Great Lakes Wind and Geothermal jobs down under

www.examiner.com
June 11

According to officials in Cuyahoga County,Ohio, a new offshore wind development could be built in Lake Erie within three years. The first phase of the project is expected to include three to five turbines, and would provide local manufacturing jobs for many who have been affected by massive cutbacks in the auto industry.

While the cost to develop wind energy in the lake is almost twice as expensive as onshore wind development, the wind speeds tend to be stronger – especially in parts of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Developers hope to utilize these robust wind resources to expand the state's wind energy generation.

And nearly 10,000 miles from the strong winds in the Buckeye state, it looks like a burgeoning geothermal industry could spark new job growth in Australia. According to the Australian Geothermal Energy Association, more than 17,000 new jobs could be created in the geothermal industry by 2050. Australia currently has around $1.5 billion in new projects underway.

The Cooper Basin, NSW and South Australia are said to hold massive geothermal potential.