Welcome to the Colorado Anemometer Loan Program
The Governor's Energy Office (GEO), now the Colorado Energy Office (CEO), previously partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Powering America program and Colorado State
University to provide the Colorado Anemometer Loan
Program (ALP). Anemometers measure wind parameters that are used to
determine the feasibility for wind energy. The anemometers are rotated
on an annual basis throughout the State to qualified applicants.
We have information for various types of users, as follows:
Wind developers - You can find information about the collected wind data from previous and current ALP sites.
Potential ALP applicants - You can first find information about the general wind resource in your area and the collected wind data from previous and current anemometer sites. If you are interested in applying, there is an online application form.
Small scale wind aficionados - Suppose you already know that you have good wind or a nearby ALP site shows that there is good wind in your area. Perhaps you want to skip the ALP loan application process and go right to installing a turbine. We have information and links that can help you get started.
Status as of February 22, 2013:
Our funding with the Governor's Energy Office expired on December 31, 2011 and we have been keeping the program alive enough to keep the data analysis ongoing and to remove towers from sites with expired leases with the help of private donations, in-kind donations, and some funds from the DOE--sponsored Wind Application Center project.
Our most recent installation is a 34m tower southwest of La Junta on a small cow/calf operation. We installed this tower on November 30, 2012.
In the last year, we have also removed the towers and completed the wind analysis for the following sites:
- Walsenburg South (Site No. 78) - This 50m anemometer was installed on 6/1/2010 and removed after just over two years of data collection on 6/7/2012.
- Como - Reinecker Ridge (Site No. 95) - An anemometer and wind vane were installed at 33.5 feet (about 10.2m) on a pole at a cabin on 7/16/2011 and removed on 9/26/2012 after about 14 months of data collection.
- Horsefly Mesa (Site 98) - This 20m tower was installed on 9/20/2011 and removed on 10/17/2012 after about 13 months of data collection.
- Joes (Site No. 96) - This 34m tower was installed 7/20/2011 and removed on 10/13/2012 after about 15 months of data collection.
- Padroni (Site No. 101) - This 34m tower was installed 12/30/2011 and removed 1/12/2013 after 54 weeks of data collection.
- Akron (Site No. 94) - This 34m tower was installed 2/13/2011 and removed 2/9/2013 after two years of data collection.
In addition, there are three 30 meter towers owned by San Isabel Electric Association at sites in the Walsenburg area that have finished recording data, as follows:
The Colorado ALP only provided wind resource assessment for these three sites and posted the data online. The receipt of the raw wind data was purely at the discretion of SIEA. The last data received from these sites was through December 7, 2011 for the Airport North and Plavic Mesa sites and through August 9, 2011 for the Airport South site. SIEA will be removing these towers soon and no further data is expected from them.
We are currently measuring the wind at seven (7) sites across Colorado. There is currently one (1) anemometer site recording wind data on a 20 meter tower owned by CEO at the following locations:
- Florissant (Site 100) - Installed on 11/17/2011. This lease was approved for a one-year extension so the anemometer is expected to be removed in November 2013.
There are also two (2) anemometer sites with 30 meter CEO towers at the following locations:
- Norwood (Site 88) - Installed 10/16/2010. This lease was just approved for an extension until about June 2013
- Waverly (Site 97) - Installed 1/7/2012. This lease will expire in January 2013 and the tower will be removed at the end of the lease.
There are also two (2) anemometer sites that are not on CEO towers but using CEO equipment:
- Elizabeth (Site No. 18) - Installed at 30m on a cell tower on 7/5/2006. Currently, the anemometer at 30m is not recording as it was damaged on or about May 12, 2011.
- Highlands Ranch (Site No. 99) - Installed at 34.6 feet (about 10.5m) on a light pole at ThunderRidge High School on 9/28/2011. This installation is expected to be removed by the end of 2012 pending availability of a bucket truck from Douglas County School District.
There are also two (2) anemometer sites with 34 meter Earth Turbine towers now owned by CSU that were part of the CSU Wind Application Center. The WAC is supported by the U.S. DOE's Wind for Schools program. These anemometer towers are at the following locations:
- Pingree Park (Site No. 81) - Installed 8/13/2010. This lease has just been extended to three years, so the tower is expected to be removed in August 2013.
- La Junta (Site No. 104) - Installed 11/30/2012. We expect to remove this tower in December 2013, shortly after the lease expires.
Upcoming Installations:
Even though our funding has essentially ceased, we will continue to accept applications and evaluate on a case-by-case basis based on the proposed location and the funds available to install the tower. Coloradans interested in applying for an anemometer lease are encouraged to submit applications by following the steps for the online application.
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