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Oct 17, 2008

Kansas Has Potential for Wind Jobs

By DUANE SCHRAG - Salina Journal, Fri, Oct 17

BELOIT ¬ -- Thousands of jobs will be created, and millions of dollars invested, as the United States starts to harness the enormous wind potential in this country.

The question is whether Kansas, whose wind potential is nearly the best in the country, wants to cash in on it.

"It's about who's going to get those jobs and who's going to meet this demand for energy," said Steve Gaw, of the Wind Coalition. "You all have so much potential to move forward if you want this to happen."

Gaw is with a group of experts with the American Wind Energy Association. The group has been on a statewide tour this week, promoting wind's potential. On Thursday, the group was at North Central Kansas Technical College in Beloit.

About 60 people -- from Nebraska, western Kansas and central Kansas -- attended the working lunch. Many small cities and counties (Dickinson County, for instance) were represented.

Two large wind farms located within an hour of Salina went online in the past year. Vestas, one of the world's leading manufacturers of wind turbines, has opened an office in Salina.

By every indication, wind is one of the "next big things." Two years ago, President Bush proposed that by 2030 the U.S. get 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources. A study by the federal Department of Energy looked at whether that goal could be achieved, and if so, how.

For one thing, there would be a lot of new turbines. Last year, 3,200 new turbines were erected nationwide; the study estimates that between now and 2030, upward of 10,000 new turbines will need to go up every year.

"It's not just steel towers," said Elizabeth Salerno, of AWEA. "It's not just Fiberglass blades."

Turbines, each with thousands of pieces, have complex gearboxes and sophisticated electronics.

"We're going to need a very broad range of skills to make these components," Salerno said. "We are not turning out enough math and science majors today to meet these needs."

Some surrounding states -- particularly Colorado and Iowa -- have landed thousands of wind industry manufacturing jobs in just the past two years.

Before 2006, Colorado had no wind manufacturing facilities. Now it has six, which created more then 2,700 jobs and required an investment of more than $550 million.

"The game is still on," Salerno said. "You can go out there and get those companies to come to your state."

Richard Underbakke, president of Cloud County Community College, told the audience that the associate degree program is red hot. A couple of years ago, it had one student; now it has 67; and by spring, the college forecasts it will have 100.

Community colleges and technical schools around the state have expressed an interest in developing cooperative programs, Underbakke said.

The federal study that assessed the implications of having renewables provide 20 percent of the nation's electricity found:

-Capital costs would increase by only 2 percent.

-Americans would spend $86 billion to $214 billion less on natural gas.

-Coal consumption would be reduced by 18 percent.

-Construction of 80,000 megawatts of coal-fired power plants would be avoided.

"You are right here in what could be the heart of the key to achieving energy independence," Gaw said. "Quite frankly, I think the country needs you all."

Reporter Duane Schrag can be reached at 822-1422 or by e-mail at dschrag@salina.com.


Comments

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Posted by Freelance Jobs on 09/18  at  11:06 AM

Hi,

It’s about who’s going to get those jobs and who’s going to meet this demand for energy,said Steve Gaw, of the Wind Coalition.You all have so much potential to move forward
if you want this to happen..

Posted by Bands on 09/22  at  11:35 AM

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Posted by Going Green on 11/09  at  07:24 AM

Wind job is the most prosperous job in Kansas, but it seems the local government doesn’t really manage and care about it. I wonder what will the government will do next?

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Posted by recruiting software on 02/16  at  10:58 PM

I actually live in Colorado and the wind industry has been a huge creator of jobs in my state.  We have continually grown every year in this industry and it seems it will continue that way.  Plus we now have wind farms to help power the state.  Truly win win for us and wind power industries.

Posted by web design on 08/28  at  08:44 AM

Gaw, of the Wind Coalition.You all have so much potential to move forward get those jobs and who’s going to meet this demand for energy,said Steve

Posted by internet search provider on 08/30  at  06:49 PM

Every place which has a potential should always be given the chance.

Posted by electronics on 09/09  at  10:44 AM

It’s really important that we give more attention to things like this specially that we really need other means of energy source and wind energy is just perfect for it.

Posted by Used Atvs on 10/18  at  06:38 AM

Wind is a fast growing sector of the Kansas economy. The most recent estimates are that Kansas has a potential for 950 GW of wind power capacity and it would give more opportunity to residents of Kansas.

Posted by Unique Hoodia on 10/18  at  04:34 PM

I think this is definitely a must for Kansas. These jobs will help a lot of people out in the future. Also this will help the economy a lot. This needs to be pushed more.

Posted by informative articles on 10/27  at  03:32 PM

We have continually grown every year in this industry and it seems it will continue that way.  Plus we now have wind farms to help power the state.

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The wind (as well as all weather) is created by the effect of continuous sunlight heating up the atmosphere causing it to “boil” you might say. So wind energy is thus another means of harnessing solar energy….more effective today than inefficient solar panels on the ground.

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Posted by florists nj on 01/06  at  06:31 PM

We now have wind farms to help power the state.  Truly win win for us and wind power industries.

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