Transcript Slide 1

Factors Affecting Wind Power
Development in North Carolina
Dr. Dennis Grady
Director, Appalachian State University
Energy Center
http://www.energy.appstate.edu
Global & US Wind Capacity Growth, 1995-2006
Megawatts
ROW
US
80,000
70,000
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
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Global Wind Capacity Projections, 2002-2030, GW
OECD
Transition Economies
Developing Countries
350
Gigawatt
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
2002
2010
Source: World Energy Outlook 2004
2020
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2030
North Carolina Wind Resources
2,400 MW Utility Wind Capacity
Developable Land from Class 3 and 4 wind sites (14.8-16.8 mph at 50 meters )
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Mountain and Coastal Region
Opportunities
WNC Wind Capacity
970 MW on 93 miles of ridge from 485,
2 MW turbines
(Conservative estimate based on
developing 5% of the developable ridge
over 3,000 ft. with strictest exclusionary
zones, and transmission access
considerations)
ENC Wind Capacity
1,430 MW wind capacity on-shore
and in sound waters from 2 and
3MW turbines over 26.5 square
miles. (off-shore not considered)
Transmission bottlenecks heading
west may be the largest restriction
of capacity.
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Wind Power can reasonably
meet 6.5% North Carolina’s
energy needs in 2015
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Mountain Ridge Protection Act of 1983
“No building, structure or unit shall protrude at its uppermost point
above the crest of the ridge by more than 35’ “
Exemptions to Ridge Law
Water, radio, telephone or television towers
or any equipment for the transmission of
electricity or communications or both.
Structures of a relatively slender nature and
minor vertical projections of a parent building,
including chimneys, flagpoles, flues, spires,
steeples, belfries, cupolas, antennas, poles,
wires, or windmills
NC Attorney General’s 2/4/2002 letter to TVA
“The Legislature in 1983 had in mind, the traditional, solitary farm windmill
which has long been in use in rural communities, not windfarm turbines of
the size, type, or certainly number proposed here…”
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Coastal & Offshore Issues
• Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA)
– CAMA major permit required, reviewed by 10 state and four
federal agencies
• Coastal Resources Commission
– Coastal Resources Commission indicates that permit will be
denied for projects impacting ocean front area (including
interconnection transmission lines)
– Must apply for variance for specific case
• NC Archives & History Act
– Protects historical sites, even underwater
• Submerged Land Leases
– Leases in excess of 3 years require special approval by Council of
State and Governor
– Available only after all other permits are approved
• Birds and Planes
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Western NC Wind Turbine
Placement Issues
Placement
% Prohibited
% Not
Prohibited
% Don’t Know
Ridgetops
20
64
17
Ridgetops
Clustered
28
57
15
Ridgetops with
other towers
16
75
10
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Eastern NC Wind Turbine
Placement Issues
Placement
% Prohibited
% Not
Prohibited
% Don’t Know
Mainland
11.9
72.8
15.3
Mainland
Clustered
14.1
69.6
15.1
Sounds
16.6
63.6
19.8
Sounds
Clustered
28.0
50.2
20.5
Offshore
13.9
68.6
17.6
Offshore
Clustered
14.4
68.6
15.8
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Turbine Placement Issues, cont.
% Prohibited
% Not Prohibited % Don’t Know
Placement
WNC
ENC
WNC
ENC
WNC
ENC
National Forests
36
36.6
50.5
45.8
14
17.6
Visible from Home
22
20
66
66.6
13
12.4
With Other Towers
16
17.3
75
69.3
10
12.1
A Residential
Turbine
9
6.2
79
90.1
11
2.5
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Land Value Impact
• Renewable Energy Policy Project (REPP), examined 10, large
(10+ MW) wind projects across the US, developed since 1998
looking at pre and post development land values. The REPP
investigation could find no negative impact.
• Study conducted for Kittitas County, Washington determined that
no negative land value impact was found within the viewshed of
the 13 projects examined.
• Energy Center of Wisconsin conducted a detailed parcel by
parcel analysis of land transactions within the viewsheds of the
REPP sites and concluded that the impact was not systematically
negative or positive.
• ASU Energy Center looked at 15 projects east of the Mississippi
River (eight in the Appalachian Region) that were at least 5MW
in size. There was no statistical difference between the wind
project counties and control counties on pre and post land
values.
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JEDI: Jobs and Economic
Development Impact
NREL model using county-level economic inputs to measure
direct and indirect economic impacts.
Developing wind power to meet 6.5% of NC’s year 2015
energy needs:
Jobs:
• 5,533 direct/indirect jobs during construction years
• 1,169 annual operational jobs
Local Spending:
• over $280 million in local spending from construction
• over $30 million in indirect local income per year
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