Wind power in Pennsylvania

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Turbines at the Somerset Wind Farm in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

There are more than twenty wind power projects[citation needed] operating in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The most productive wind energy regions generally fall in mountain or coastal terrains. The northern portion of the Appalachian chain, including most of Southwestern Pennsylvania, is one of the areas with the highest potential for wind energy in the Eastern United States. The mountain ridges of central and northeastern Pennsylvania, including the Poconos in the eastern part of the state, offer some of the best wind resources in the region.[1]

If all wind energy potential in Pennsylvania was developed with utility-scale wind turbines, the power produced each year would be enough to supply 6.4% of the state's current electricity consumption.[2] In 2016 the state had 1369 megawatts (MW) of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for 1.6% of in-state electricity production.[3] This increased to 1459 MW in 2019.[4]

History[]

Several Southwestern Pennsylvania wind farms: Casselman (foreground), Meyersdale (near background), Twin Ridges (far background), and Lookout (near background towards end of video).
Turbines at the Highland North Wind Farm in Cambria County, PA.

In 2006, Pennsylvania's legislature ruled that wind turbines and related equipment may not be included in property-tax assessments. Instead, the sites of wind facilities are assessed for their income-capitalization value.[citation needed]

In 2009, the Environmental Protection Agency honored Swarthmore, Pennsylvania as a Green Power Community — the only one in the Eastern United States - for its commitment to buy clean energy generated from wind turbines in mountainous region of western Pennsylvania.[5]

In 2012, a coalition of wind farm developers, owner, operators, their supporters, and retail suppliers joined together to form ChoosePAWind. This coalition's goal is to educate Pennsylvanians about the environmental and economic benefits of supplying energy from local wind farms.

Many smaller wind farms in Pennsylvania are operated by NextEra Energy Resources, based in Florida.[6]

Wind farms[]

See also: List of power stations in Pennsylvania § Wind
Name Turbines Capacity
(MW)		 Power
(MW·hr/yr)		 Location
(county)		 Year
Operational
Allegheny Ridge Wind Farm 40 80 210,240[7] Blair and
Cambria		 2007
Armenia Mountain Wind Farm 67 101 unknown Tioga and
Bradford		 2010[8]
Bear Creek Wind Power Project 12 24 70,000[9] Luzerne 2006
Big Level Project 25 90 2019
Casselman Wind Power Project 23 34.5 90,666[7] Somerset 2007
Chestnut Flats Wind Farm 19 38 unknown Blair and
Cambria		 2011
Forward Wind Project 14 29.4 77,263[7] Somerset 2008
Green Mountain Wind Energy Center 8 10.4 27,331[7] Somerset 2000
Highland Wind Farm 25 62.5 unknown Cambria 2009[10]
Highland North Wind Farm 30 75 unknown Cambria 2012
Kimberly Run Wind Project 40 80 unknown[11] Somerset Proposed
Laurel Hill Wind Energy Project 30 69 unknown Lycoming 2012
Locust Ridge I 13 26 68,328[12] Schuylkill 2004
Locust Ridge II 51 102 268,056[7][13] Columbia and
Schuylkill		 2008
Lookout Wind Project 18 37.8 99,338[7] Somerset 2008
Mason Dixon Wind Project 30 60 unknown[14] Somerset Proposed
Mehoopany Wind Farm 88[15] 140.8[15] Unknown Wyoming 2012
Meyersdale Wind Power Project 20 30 78,840[7] Somerset 2003
Mill Run Wind Energy Center 10 15 39,420[7] Fayette 2001
North Allegheny Wind Farm 35 70[16] unknown Blair and
Cambria		 2009
Patton Wind Farm 15[17] 30 unknown Cambria 2012
Ringer Hill Wind Farm 14 39.9[18] unknown Somerset 2016
Sandy Ridge Wind Farm 25 50[19] unknown Centre 2012
Somerset Wind Farm 6 9 23,652[7] Somerset 2001
South Chestnut Wind Project 23 46 unknown Fayette 2011
Stonycreek Wind Farm 35 52.5[20] unknown Somerset 2009
Twin Ridges Wind Farm 68[21] 140 unknown Somerset 2012
Waymart Wind Farm 43 64.5 169,506[7][22] Wayne 2003

Location map[]

Wind power projects in Pennsylvania
  Green pog.svg Operating
  Blue pog.svg Under construction

Installed capacity and wind resources[]

Pennsylvania Wind Generation Capacity by Year
Megawatts of Wind Capacity [23][24][25][26]
2010 wind power density map for Pennsylvania at 80m above ground.

The graph at left shows the end of year wind generation capacity growth from 1999 through 2019.

In a 2010 report, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory stated that Pennsylvania had potential to install up to about 3,300 MW of onshore wind power nameplate capacity at 80m, which would generate enough clean power annually to meet the energy needs of 1,168,000 homes, or 7,200 MW at 100m, capable of generating 21,200 GWh/year.[27][28]

Despite the state's limited shoreline, on Lake Erie, Pennsylvania has the potential to install up to 5,670 MW of offshore wind turbines in an area of 1,135 square kilometres (438 sq mi), capable of generating 23,571 GWh/year.[29] Offshore wind turbines tend to have a higher capacity factor than onshore wind turbines.

Wind generation[]

Pennsylvania Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2001 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2002 59 9 5 7 6 5 3 3 2 3 4 7 5
2003 112 7 7 6 7 6 3 4 2 4 8 18 40
2004 307 41 29 31 32 21 16 14 12 17 24 30 40
2005 283 26 27 33 26 19 15 12 11 15 26 37 36
2006 360 37 38 39 31 27 19 19 18 22 37 27 46
2007 470 49 45 51 45 26 30 23 22 26 46 46 61
2008 727 77 60 69 59 65 40 27 30 35 69 87 109
2009 1,076 57 69 53 60 74 43 46 43 92 127 178 234
2010 1,966 224 190 176 151 128 116 77 73 132 186 179 222
2011 1,796 174 212 215 217 114 92 69 90 87 144 195 187
2012 2,129 252 194 207 209 107 150 106 76 120 206 207 294
2013 3,352 356 336 396 363 294 202 121 128 158 240 405 353
2014 3,536 403 332 402 398 227 158 175 161 178 354 397 351
2015 3,353 391 314 416 348 206 230 132 118 156 317 363 361
2016 3,476 412 387 355 274 184 215 155 149 179 338 370 458
2017 3,590 307 327 377 361 322 274 223 183 249 341 317 309
2018 3,566 412 386 292 334 288 219 206 200 221 330 341 337
2019 3,252 346 297 339 329 230 243 169 176 193 287 278 365
2020 3,874 358 369 380 371 326 269 201 222 250 332 421 375
2021 1,917 321 327 402 352 282 233

  Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year.

  Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date.

Source:[30][31][32]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ A new crop takes root accessed March 1, 2010.
  2. ^ State wind energy fact sheet - Pennsylvania, American Wind Energy Association, Dec. 2011
  3. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Energy" (PDF). U.S. Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  4. ^ Wind Energy in Pennsylvania
  5. ^ Town in Pennsylvania Catches Wind of Clean Energy Future April 7, 2009. Accessed March 2, 2010.
  6. ^ Wind Farms in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Wind Working Group, accessed March 1, 2010.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Wind farms in Pennsylvania Penn Futures: Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, accessed March 3, 2010.
  8. ^ AES Wind Generation Announces Commercial Operation of Armenia Mountain Wind Farm, U.S. AES press release, January 4, 2010. Accessed March 6, 2010.
  9. ^ Wind Farms in Pennsylvania accessed March 2, 2010.
  10. ^ "Highland Wind Farm". White Construction. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  11. ^ [1] Everpower Wind Holdings, accessed January 28, 2015.
  12. ^ Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Pennsylvania accessed March 1, 2010.
  13. ^ 51 windmills will top local mountain; Massive project to stretch 10 miles March 23, 2008. Accessed March 1, 2010.
  14. ^ [2] Everpower Wind Holdings, accessed February 9, 2015.
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b Renewable Energy Systems America, accessed July 28, 2013
  16. ^ Duke Energy steps up US wind farm development July 6, 2009. Accessed March 30, 2010.
  17. ^ Patton Wind Farm Accessed August 26, 2011.
  18. ^ NJR completes Ringer Hill Wind Farm
  19. ^ Gamesa moves turbine blades Gamesa moves turbine blades. Accessed August 26, 2012.
  20. ^ U.S Wind Energy Projects, Pennsylvania American Wind Energy Association, December 31, 2009. Accessed March 30, 2010.
  21. ^ [3] 68-turbine wind farm to be constructed in Somerset Co. , accessed August 26, 2012.
  22. ^ Waymart Wind Farm Safeway Wind Energy, accessed March 1, 2010.
  23. ^ "Wind Powering America: Installed U.S. Wind Capacity and Wind Project Locations". U.S. Department of Energy. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  24. ^ "AWEA 4th quarter 2011 Public Market Report" (PDF). American Wind Energy Association(AWEA). January 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2012.
  25. ^ "WINDExchange: Installed Wind Capacity". U.S. Department of Energy. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  26. ^ "WINDExchange: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation". U.S. Department of Energy. 3 March 2019. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  27. ^ "Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential by State for Areas >= 30% Capacity Factor at 80m" (XLS). National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-04. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  28. ^ "Pennsylvania Wind Activities". National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 2010-02-19. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
  29. ^ Renewable Energy Technical Potential
  30. ^ EIA (July 27, 2012). "Electric Power Monthly Table 1.17.A." United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  31. ^ EIA. "EIA Electricity Data Browser". United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2016-12-30.
  32. ^ Wind Energy in Pennsylvania

External links[]

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