Also jumping on the wind train is the Department of Veterans Affairs, who are planning on placing wind turbines on or near its hospitals in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

“To be continually dependent on imported oil or energy is a dead end for Hawaii and we can be a model for the world,” said Governor Linda Lingle at the groundbreaking ceremony.

“The goal is to be generating power in the early part of 2011,” said Paul Gaynor, First Wind CEO. “We’ll probably have some test power in November/December and then commercially operating in January/February of 2011.”

First Wind says the turbine farm project will cut Hawaii’s oil consumption by almost 140,000 barrels a year.

The group, monikered “Say No To Fallago” held the protest in the Lammermuir Hills, which is an area in the country that the group says will be ruined by the 48 turbines proposed by North British Windpower.

“If it is approved, the Scottish government will be declaring open war on Scotland’s countryside — no landscape will be safe from industrialization by these high rise wind machines,” Fallago spokesman Mark Rowley told The Daily Telegraph.

The tour’s stop will allow Ohio residents to add their signatures to the wind turbine blade and pledge their support for its message: “I’m helping to build America’s energy future.”

 ”America has the power to choose a better energy future,” said Vic Abate, vice president of GE’s Renewable Energy business. “American technology and innovation can create a cleaner, smarter, more efficient energy economy in Ohio and across America that will revitalize precision manufacturing, boost exports and create jobs, but we need the right policy at the federal level to make that vision a reality.”

 Last year, the U.S. wind industry supported 85,000 jobs in all 50 states.

Linamar will provide manufacturing infrastructure and machining capabilities to Lohmann customers and others wishing to expand or establish their manufacturing reach to North America. With Lohmann, a leading manufacturer of wind turbine components in Europe.

“We’re pleased to partner with NCB Lohmann on this exciting initiative,” said Linda Hasenfratz, Linamar Chief Executive Officer. “Our advanced machining capabilities, coupled with our global manufacturing expertise complement Lohmann’s robust experience in the wind industry,” she said. “This opportunity also aligns with Linamar’s continued commitment to diversify and expand our business in the renewable energy sector.”

Knight & Carver Wind Group Inc., which builds blades for medium sized wind turbines, is laying off 16 of the plant’s 55 workers this week, and the firm might temporarily close the plant in about a month, said Gary Kanaby, the company’s vice president.

“We are committed to this community and we’re not picking up our bags and leaving,” he said. “It just looks like we’re probably are going to close it for a little while.”

However, if things don’t improve for the flailing company, more lay offs could occur down the road. Kanaby admitted that the Howard closure could last between two and six months.

“The victims don’t need stuff, not yet,” said Paige Roberts of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross. “The organizations that are here to provide them shelter, food and emotional support need money to meet those needs.”

The tornado has left over 700 homes destroyed in its wake.

How to donate: The American Red Cross is providing shelter, food, and comfort to people affected. Go here to make a donation to their Disaster Relief Fund to give your support. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency has began accepting donations. Go here to donate or call 888-353-1793 if you’re interested in volunteering.

The turbines, each 150 meters high, produce 12 megawatts of power and the total cost of the project was $361.01 million, the consortium of energy companies that built the wind farm reported.

The wind farm was partially built as a “test ground” to research the environmental damage on the underwater species from the wind turbines, which are embedded 30 meters below the surface.

In addition to the 1,000 jobs at the plant, Nevada’s construction industry is expected to receive a much-needed boost once crews start working on the 320,000 square foot project.

Las Vegas will be one of the locales studied for the plant’s location, although it’s not yet known when the final decision will be made.

The Eastern Interconnection grid covers the eastern half of America, extending from (approximately) the western borders of the Plains states through to the Atlantic coast, and excluding most of Texas.

Supplying 20% of the electrical requirements of the Eastern Interconnection would call for approximately 225,000 megawatts of wind generation capacity, which is ten times more than today’s levels.