Date of Award

4-2009

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Geography (MA-GEOG)

Department

Geography and Geology

First Advisor

Jeffrey Peake

Second Advisor

Rex Cammack

Third Advisor

Charles Gildersleeve

Abstract

Citizens living in the Columbus, Nebraska area once met all of their local electric power needs via the Columbus and Monroe hydropower facilities. Today, this area imports significant quantities of electricity via high voltage power transmission lines, thereby creating dependencies on areas far away. The purpose of this study was to examine the potential for wind power within this area of Nebraska—in order to generate electricity, income, and energy security at a more local level. A thorough analysis of the local wind resource, and its comparison to the local electric power demand, demonstrates the economic feasibility of producing electricity from wind power within this area.

The study region includes the Cornhusker Public Power District and Loup Power District service areas within east-central Nebraska. Boone, Colfax, Nance, and Platte counties are entirely within these two districts; portions of Greeley, Madison, and Wheeler counties are also served. The varying landscape includes: low-lying creek and river floodplains, high plains, moderately sloping clay hills, and rugged sand hills. The local wind resource is abundant.

Comments

A Thesis Presented to the Department of Geography / Geology and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Geography University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Copyright 2009 by Roy M. Zach.

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