Iowa’s wind power companies are meeting today with manufacturers and other companies in the state that are hoping to enter the wind energy business. The event, dubbed a “supply chain exchange,” was organized by the Iowa Department of Economic Development and is taking place this afternoon at the Marriott Hotel in Cedar Rapids.
Kanan Kappelman, with the Iowa Department of Economic Development , says the event will connect the wind power companies with a variety of manufacturers. Kappelman says, “That would include people who would deal in material handling equipment, including pallet jacks or hand carts and utility carts, and dock levelers. Then we’re also looking at direct components – suppliers of cables and fasteners and metal fabrication.” Kappelman says the event could also help identify where “gaps” exist in the wind energy business in the state.
“If we are not able to fulfill the needs for our wind energy companies,” Kappelman says, “we’d like to be able to find and make sure we have those services for them here in Iowa.” Iowa ranks third in the nation in wind energy production, behind California and Texas, with 936 megawatts of power being produced.
In addition to Iowa’s utility companies that are producing wind energy, three major wind energy companies have established operations in Iowa, Clipper Windpower, Acciona Energia, and Siemens Windpower.