Arkansas helps landowners to quantify wind resources
For a second year, the Arkansas Energy Office and the Renewable Energy Department at John Brown University (JBU) are offering an anemometer loan program. The program, which aims to promote wind energy throughout the state, allows Arkansans — particularly landowners, farmers, and rural businesses — to measure wind energy potential up to 110 feet in height.
The Anemometer Loan Program began accepting applications for the second year on July 1, and the deadline to apply for consideration is Aug. 15. Review of applications and site visits to qualified participants will occur in the fall. Installations will be done as the towers are decommissioned from their current locations.
Last year, 23 applications were received from residents who wanted the wind on their land measured and analyzed, and four sites were chosen. Faculty and students from JBU’s Renewable Energy Program installed four meteorological towers to measure wind speed and wind direction on the target properties. “We are satisfied with the installations of the first four sites,” said Fernando Vega, director of the Renewable Energy Program. “We learned some good lessons and gathered a few good installation techniques that we can carry over to this next round. We have streamlined our data analysis process, and JBU students have benefited enormously from the field experience as well as from the wind data collection and analysis procedures.”
Funding for the Arkansas Anemometer Loan Program comes from both the State of Arkansas and the Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America Program. Read more details about the selection criteria and participant obligations, and download application forms.