Transcript Small Wind 101

Small Wind 101:
An Overview of Small-Scale Wind
Electric Systems
Affordable,
Clean Energy
for Homes,
Farms and
Businesses
(www.awea.org)
WHAT ARE SMALL WIND TURBINES
Small Wind Turbines are less than 100kw.
Our 3000 watt Whisper was installed in 1997 and
is producing enough power for a small home
(300 KWH/Month)
Some Brands of Wind Turbines
SMALL: Under 100kw
Ventera
Air-X
Whisper
Bergey
Jacobs
Nex-Gen
Skystraeam
Why Wind?
• Energy independence
• Save and Make Money
• Reduce vulnerability
to volatile utility prices
• Reduce air pollution from
fossil electricity sources
How Small Direct Drive Wind
Turbines Work
Safety
Switch
Cumulative
Production Meter
AC Load Center
Pictured above is a
Skystream 3.7 direct
drive wind turbine
Power Processing
Unit (Inverter)
HOW A JACOBS SYSTEM WORKS
WHY JACOBS?
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Proven over 75 years: Oldest Name in USA
Low Cost ($4 / watt) – High Value
USDA comfortable with Jacobs (9007 grant)
Equipment holds value well (50 year life)
Ease of operation and interconnection
Low maintenance - $500 per year average
UL Approved, Documented by Engineers
Power Company acceptance
Locally made in Minnesota
Proven excellent design and components
Here are the steps for you
to get a Wind Turbine
STEP 1. Site Plan
a)
Hire an expert to visit your site, provide written
estimates of resources, itemize costs, options,
income and benefits (planning costs $350 -$750).
b)
Site plan drawn up, showing set-backs, buildings,
well, septic, directions, mock photos of turbine
installed. Look into permit requirements,
interconnection and inspections.
c)
Make a decision about which tower height,
monitoring options, work with educational groups,
sponsors, USDA grant, etc.
Mock-Up Photo for Permits
Photo before editing
After Editing
Here are the steps for you to get
a Wind Turbine
STEP 2. Permit
a)
Contact your local power company about entering
a co-generation agreement. They will send you
the forms.
b)
Hire a consultant to help you complete all permits
and save you time with paperwork.
c)
You may be eligible for some grant money or low
interest loans. Your consultant can help you with
this, too.
Here are the steps for you
to get a Wind Turbine
STEP 3. Construction
a)
The foundation is critical, so hire an
experienced contractor.
b)
Follow manufacturers specifications and
process for tower and turbine installation.
c)
Hire a licensed electrician to connect your
turbine to your local power company.
STEP 4. Operations & Maintenance
ANNUAL WERC-WIND SERVICE: $500 (plus mileage)
a. Checking/securing all electrical connections.
b. Checking/securing all key bolts, nuts, straps and
mechanical connections.
c. Checking all components for signs of damage (abuse,
water, oxidation, galvanic action, etc).
d. Climbing towers and inspecting components of
tower.
e. Changing the synthetic gear lube in gear box.
f. Grease the thirteen grease fittings with correct
lubricant.
g. Test disc brake system.
h. Conduct standard diagnostic tests on inverter.
i. Cleaning the leading edge of the blades.
INCOME - BENEFITS
• *Federal Investment Tax Credit = 30% of investment
• **MACRS Depreciation = Deduct total cost of turbine
system in 5 years.
• USDA 9006 Grant = 25% of investment
• Net Metering = What your power Company pays you for
your excess power you generate.
• Antenna Lease = Possible $1200 / month
• Education Sponsors, 5 yrs = $5,000 ?
• Production Tax Credit = $0.015
• Green Credits = (Future)
* Federal ITC tax credit passed 2009 - can be taken as a credit or receive
cash grant from IRS.
** Depreciation can be taken in several ways, see your tax advisor. Or spread
out over a longer period of time, if desired.
Income Streams, Tax Benefits and other Funding Possible
for a Small Wind Turbine for Farm or Small Business Use:
1. Net Metering: Your Power Company must pay you the average retail rate
(ARR) for electricity that you sell back to them. In an average wind speed of 13
mph (Class 3 wind), the Jacobs 31-20 will produce about 30,000 kWh per year.
With a 10-cent ARR per kWh, you would receive $3000 per year income.
2. Income Tax Deduction: Called MACRS Depreciation (Maximum Accelerated
Cost Reduction Schedule): A Wind Turbine installation can be rapidly
depreciated (deducted from income taxes) within the first 5 years under the
Federal MACRS program. The depreciation can also be spread out over a longer
period of time if desired (details see tax advisor).
3. Tower Antenna Leasing: With the growth of wireless phones, Internet and
GPS based technologies, antenna are needed for local customer feeds in certain
areas. Once you own a 120’ tower, you can negotiate an arrangement with
several suppliers.
Income Streams, Tax Benefits and other Funding Possible for
a Small Wind Turbine for Farm or Small Business Use:
4. Tax Exemptions: Small Wind Turbines (and Solar) are exempt from MN Sales
Tax. They are also exempt from Property Taxes (a $60,000 system increases the
value of your property but will cause no tax increase). See www.dsireusa.org.
5. Education, Training, Sponsors: With the current strong interest in Wind
Power, more people want to learn about opportunities. Vo-Tech Schools,
Colleges, High Schools and other Learning Centers may wish to adopt your
turbine (class field trips, conduct training programs, conduct research (monitor
hook up your turbine to wind and weather sensors then to their school website).
This creates opportunities for businesses to sponsor your project.
6. Grants are available from a few sources including your local power company,
state or regional foundations, state government or Federal government. A
popular grant for a rural small business is the USDA (9007 Renewable Energy
Assistance Program), contact us for more information. (www.usda.gov/mn)
JACOBS 31-20 TURBINES ON
A 120’ TOWER INSTALL IN
ABOUT THREE SOLID
WEEKS, INCLUDING
EXCAVATION, STEEL,
FORMS, CONCRETE, TOWER
ASSEMBLY, WIRING,
ELECTRICAL AND TOWER
TIP UP.
CONCRETE MUST CURE FOR
30 DAYS PRIOR TO
INSTALLATION.
TOWER IS 120’, BASE IS
ABOUT 14’ ON A SIDE,
90’ ft. sq.
Connecting to the Grid
• PURPA requires utilities to
connect with and purchase
power from small wind
systems
• Reduce consumption of
utility-supplied electricity
• Utility acts as a big “battery
bank”
• Contact individual utility
before connecting to its
lines
Interconnection Requirements
Safety Issues
• Must meet electrical codes
• Must stop supplying
power to grid during
power outages
Power Quality Issues
• Must synchronize with grid
• Must match utility power’s voltage, frequency
and quality
LARRY AND CAROL
GLASSMAN WIND
TURBINE INSTALLED
IN OCTOBER 2004.
TAX BENEFITS ARE
THE GLASSMANS
BIGGEST PAYBACK.
THEY SAVED $7500
IN THE FIRST YEAR.
MORE THAN 100
JACOBS TURBINES
ARE RUNNING IN MN
Tower Height Matters
 Wind speed increases
with height
 Small increases in wind
speed result in large
increases in power
 Tall towers often needed
for clearance above
obstacles (turbulence)
 May require a variance or
a special use permit
Height or Distance Needed
Potential Obstacles
Legal issues
• City, town, or county ordinances restricting height or
requiring minimum setbacks
• Building codes and covenants
Environmental
Issues
• Neighbors’ concerns
(visual impact, noise)
• Potential physical obstacles
(growing trees,
planned construction)
Noise & Visual Impact
Improved designs
have made machines
much quieter
• Comparable to central
AC unit
• Noise levels fall
sharply with distance
1 acre is a good
rule-of-thumb minimum
property size for a small
wind installation capable
of powering the whole
house
Objections are less
likely in a rural setting
• Spinning blades
perceived as useful
• Talk to neighbors
before seeking permit
HELP IS NEEDED FOR SMALL WIND TURBINE BUSINESS
Future Incentive: Federal Production Tax Credit of 1.9 cents per kwh.
This is another tax deduction to learn about (currently available only
for big wind projects, not yet for small wind), based on your meter
reading each year. If you produce 30,000 kWhs, you would receive
$570.00 per year credit on your income tax return. See
www.dsireusa.org. Please help get this tax credit or some other tax
credit for small wind.
Future Incentive: Green Credits: Carbon Tax is required to be paid by
big businesses for air pollution they create. Your wind turbine
produces power without pollution, so big businesses can eventually
purchase your carbon reduction “credits” to help mitigate their
pollution. Current pricing is from 2 to 3 cents per kWh, but no firm
markets or laws yet govern this incentive.
For More Information on
Zoning Issues...
• Legal and Safety Issues – U.S. DOE Small Wind
System Installation Reference Brief
www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/refbriefs/ja2.html
• AWEA Advice from an Expert
www.awea.org/faq/sagrillo
- Trials and Tribulations
- Keeping Hearings Under Control
- Zoning Obstacles
- Perceptions/Local Concerns
Insurance Requirements
Add to Homeowners or Business Policy:
Policy Responses
Eight states prohibit utilities from
imposing insurance requirements
for qualified systems.
Five other states limit required
coverage amounts to levels
consistent with commercial and
residential insurance policies.
Minnesota limit is $300,000
In >20 years, there
has never been a
small wind system
related liability claim
POWER PRODUCTION
• Net Metering: Local Power Utilities are required to pay
small generators (>40kw) for their excess electricity
based on the power companies average retail
cooperative energy rates (ARCER).
• “Green Tags” or renewable energy meter credits can
be sold to brokers who are buying Carbon Tax
exemptions from large corporations.
• Federal Production Credit: A tax credit of 2 cents/kwh
is based upon meter readings from wind turbine
systems (Cannot be taken with ITC Tax Credit).
For More Information on
Interconnection...
US Department of Energy /
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Learn about how wind energy works, what to
consider if you want to use wind power at
home, and the latest in research and
development.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/
wind_technologies.html
“Connecting to the Grid”
Interstate Renewable Energy Council
www.irecusa.org
For More Information on
Small Wind Economics...
• Minnesota Commerce Department:
Mike Taylor 651 296 6830
www.commerce.state.mn.us
• Wind Resource Atlas of the United States
http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/
• Database of State Incentives
for Renewable Energy
www.dsireusa.org
OUR CUSTOMERS
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Larry/Carol Glassman
Morrison County Fair
Bob Meyerson
John Persell
Hunt Utilities Group
Melody Lane Farm
Boy’s & Berries Farm
Prairie Woods ELC
Brew Farms
Marshik Dairy
Harmon Wilts – HG Farm
John Claussen Farm
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Tom Clemen Farm
Eco-Domes, LLC
Kennedy Elementary School
White Bear Racquet and Swim
Club
Rollie Jacobsen
Neaton Farms
Boys ‘N Berries
Apple Valley School of
Environmental Studies
Glen Jacobsen
Johnson Excavating
Kenco Farms Inc.
Morrison County Fair Jacobs Turbine near Little Falls, MN
Atwater, MN Jacobs Wind Turbine
Completed on 1-11-06
MISSION
We believe that by designing and building long-lasting,
efficient buildings that generate their own energy,
conserve natural resources and reduce pollution that
we are creating a good return on investment that is
building a new, more sustainable economy
Our motto is
“Conservation Pays!”
Visit the Eco-Domes near Brainerd, MN
WERC is a division of the Eco-Domes, LLC © 2005
Our WERC includes:
• Designing environmentally responsible buildings
• Consulting/training on energy/water/building technologies
• Wind Turbine sales, construction, management, service
• Energy Audits, Energy Load Calculations, Building HVAC
Requirements (Energy 10, RET Screen, Energy +)
• Storm Water Landscaping, Septic Systems, Water Audits,
Water Technology Sales
• Construction of Environmentally Responsible Buildings,
Solar Electric, Solar Heating, Geothermal, Bio-Fuels,
Grey Water Systems, Composting Toilets, Pond
Gardening and Native – Permaculture landscaping
HERE’S HOW WE WERC ON
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT AND PROJECTS
• Environmental Consulting on overall property development
• Analyze/plan property for geothermal, wind or solar potentials
• Design buildings for maximum efficiency and natural beauty
• Install sustainable technologies with trained, certified installers
• Marketing and sales of environmentally responsible properties
• Train and Certify Installers on several technologies
• Help create new jobs and provide significant economic benefits for
the communities and participating stakeholders
• Help find and solicit innovative grant funding from state and federal
government agencies, foundations and stakeholder organizations
UFO – Fueled Company Vehicles
We practice what we preach in our own operations. Most of our
vehicles, equipment and machines run on diesel fuels, which are
less polluting than gasoline. In addition, we have added
technologies to allow our vehicles to run on bio-fuels such as
used fryer oil (UFO Fuel™) from restaurants.
The Eco-Dome Conservation Campus is located near
South Long Lake, SE of Brainerd, MN (5 miles East
on Hwy 18 then 5 miles South on CR 23).
Open for Tours M – F, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Awards
 Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance
 Minnesota Governors Green Building Award
 Minnesota Waste Wise
WERC is a Division of The Eco-Domes, LLC.
Visit our facilities at 9121 CR 23, Brainerd, MN. 218-764-2321