In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, wind power is one of the primary sources of renewable energy, and accounts for over one third of the state's renewable energy production.[1] There are more than 27 wind farms currently operating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Theoretically, the energetic development of these wind farms could provide power for nearly 350,000 homes, or 1,300 megawatts.[2] A majority of the farms are located in the southwest-central and northeastern regions of the state.[3] Pennsylvania is an East Coast leader in wind energy due to its natural wind resources and governmental incentives brought on by the state. There is a lot of potential for growth within the wind power industry in Pennsylvania and the Northeast. Despite being one of the few landlocked states in the Mid-Atlantic region, Pennsylvania is close to several offshore sites along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Wind power is also environmentally friendly. Wind power is efficient to create and sustain because it creates 31 times more energy than it requires during the manufacturing process and over its 20 year lifetime.[4]
If all wind energy potential in Pennsylvania were 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.[5] In 2016, the state had 1369 megawatts (MW) of wind powered electricity generating capacity, responsible for 1.6% of in-state electricity production.[6] This increased to 1459 MW in 2020.[7]
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, the state 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. [9]
In 2007, Montgomery County became the first wind-powered county in the nation, with a two-year commitment to buy 100 percent of its electricity from a combination of wind energy and renewable energy credits derived from wind energy. [10]
Voluntary agreements with wind energy companies in Pennsylvania have been signed by The Pennsylvania Game Commission to avoid, minimize, and potentially mitigate any adverse impacts the development and production of wind energy may have on the state's wildlife resources. [11]
In recent years, there have been advancements in both on and offshore wind power in Pennsylvania. At least 1300 MW of wind power is currently[when?] installed at the 27 wind farms in Pennsylvania.[14] According to the U.S. energy information administration, 1 MW of wind power can power about 650 average American homes.[15]
^"Pennsylvania Wind Farms | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
^"Property:Incentive/Summary | Open Energy Information". openei.org. Retrieved 2021-10-03.
^Corcoran, John (20 March 2019). "Montgomery County Announces 100% Wind Power Purchase & Commitment To Sustainable Operations". Retrieved 28 September 2021.
^"Wind Power". Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
^"Info for Pennsylvanians: PA Wind Farms". www.pawindenergynow.org. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
^"Pennsylvania Wind Farms | Saint Francis University". www.francis.edu. Retrieved 2021-09-21.
^"Wind Power". Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
^"How much wind energy does it take to power an average home?". www.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2021-10-05.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wind power in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania Wind Working Group
Penn Future: Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future profile on Wind farms in Pennsylvania.
February 14, 2024
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In the U S state of Pennsylvania wind power is one of the primary sources of renewable energy and accounts for over one third of the state s renewable energy production 1 There are more than 27 wind farms currently operating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Theoretically the energetic development of these wind farms could provide power for nearly 350 000 homes or 1 300 megawatts 2 A majority of the farms are located in the southwest central and northeastern regions of the state 3 Pennsylvania is an East Coast leader in wind energy due to its natural wind resources and governmental incentives brought on by the state There is a lot of potential for growth within the wind power industry in Pennsylvania and the Northeast Despite being one of the few landlocked states in the Mid Atlantic region Pennsylvania is close to several offshore sites along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean Turbines at the Somerset Wind Farm in Somerset County Pennsylvania Wind power is also environmentally friendly Wind power is efficient to create and sustain because it creates 31 times more energy than it requires during the manufacturing process and over its 20 year lifetime 4 If all wind energy potential in Pennsylvania were 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 5 In 2016 the state had 1369 megawatts MW of wind powered electricity generating capacity responsible for 1 6 of in state electricity production 6 This increased to 1459 MW in 2020 7 Contents 1 History 2 Wind Farms 13 3 Location map 4 Installed capacity and wind resources 5 Wind generation 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksHistory edit source source source source source source source source Several Southwestern Pennsylvania wind farms Casselman foreground Meyersdale near background Twin Ridges far background and Lookout near background towards end of video nbsp Turbines at the Highland North Wind Farm in Cambria County PA In 2000 Pennsylvania s first commercial wind farm the Green Mountain Wind Energy Center was completed in Somerset County but deactivated in 2015 8 In 2006 the state 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 9 In 2007 Montgomery County became the first wind powered county in the nation with a two year commitment to buy 100 percent of its electricity from a combination of wind energy and renewable energy credits derived from wind energy 10 Voluntary agreements with wind energy companies in Pennsylvania have been signed by The Pennsylvania Game Commission to avoid minimize and potentially mitigate any adverse impacts the development and production of wind energy may have on the state s wildlife resources 11 Many smaller wind farms in Pennsylvania are operated by NextEra Energy Resources based in Florida 12 Wind Farms 13 edit nbsp Patton Wind FarmSee also List of power stations in Pennsylvania Wind Wind Farm County Number of Turbines Turbine Capacity MW Farm Capacity MW Somerset Somerset 6 1 5 9 0Mill Run Fayette 10 1 5 15 0Waymart Wayne 43 1 5 64 5Meyersdale Somerset 20 1 5 30 0Bear Creek Luzerne 12 2 0 24 0Locust Ridge I Schuylkill 13 2 0 26 0Allegheny Ridge Cambria Blair 40 2 0 80 0Casselman Somerset 23 1 5 34 5Forward Somerset 14 2 1 29 4Lookout Somerset 18 2 1 37 8Locust Ridge II Columbia Schuylkill 51 2 0 102 0Highland Cambria 25 2 5 62 5North Allegheny Cambria Blair 35 2 0 70Armenia Mountain Tioga Bradford 67 1 5 100 5Stony Creek Somerset 35 1 5 52 5Chestnut Flats Blair 19 2 0 38South Chestnut Fayette 23 2 0 46Turkey Point Wind Project Frey Farm Wind Lancaster 2 1 6 3 2Highland North Cambria 30 2 5 75Sandy Ridge Blair Centre 25 2 0 50Twin Ridges Somerset 68 2 05 139 4Laurel Hill Lycoming 30 2 3 69 0Patton Cambria 15 2 0 30Mehoopany Wyoming 88 1 6 140 8Ringer Hill Somerset 14 2 85 39 9Big Level Potter 25 3 6 90Total 751 1459Location map edit nbsp nbsp Allegheny Ridge nbsp Bear Creek nbsp Bear Creek nbsp Sandy Ridge nbsp Green Mountain nbsp Locust Ridge nbsp Meyersdale nbsp Somerset nbsp Mill Run nbsp Waymart nbsp Casselman nbsp Forward nbsp Lookout nbsp Armenia Mountain nbsp Pattonclass notpageimage Wind power projects in Pennsylvania nbsp Operating nbsp Under constructionInstalled capacity and wind resources editIn recent years there have been advancements in both on and offshore wind power in Pennsylvania At least 1300 MW of wind power is currently when installed at the 27 wind farms in Pennsylvania 14 According to the U S energy information administration 1 MW of wind power can power about 650 average American homes 15 Offshore wind power has been proposed on the state s limited shoreline on Lake Erie 16 nbsp Pennsylvania 80 Meter Wind MapWind generation editPennsylvania Wind Generation GWh Million kWh Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec2001 12 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12002 59 9 5 7 6 5 3 3 2 3 4 7 52003 112 7 7 6 7 6 3 4 2 4 8 18 402004 307 41 29 31 32 21 16 14 12 17 24 30 402005 283 26 27 33 26 19 15 12 11 15 26 37 362006 360 37 38 39 31 27 19 19 18 22 37 27 462007 470 49 45 51 45 26 30 23 22 26 46 46 612008 727 77 60 69 59 65 40 27 30 35 69 87 1092009 1 076 57 69 53 60 74 43 46 43 92 127 178 2342010 1 966 224 190 176 151 128 116 77 73 132 186 179 2222011 1 796 174 212 215 217 114 92 69 90 87 144 195 1872012 2 129 252 194 207 209 107 150 106 76 120 206 207 2942013 3 352 356 336 396 363 294 202 121 128 158 240 405 3532014 3 536 403 332 402 398 227 158 175 161 178 354 397 3512015 3 353 391 314 416 348 206 230 132 118 156 317 363 3612016 3 476 412 387 355 274 184 215 155 149 179 338 370 4582017 3 590 307 327 377 361 322 274 223 183 249 341 317 3092018 3 566 412 386 292 334 288 219 206 200 221 330 341 3372019 3 252 346 297 339 329 230 243 169 176 193 287 278 3652020 3 748 387 331 381 374 341 203 151 180 213 306 437 4442021 3 536 319 319 403 340 272 227 184 184 265 287 341 3952022 3 767 363 373 400 369 310 247 209 182 235 315 400 3642023 1 111 328 394 389 Teal background indicates the largest wind generation month for the year Green background indicates the largest wind generation month to date Source 17 18 19 See also edit nbsp Wind power portal nbsp Renewable energy portal nbsp Energy portal nbsp United States portal nbsp Pennsylvania portalSolar power in Pennsylvania Wind power in the United States Renewable energy in the United StatesReferences edit Pennsylvania State Energy Profile Analysis U S Energy Information Administration EIA www eia gov Retrieved 2021 10 05 Wind Power Department of Environmental Protection Retrieved 2021 09 21 Pennsylvania Wind Farms Saint Francis University www francis edu Retrieved 2021 09 21 Wind Energy in Pennsylvania Penn State Extension Retrieved 2021 09 21 State wind energy fact sheet Pennsylvania American Wind Energy Association Dec 2011 Pennsylvania Wind Energy PDF U S Wind Energy State Facts American Wind Energy Association Archived from the original PDF on 18 January 2016 Wind Energy in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Wind Farms Saint Francis University www francis edu Retrieved 2021 10 03 Property Incentive Summary Open Energy Information openei org Retrieved 2021 10 03 Corcoran John 20 March 2019 Montgomery County Announces 100 Wind Power Purchase amp Commitment To Sustainable Operations Retrieved 28 September 2021 Wind Power Department of Environmental Protection Retrieved 2021 09 21 Info for Pennsylvanians PA Wind Farms www pawindenergynow org Retrieved 2021 09 21 Pennsylvania Wind Farms Saint Francis University www francis edu Retrieved 2021 09 21 Wind Power Department of Environmental Protection Retrieved 2021 10 05 How much wind energy does it take to power an average home www usgs gov Retrieved 2021 10 05 ERIE WIND cleanair org Retrieved 2021 09 28 EIA July 27 2012 Electric Power Monthly Table 1 17 A United States Department of Energy Retrieved 2012 08 15 EIA EIA Electricity Data Browser United States Department of Energy Retrieved 2016 12 30 Wind Energy in PennsylvaniaExternal links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wind power in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Wind Working Group Penn Future Citizens for Pennsylvania s Future profile on Wind farms in Pennsylvania Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wind power in Pennsylvania amp oldid 1192670148, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
