Title: Wind%20Energy%20Myths%20and%20Facts
1Wind Energy Myths and Facts
- Brian Antonich
- Windustry Program Analyst
- Great Lakes Regional Wind Institute
- Webinar 1 Windy Landowner Education
- September 13th, 2007
2Wind Energy Potential20 Plan From the U.S. DOE
- 20 of the
- nations electrical
- needs can be
- provided by
- wind!
-
-
- Currently the US supplies just under 1 of its
electrical energy needs from wind
3Radar and Wind Turbines
4(No Transcript)
5Additional InformationWind and Radar
- Wind projects close to operating radar sites
- F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming two 660-kW
turbines http//www.afcee.brooks.af.mil/ms/msp/cen
ter/Vol11No3/10.asp - U.S. Navy at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba four 950-kW
turbines http//www.defenselink.mil/news/Mar2005/2
0050329_342.html - U.S. Air Force Space Command on Ascension Island
four 225-kW and two 900-kW turbines
http//www.inl.gov/powersystems/ascension_island.s
html - U.S. Navy at San Clemente Island Base three
225-kW turbines http//www.nelp.navy.mil/pdf_cases
/Conservation_Wind_Power_SCI.pdf - Logan International Airport in Boston,
Massachusetts near Hull, MA turbines
http//www.ceere.org/rerl/publications/whitepapers
/AWEA_Hull_2003.pdf - Experts and resources
- Gary Seifert Idaho National Laboratory
Presentation on Wind Radar Interference
http//www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweri
ngamerica/pdfs/workshops/2006_summit/seifert.pdf - Laurie Jodziewicz Communications and Policy
Specialist American Wind Energy Association
6Wind Energy andAscetics/Property Values
- Concerns brought up at public hearings
- Important to understand the underlying issues
- property values,
- perceived public health risks,
- visual nuisance,
- or money
- Land use plays a large factor
- Agriculture traditionally low opposition
- Forested wildlife impacts
- Mountain top strong visual concerns
- Recreational property values and visual
concerns - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
7Proper Siting Can Balance a Wind Projects Visual
Impact
- Communities can develop policies to safely and
appropriately site projects based on community
values and appropriate use of wind systems
8Excellent ResourcesWind Project Siting Issues
- Siting and Permitting Publications National Wind
Coordinating Collaborative - http//www.nationalwind.org/publications/siting.ht
m - Ryan Wiser Laurence Berkeley National
Laboratory Do Wind Facilities Affect Local
Property Values? - http//www.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/windpoweri
ngamerica/pdfs/workshops/2007_summit/wiser.pdf
9Wind Energy and Sound
- Wind systems are typically sited in windy areas
where the sound of the wind generally masks noise
from the machines.
Chart shows noise from wind turbine at
approximately 1,000 feet from the machine.
10Wind Energy and Sound
- Today's turbines are much quieter than older
technology. - Sound proofing of nacelle
- More efficient blades
- Quieter gear boxes
- Slower moving rotors
Gearbox and generator in a 1.65 MW wind turbine
owned by Iowa Lakes Community College in
Estherville, Iowa.
11Excellent ResourcesWind Energy and Sound
- British Wind Energy Association
- Noise From Wind Turbines The facts
http//www.britishwindenergy.co.uk/ref/noise.html - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
- A Guide to Noise Control in Minnesota Acoustical
Properties, Measurements, Analysis, Regulation
http//proteus.pca.state.mn.us/waste/pubs/noise.pd
f - Wind Turbine Manufactures
- Provide sound emission information for turbines
http//www.windustry.org/your-wind-project/wind-en
ergy-companies/wind-energy-companies
12Wind Turbines and Safety
- Epileptic Seizures
- Modern wind turbine blades generally rotate
between 10-22 rpm, which is slow. Epileptic
seizures for photosensitive people are triggered
by rates of 5 to 30 flashes per second. The
blades of today's wind turbines do not spin
quickly enough to cause seizures. At maximum
rotational speed, there would be a little more
than 1 flash per second.
For more information about photosensitivity and
epilepsy visit the Epilepsy Foundations
website http//www.epilepsyfoundation.org/about/t
ypes/triggers/photosensitivity.cfm
13Wind Turbines and Safety
- Ice Throw
- Ice throw, while it can occur under certain
conditions, is of little danger. Setbacks
typically used to minimize noise are sufficient
to protect against danger to the public. In
addition, ice buildup slows a turbine's rotation
and will be sensed by a turbine's control system,
causing the turbine to shut down.
Source American Wind Energy Association Wind
Energy Myths vs. Facts http//www.awea.org/pubs/fa
ctsheets/050629_Myths_vs_Facts_Fact_Sheet.pdf
14Wind Turbines and Safety
- Blade Throw
- Blade throws were common in the industry's
early years, but are unheard-of today because of
better turbine design and engineering. There are
thousands of turbines installed in Europe andin
the U.S. - wind turbine standards ensure a high
level of operational reliability and safety in
the U.S. and worldwide.
Source American Wind Energy Association Wind
Energy Myths vs. Facts http//www.awea.org/pubs/fa
ctsheets/050629_Myths_vs_Facts_Fact_Sheet.pdf
15Wind EnergyAvian Impacts
- Significant expansion of renewable energy
sources such as wind power is needed to reduce
pollution from fossil fuels and address global
warmingto protect birds, wildlife, and habitat
from global warming. Fossil fuel power plants
account for more than one third of the carbon
dioxide emitted by the United States. - Mike Daulton
- Director of Conservation Policy,
- National Audubon Society
Erickson, et al, 2002, A Summary and Comparison
of Bird Mortality from Anthropogenic Causes with
and Emphasis on Collisions http//www.awea.org/pub
s/factsheets/050629_Myths_vs_Facts_Fact_Sheet.pdf
16Wind Turbines and Bats
- Wildlife experts are perplexed about the cause of
bat fatalities inflicted by wind turbines. - The National Wind Coordinating Collaborative is
actively studying the issue. - For more information about the efforts to
understand this problem and other wind/wildlife
issues visit the NWCC Wildlife Workgroup website - http//www.nationalwind.org/workgroups/wildlife/
Photos of Bats Edward B. Arnett Bat
Conservation International
17Cost of Wind Energy
- Wind energy typically offsets higher cost natural
gas fired peaking plants. - Large penetrations of wind complement hydro
electric dams in the NW very well.
18Cost of Wind Energy
Source US Department of Energy Annual Report of
U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost and
Performance Trends2006 http//www.nrel.gov/docs/f
y07osti/41435.pdf
19Cost of Wind Energy
Source U.S. Department of Energy, Annual Report
of U.S. Wind Power Installation, Cost and
Performance Trends2006 http//www.nrel.gov/docs/f
y07osti/41435.pdf
20Cost of Wind EnergyMinnesota Wind Integration
Study
Full study report and results of other U.S. Wind
Integration Studies can be found by visiting the
Utility Wind Integration Group Website
http//www.uwig.org/
21Wind Energy and Subsidies
- Every energy technology is subsidized. Wind
energy is no exception. Wind receives a tax
credit that provides an inflation-adjusted 1.5
cents for each kilowatt-hour generated, over the
first ten years of the project. This credit
reduces the tax liability of a wind farm, but is
not a subsidy of public money flowing to the wind
farm owner. - Subsidies that other energy sources receive
- tax deductions
- loan guarantees
- liability insurance
- leasing of public lands at below market prices.
- Additional indirect subsidies include federal
money for research and development programs and
policy provisions in federal legislation.
Source American Wind Energy Association Wind
Energy Myths vs. Facts http//www.awea.org/pubs/fa
ctsheets/050629_Myths_vs_Facts_Fact_Sheet.pdf
22Thanks and Questions?
- Brian Antonich
- Windustry Program Analyst
- Brians email brian_at_windustry.org
- Phone 612-870-3465
- www.windustry.org