Many electric car owners have wind turbines at home and operate their electric cars 100% off the grid.

They are: Renova Energia, Dobreve Energia, Contour Global and Bioenergy. Renova and DESA have previously selected GE, while Contour Global and Bioenergy are first time customers. GE has previously announced plans to invest US$500m in its operations in Brazil, including US$200m to develop its wind turbine, aero-derivative product activities and oil & gas activities.

The 300,000 square foot plant will produce nacelles – the central structure of the wind turbine including the power transmission and generating systems – for Siemens’ 2.3 megawatt and 3MW wind turbines.

Siemens said it has 130 workers at the factory, but plans to triple that number when the facility is fully operational.

According to data from a new report out today by U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, it is suggested that there is 4,150 gigawatts of potential wind turbine nameplate capacity from offshore wind resources around the United States.

By comparison, in 2008 the nation’s total electric generating capacity from all sources was 1,010 gigawatts.

The NREL said that the “potential electric generating capacity was calculated from the total offshore area within 50 nautical miles of shore, in areas where average annual wind speeds are at least 7 meters per second at a height of 90 meters. For purposes of this study, it was assumed that 5 megawatts of wind turbines could be placed in every square kilometer of water that met these wind characteristics.”

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.