Posted January 8, 2014
The owner of an Indiana wind farm recently filed a
lawsuit against Duke Energy Indiana Inc., alleging breach of contract in the
utility’s obligation to buy electricity, according an article by Hoosier Ag
Today, available here.
The wind farm alleges that as a result of Duke Energy’s
breach, it has “frequently” been forced to stop operations, causing a sharp
reduction in electrical output and revenue.
“The fundamental issue is that, due to the high cost of
large-scale energy storage, electricity must be used when it is generated, and
the level of generation must be matched to the demand or load at the system
level, second by second,” said Paul Preckel, professor of agricultural
economics at Purdue University.
Orion Energy Group LLC began running the wind farm in
2008, with 87 power-generating wind turbines.
This was Indiana’s first commercial-scale operation.
For more information on renewable energy, please visit
the National Agricultural Law Center’s website here.
