be providing bold and far-sighted leadership, as it has done in the past."
Rebranding Cleveland as forward-thinking via Wind Power
trbiii Says:Sarah's excellent Windustrious presentation uses visual artistry and wind power images to rebrand Cleveland as forward-thinking and high tech.
Can we take this one step further: when we actually install windmills on the Lake, can we have local Cleveland artists, engineers, architects design these as sculptures on the water--like di Suvero sculptures (but nicer)--to make the windmills Cleveland's new icon--like Seattle's space needle--visual shorthand for how we "get it", how we've been reborn out of our Burning River Rust Belt past into the High Tech Information Age Economy?
Perhaps a traditional installation (the phrase "wind farm" seems oppressive) of standard windmills would be functioning miles off-shore, but closer to shore, would be the line of sleek (or curvy? or colorful? or whimsical?) windmills in full view of residents.
Other ideas: a line of windmills curving away from shore (Sarah's idea); or perhaps a slanted battery, tall to short, of five or so; maybe a Dali-inspired windmill, distorted and melted, yet nonetheless functional?
I don't think this is such a stretch. Do you remember how well received Christo's (sp?) "Gates" in NYC Central Park were? Hi-powered stock-brokers and attorneys came down from their NYC power suites in large numbers and proudly bought coffee table books to show they got to go. The playful and the beautiful can spark us alive and give us hope.
If we understand the language of symbols, we'd move boldly in this direction. Unfortunately this concept would require heavy, heavy lifting--due to cost and permits, just to start...
getting a jump start on wind
Susan Miller Says:I am pleased to see that you have finally posted a link to Sarah Taylor’s Windustrious. I noted that I sent this to you and suggested that you might want to post it on July 28, 2006. I guess it wasn’t a burning issue then. (I posted it December 2, 2006 in a comment about tribal wind.) But as Sarah says, “Let's not play catch-up (on getting started on the wind initiative)…” LET’S GET MOVING!
Still for the sake of catching up, I would like to mention and encourage readers to visit the following links to learn a little more about other citizen’s of our region who have quietly been championing this effort – Martha Eakin and Jeff Buster led a fascinating discussion at REI in November 2004.
REI, however, was disbanded. Ed Morrison was fired by Myron Roomkin, and their web links were removed by the University in 2005. Here is what remains of a history -- Initiatives@REI: Building an Innovation Economy .
Ed Morrison, et al now offers their networking ideas and meetings through i-open. (Learn about them here ). Ed is still one of the brightest minds offering his insights to our region via his blog and often in Brewed Fresh Daily.
Since that time Jeff Buster has also, continued to post his innovative ideas at Realneo.us (thank you Norm Roulet for bringing us real open source technology). If you are interested in the possibility of renewable wind energy, in rediscovering a Cleveland legacy first begun here by Charles Brush, then I recommend the following links.
I also wish to note that perseverance is seriously a part of the deal in Cleveland. Have a good idea? Don’t expect anyone to jump on it immediately and advance it to the fore.
Ed Morrison’s story does not bear out that promise, yours doesn’t David, and Sarah Taylor’s doesn’t either.
But here is an interesting addendum. While having dinner with Sarah and Philip Taylor, Martha and I were surprised to learn that it was Sarah’s idea to develop a public radio station in Northeast Ohio. It was after much networking and perseverance that she was finally able to hear the first broadcast of WCPN, now ideastream.
Martha’s mother, Jean Eakin thought it was a bad idea to build the Lee and Clark Freeway system through the Shaker Lakes. Thank goodness for her networking and perseverance.
Sometimes history forgets the folks who brought us good ideas even after they have been implemented. Just for the record, I wanted to remind all of us windy folk, about some of the best minds to openly share their innovative ideas on renewable energy and its role in economic development in Northeast Ohio. So, thanks Jeff and Martha. Thanks Charles Brush. Thanks Sarah Taylor.
There’s also an interesting post about wind turbine manufacture and North America posted by Martha on October 17, 2004 Wind Power Can Create 1000s of Jobs in Hardest Hit States.
Now, before we lose Jeff and Martha to Denmark, (Wind Turbine Blade Maker Looking for 200 More Employees), let us consider what they might add to Northeast Ohio. Let’s keep these innovators focused on our region. Keep your eye on the home page of realneo.us, too; I hear Jeff is preparing a post today about wind and workforce development in Northeast Ohio.