Wind leads Seattle 100 MW solicitation

Wind leads the pack in Seattle City and Light's request for proposals (RFP) for 100 MW of renewable energy (Windpower Monthly, August 2000). Twenty-three of 62 projects proposed are for wind resources, including proposals from new or existing wind farms in Washington, Oregon, Wyoming, California, Colorado and Canada. Most of the wind capacity is larger than 25 MW and projected to come on-line between 2001 to 2008, according to Nancy Glaser of the utility. It has separated out 20 applications to evaluate first -- including four to five wind projects -- in order to accommodate tight deadlines such as end 2001, when the current US production tax credit expires. Glaser says the utility will award contracts to the most immediate projects by January so as not to slow down others that need to be on-line by end 2001. Hydro, solar, landfill and waste gas, biomass, geothermal and waste heat recovery projects were also proposed. According to Seattle City and Light, non-hydroelectric renewables will contribute 5% of its power over the next ten years. But there may not be enough renewable resources proposed to add up to the full 100 MW, says Glaser, and this could lead to another RFP.