Sails Filled by Strong Wind Support

Warren Buffett, as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., has invested $15 billion into wind-farm projects since his acquisition of a utility company in 2000 which he has built into one of the country’s largest power suppliers.? With plans to double this initial investment, he has announced another $280 million for wind farm development in Iowa, adding to MidAmerican Energy’s $1.9 billion investment there.? By the end of 2015, his utility will have about 3.5 gigawatts of wind capacity installed in Iowa, powering over 1 million homes, as well as supplying Google’s and Facebook’s new data centers with 100% clean energy.? People will always need power and Mr Buffett recognizes investment in renewable energy sources as a way to not get rich, but stay rich., with reliable returns at 12%.? The value on wind power not only benefits investors but customers as well, as Bill Fehrman, CEO of MidAtlantic explains, helping to stabilize rates in the long term.? Read more.

15 Years:? Wind Provides 1/5 World’s Electricity

According to a new report released this week by Greenpeace and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), by 2030 up to one-fifth of the world’s supply of electricity could come from wind turbines.? The report, called the “Global Wind Energy Outlook,” is annually produced in an industry digest that represents 1,500 wind power producers.? The purpose of the report is to use the intention and new directions of international energy policies to reflect two ways nations might cut carbon:? advanced and moderate.? The effects of such actions remain uncertain due to unknowable ups and downs in global economy as well as in the political sphere.? Read more.

Harnessing Sea Wind Coming to Long Island

The Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Project seeks to build offshore wind turbines within the next four years.? Currently land-based wind farms account for 1,348 megawatts (MW) of power upstate.? This new proposed construction represents a three-fold increase in energy from wind, and with distinct advantages.? Ocean-based wind power is stronger, more consistently available, and closer the load centers of New York City and Long Island.? Turbines would be located southwest of the Rockaway Peninsula, along a wedge shaped area between shipping channels.? The initial load of power would grow from 350 megawatts (MW) to 700 MW.? A 350MW wind facility operating at 40% of its capacity would generate about 1,226,000 megawatt-hours per year, enough energy for about 112,000 homes. An interest in reducing the use of fossil fuels for electricity production has generated support.? Read more.

U.N. Panel Issues a Harsh Warning on Global Warming

The latest United Nations Report on Global Warming says we MUST do something to reign in the runaway greenhouse gas emissions, yet the problem seems to be going in the other direction. As more developing countries want what we have here, they join the West in burning huge amounts of fossil fuels, which only adds to the problem. The risks we will face as global warming continues will be food shortages, extreme weather conditions, floods, rising oceans, and extinction of islands, people, animals and plants. To read more, click on this article from the NY Times