EDITORIAL: Wind power in Kentucky worth studying

Oct 31, 2009 (Messenger-Inquirer - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- ERC | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- The head of the Center For Applied Energy Research at the University of Kentucky recently told lawmakers that coal is still king in Kentucky. According to Director Rodney Andrews, it's unclear what could replace coal in the country's energy portfolio and cautioned against declaring the next, best energy technology.

"We have a very limited set of options with renewables to produce at utility scale," Andrews told an interim legislative committee.

That may be the case, especially in Kentucky where more than 90 percent of electricity is produced from coal. But that shouldn't restrict the search for new energy sources, particularly those not dependent upon a finite natural resource.

That search could continue in Daviess County, where Spanish energy company Iberdrola Renewables is preparing to test the viability of a commercial wind farm that could become the first in Kentucky.

Wind power has frequently been dismissed as a possible addition to Kentucky's energy spectrum, and this type of alternative energy production does face challenges here. Some dismiss the idea without knowing the facts, without considering all possibilities.

With more concrete information about generating wind power locally, the discussion about alternative energy in Kentucky can be more educated and productive.

Iberdrola has already shown it can make wind power work elsewhere in the country and the world. The company has 38 wind farms in 20 states that can produce enough electricity to power 900,000 homes. Internationally, Iberdrola is the largest renewable energy operator and one of the largest private electric utilities.

That kind of resume will lend credence to the study the company will perform in Daviess County, and a more accurate assessment of whether a commercial wind farm will work here.

Indeed, such a venture would have a large impact -- on the local economy, and the landscape. Each turbine sits up to 250 feet or more above the ground with each blade potentially measuring more than 100 feet long.

The turbines can cost more than $1 million each, which will help boost local property tax revenues. Landowners are paid to have the turbines installed on their property or for the amount of power each turbine produces.

But wind farms also bring with them critics, which is understandable given how the massive turbines can easily change the landscape. Wind farm proposals in other states have been met by opposition, and here locally there would undoubtedly be some who object to how these turbines will affect the view and environment.

That discussion -- whether a wind farm should be built in Daviess County -- is for another day. Before getting to that step, it must be determined whether one can be built here and succeed. And that's what Iberdrola hopes to accomplish.

Kentucky's history is steeped in coal, and coal will continue to be a major player in how this state fuels its economy and powers its homes. But looking ahead, Kentuckians will need to make educated decisions about how to tap other energy resources, including wind power. Thanks to Iberdrola, that education will begin soon.

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