By Aleasha Sandley, Herald Bulletin Staff Writer
MUNCIE - If Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels has his way, Indiana will be a leader in the country for alternative energy production.
Brevini Power Transmission's announcement Wednesday that it will bring 455 jobs to Delaware County to manufacture gear boxes for wind turbines fits Daniels' goal, as does the fact that the state has the country's second largest wind farm operation, in Benton County.
Although Brevini's gear boxes likely will go to wind turbines in Germany, the company is looking at supplying parts to North American wind farms in the near future. Indiana would like to be the home for much of that part manufacturing, said Mitch Frazier of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
"This is the first of many (alternative energy parts manufacturers) likely to come," he said.
Madison County specifically has been marketing its past manufacturing skills from workers retired or laid off from Anderson's General Motors plants to companies looking to create alternative energy parts here, county economic development director Rob Sparks said.
"Whether you're talking about wind technology or solar, you're going to utilize the skilled work force still in the area," he said.
Sparks worked with former Mayor Kevin Smith to get Brevini to come to Anderson, a battle eventually lost to Muncie, which had an already-built facility for the company.
"We put a good packet on the table," Sparks said. "We had an uphill battle."
Smith said the Brevini lead came into his office almost two years ago, making Anderson the first city in the country to know Brevini was looking to expand in the United States.
"The city of Anderson led the way on this one," he said.
The city competes in a regional and global economy, forcing it to be even more aggressive in attaining new business, including alternative energy manufacturers, Smith said.
"All types of alternative sources of energy are going to come into play in greater quantities," he said. "Obviously that type of power generation is increasing."
Indiana's only wind farm is in Benton County on the northwest side of the state. The farm, developed by Orion Energy, came online this year and can produce 130.5 megawatts of power. Another farm is in the works for the state, spanning Benton and Tippecanoe counties that will be able to produce 399.6 megawatts.
Indiana ranks 19th in the country for existing capacity in wind power generation, and ranks 44th for potential generation, according to the American Wind Energy Association.
Wind energy is growing in the United States - by an average of 29 percent in each of the last five years, according to the AWEA. Total installed generation capacity at the end of 2007 was 16,818 megawatts, enough to serve 4.5 million households.
The federal government gives companies incentives to invest in renewable energy resources, which could help spurn growth in the sector.
U.S. Rep. Mike Pence said his office played a supporting role in getting Brevini to Muncie. He wrote letters to Brevini on behalf of both Muncie and Anderson, both areas he represents.
"People from all over the region are benefiting," Pence said. "My desire was to see Brevini in east central Indiana."