On January 20, 2012, the FY 2012 Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Solicitation was issued. The REAP program provides grants to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. Deadlines are set for March and June of 2012.

Continues to Deliver Innovative Community Wind Programs

Minneapolis, MN, December 12, 2011 – Windustry has moved to new offices, located just four blocks from its old offices. The organization’s new contact information is below. Please update your address book and database accordingly. All staff e-mails and the website url remain the same.

201 Ridgewood Avenue
Minneapolis MN 55403
Phone: 612-200-0331 OR
1-800-818-0936

ACORE's annual Phase II Policy Forum, December 6-7, 2011, has never been more important. With an industry whose growth and economic potential is being called into question, Phase II will be a critical meeting geared to formulate an over-arching strategy for the continued success and support of the industry. The forum will explore issues of national and energy security, economic development, capital raising, and jobs for the many under and unemployed Americans. The thought leaders from the global stage will join leaders from the national and state level to assess the status of renewable energy policy today, the range of policy options available, and help to advise on a best case policy framework for 2012 and beyond. Your attendance is critical to formulating a well-rounded energy policy for America's future.

Windustry's Landowner Wind Energy Association (LWEA) Resource Center has reached milestones working with two communities in West Virginia and Montana, providing on-the-ground technical assistance, support and analysis needed to establish a successful community wind energy business.

Since 2008 wind turbine prices in the U.S. have fallen by nearly one-third on average, according to a new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). "Understanding Trends in Wind Turbine Prices Over the Past Decade" examines how $-per-kW costs have declined in recent years, after having previously doubled over the period from 2002 through 2008.

The Windustry Board of Directors is pleased to announce the inauguration and the first recipient of the Distinguished Service in Community Wind Award. This award is given annually to a person who has made an exceptionally significant contribution to the establishment and growth of Community Wind as a uniquely valuable form of clean, renewable energy.

Windustry is pleased to announce the establishment and presentation of the Community Wind Innovator Award, which is to be given annually to an individual who has made significant progress over the past two years in forging ahead with new policies, new approaches, new business models or new research to further community and distributed wind energy.

The U.S. Department of Energy released the  "2010 Wind Technologies Market Report,"  prepared by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, providing a comprehensive overview of trends in the U.S. wind power market.  Despite a trying year in which wind power capacity additions declined significantly compared to both 2008 and 2009, the U.S. remained one of the fastest-growing wind power markets in the world in 2010-second only to China-according to the report.

Great River Energy (GRE) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for community-based energy development (C-BED) renewable energy resources. GRE seeks proposals for energy resources (minimum 40 kW nameplate capacity) delivered to the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (MISO) wholesale energy market that qualify as Community-Based Energy Development (C-BED) under Minnesota Statute §216B.1612 (2010).

Seventeen Minnesota community and technical college instructors recently took part in Train-the-Trainer sessions on a new curriculum for Small Wind Energy Systems and are now prepared to offer courses on the subject.