Is wind energy the future of Northeast Ohio?
Leaders from local and state levels of government, academia and industry will share information during "Building an Advanced Energy Future for Offshore Wind: A Conversation Among Lake Erie Stakeholders." The daylong conference will be held Wednesday, December 10, at 8:30 a.m., at Case Western Reserve University's Thwing Center, 11111 Euclid Ave.
Under discussion will be key regulatory issues, technical considerations and manufacturing and other economic development opportunities associated with offshore wind development in Lake Erie. Participants will also hear an update on the Great Lakes Wind Energy Center Feasibility Study, which was launched by Cuyahoga County in early 2008.
The conference also is designed to provide opportunities for local and statewide officials, researchers and businesspeople to learn about and discuss significant regulatory, economic and technical considerations and opportunities for offshore wind energy development in Lake Erie. In addition, a discussion on the wind energy industry supply chain and other activities also will be held.
Key participants and speakers include:
The feasibility study, which is being conducted by JW Great Lakes Wind LLDC (JWGL), a subsidiary of the international wind development company juwi GmbH, will determine whether to move forward with building a Pilot Wind Project that would consist of two to 10 wind turbines in Lake Erie and an affiliated research center to facilitate industry testing of next-generation utility-scale wind technologies. The research and development center would be co-managed by Case Western Reserve and its Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation, and feature collaboration between several other academic, industry and government resources.
While many countries have offshore wind turbines, this would be the first erected at a freshwater site. New technology would need to be developed to contend with the effects associated with standing fresh water, most notably the effect of ice and other climatic conditions.
In August 2007 Case Western Reserve committed $200,000 to the Board of Cuyahoga County Commissioners and the county's Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force to partially sponsor the feasibility study.
The conference is being organized by the Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation at Case Western Reserve University, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, the Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force, the Ohio Department of Development, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Wind Working Group. In addition to the organizers, the event also is being co-sponsored by Cuyahoga County, Team NEO, ClevelandPlus Business, Brickler & Eckler law firm and BHE International.
For more information on the conference, the agenda is available online, or call Stacy Long at the Great Lakes Institute for Energy Innovation at (216) 368-0748.
Posted by: Kimyette Finley, December 8, 2008 01:46 PM | News Topics: Case School of Engineering, Conferences/Symposia, Energy, Environment, HeadlinesMain, news
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