Transcript Renewable Portfolio and Future Plans Andy Hesselbach

Renewable Portfolio and Future Plans
Andy Hesselbach
Renewable Portfolio and Future Plans
Topics:
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
What drives the renewable plan

Renewable resources

We Energies’ large wind projects

Wind power: on-shore vs. off-shore

Biomass – 50MW Rothschild project

Solar power

Questions
Why is We Energies Building
Renewable Generation?

Customer demand for renewable energy products –
Energy For Tomorrow

Wisconsin Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)
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
2010 Requirement – 4.27%

2015 Requirement – 8.27%

Equivalent to approximately 900MW of wind
What technologies have been used and
what’s next – wind, solar, biomass?
We Energies’
Renewable
Portfolio
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Characteristics of Wind Power

Blade tip height - 400’ – 500’

Blade length – 135’ – 165’
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Each turbine powers approx.
450 homes

Can be constructed in less
than 1 year
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Minimal intrusion on
agricultural land use

Constructed on operating
farms owned by others
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We Energies’ Large Wind Projects
Blue Sky Green Field
Energy Center
Location
Fond du Lac County
Columbia County
88
90
Generating
Capacity (MW)
145
162
# Landowners
56
45
Project Acres
10,000
17,000
Annual Homes
Powered
36,000
45,000
# Turbines
6
Glacier Hills Wind Park
Elements of a Good Wind Project
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
High elevation – good wind resource

Low population density

Close proximity to high voltage transmission lines
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Maintain distances from homes, schools, churches
– occupied buildings

Maintain distances from roads, power lines, other
infrastructure

Support from landowners and community
Wind Power: On-shore or Off-shore?

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On-shore

Moderate wind resource
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Closer to people
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Reasonable cost to construct
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Relatively easy to maintain
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Proximity to electric transmission
Off-shore

Very good wind resource

Greater distance to people

Very expensive to construct (floating foundations) and operate

Problems with ice and icing

Distant to electrical transmission system
Blue Sky Green Field Energy Center
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Wind Power Supply Chain
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Biomass Project
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
Domtar Rothschild Paper Mill (near Wausau)
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$255 million capital cost
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50MW, cogeneration
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100% of Domtar’s steam needs
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Higher capacity factor compares to 150MW of wind
generation
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Permitting in 2010, scheduled completion 2013
Biomass Fuel
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Fuel is 500,000 tons per year of waste wood from
existing forestry operations
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Typically tree tops, bark, and branches

Fuel is chipped off site and delivered in enclosed
trucks

Domtar currently uses 130,000 tons per year for
biomass steam
Biomass Project Advantages

Net results 30% decrease in boiler emissions from
the site


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Shut down older, less efficient boilers
Job creation and support

460 direct jobs at Domtar site

400 jobs in construction of the facility
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150 jobs in forestry and fuel supply
Built on existing Domtar plant footprint
Solar Power
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
We Energies committed to proposing approximately
13 MW of solar

Currently evaluating technologies and integration
with distribution system

Solar panel prices have come down considerably
over the last 2 years

While more expensive than wind generation, much
better correlation with demand cycle
What’s Next?
In addition to biomass and solar, We
Energies will need to build an estimated 3
to 4 more wind projects to comply with
current renewable requirements
– or find technology alternatives
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Wind Generation
Questions?
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