The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) board of directors approved executing long-term agreements to buy wind energy from a new wind farm near Broken Bow, Neb., when it comes online in 2012.
OPPD will buy 18 MW of power from the wind farm. This will move the total amount of renewable energy that OPPD customers will be using to 160 MW.
In January 2009, OPPD announced it would deliver 10% of its electricity using renewable fuel by 2020. The agreement will take the district 40% of the way to that goal.
OPPD buys wind energy instead of generating its own because federal tax credits are applicable to private companies, but not customer-owned utilities. The federal tax credits bring the price of wind energy to a more competitive level.
Nebraska, unlike Iowa and Minnesota, does not provide state wind subsidies, according to the OPPD.
SOURCE: Omaha Public Power District
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