Lake Erie wind turbine study approved; CWRU to support project via new Institute for Energy Innovation
Friday, August 24th, 2007As reported in today’s Plain Dealer, the Cuyahoga County Commissioners voted Thursday to select Germany’s leading renewable energy company, Juwi International, to figure out if wind turbines can be built in the waters just off of Lake Erie. The company will get help from, a new institute at Case Western Reserve University, the Great Lake’s Institute for Energy Innovation, a part of the School of Engineering.
An energy-development task force formed by the commissioners one year ago has been advocating for the development of wind turbine farm off the shore of Lake Erie. (Chris Varley, Vice President at NorTech is a member on the commissioners energy task force.)Â
If the study proves the installation of wind turbines would be successful, then they would be the first wind turbines on fresh water in the world. This development could attract wind-energy manufacturers and suppliers to the region, with the potential for hundreds of jobs.
Listen the 90.3 WCPN coverage of the Cuyahoga County Commissioners’ press conference.