wind energy
Wind energy is the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world. During 2007, installed capacity increased internationally by 27 percent, bringing the total to 94,000 megawatts around the world. Wind power technology is now economical in many places, and turbine installation can be done within a few months. There are still many places in the world where winds are strong enough to produce power economically, particularly in high altitude locations.
In Wisconsin, wind resources are fair to good, with some of the best areas in the east central part of the state, the area where Byron is located. In the Wisconsin wind resource map below, average wind speeds are illustrated at 60 meters, or about 197 feet, which is comparable to the height of the Byron turbines. It should be noted, however, that the wind map presents only a general picture of wind speeds around the state. City buildings and local landscape features influence wind speeds. For this reason, wind speeds at potential turbine sites are measured using anemometers mounted on towers, usually over a one year period.
