by Charles Thompson
It's not likely to have the employment impact that King Coal once had, but if wind power is truly picking up steam as an energy source, yesterday could be a day to remember for the 21st century economy in Pennsylvania.
Spanish wind-energy company Gamesa Corp. announced its intent to locate its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia and build a plant to make state-of-the-art turbines and giant windmill blades elsewhere in the state.
Gamesa officials also announced the first sale of Pennsylvania wind power, noting that they are finalizing letters of intent to sell 400 megawatts of electricity a day to three mid-Atlantic utilities, including PPL Electric Utilities Inc.
Wind is currently used to generate 129 megawatts of electricity a day in Pennsylvania, making the state the largest wind energy producer east of the Mississippi.
Gov. Ed Rendell, who held a Capitol news conference to celebrate Gamesa's decision, said the firm's commitment marks "a giant step [for Pennsylvania] into becoming one of the leaders in this country in renewable energy."
Ineki Lopez Gandasegui, Gamesa's CEO, said the company chose Pennsylvania because of the Rendell administration's commitment to developing new sources of energy, the efficiency of the regional power grid and the proximity to states with laws requiring utilities to boost their reliance on renewable resources.
"Our intention is to advance to all corners of the North American marketplace from our Pennsylvania base," he said.
Gamesa, the world's second-largest wind-energy generator, also is believed to be the only vertically integrated wind-energy company, meaning it manufactures the equipment for its wind-energy units and also develops the wind farms.
Rendell said the company expects to eventually employ 60 to 100 people at its Philadelphia facilities and up to 400 at its manufacturing plant. Officials said the company is considering sites throughout the state for the plant, but were not specific.
John Hanger, president of Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future, an environmental advocacy organization, called the announcement a watershed event on par with the first commercial oil well in Titusville or opening of the state's first coal mine.
"We have five wind farms already and more were on the way, but this takes wind energy and renewable energy in Pennsylvania to a completely different place," Hanger said.
When the new production Gamesa projects is online, wind will be generating electricity for one in 25 homes in the state, he added.
State Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen McGinty yesterday cited a federal Department of Energy study that projects potential daily electricity production from wind in Pennsylvania, based on current technologies, at 5,800 megawatts a day. The state's current capacity is only about 2 percent of that level.
Energy technology has become one of Rendell's favorite economic development subjects. In February, the governor proposed adoption of an "Advanced Energy Portfolio" standard requiring 10 percent of all electricity generated in Pennsylvania — currently about 46,000 megawatts a day — to come from alternative sources like wind, coal waste or fuel cells within 10 years.
Administration officials hope that bill will receive legislative action this fall.
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