Heather Shutt, Lauren Pawling, Nathan White

Objectives Evidence supporting wind energy How society looks at wind energy Product development Environmental problems Benefits/ disadvantages Political or physical impediments Overall sustainability and efficiency of wind power

Providing for Future Needs American Wind Energy Association US will generate enough energy to meet needs of 4.5 million households every year 1 MW of wind power=250 households US Department of Energy Wind harvested in the Great Plains states of Texas, Kansas, and North Dakota Enough to run the entire nation Harvesting wind on/near Great Lakes 80% of current needs

Providing for Future Needs 2008: world-wide capacity of wind power GW 1.5% of world electrical needs 2009: 80 countries using wind power on commercial basis Capacity Credit No energy is essentially “being wasted”

Change in Wind Power Middle Ages Wind PowerPresent Day Wind Power

Does Society Agree? Some Agree U.S.A Wind Energy Capacity Wind energy has potential to expand Renewable resource Variety of outputs commercial, medium, at home 80 countries are currently mass harvesting wind Already harvesting wind power Not new technology Overall, wind energy has the essential qualities that can provide a sufficient proportion of electrical demands

Does Society Agree? Some Disagree Do not believe wind is viable solution Energy demands are too high Not enough technology word wide Wind is unpredictable Small output of each turbine Others agree with evidence Generally just do not agree with wind power

Can production be enhanced in those areas in which it is already developed? Focus on areas with most beneficial wind speed Looking for consistency Only so many turbines can occupy one space to maximize efficiency Developers looking at multiple factors to determine best “zones” Already developed Mid-West, Great Plains, California

Wind Power Potential Transmission_Lines_map.jpg

Can production be developed in areas where it is now minimally developed? focus on good “zones” Many “hot-spots” have already been developed Great Plains, mid-west Still many possibilities Off shore, Great Lake Almost anywhere will have some sort of potential

What are the technical impediments (restraints) to development and deployment of wind power? Can those impediments be overcome? Environmental effects of wind power are relatively minor. Danger to birds and bats has been a concern in some locations. Aesthetics have also been an issue in some areas Noise levels Wind towers require aircraft warning lights, which create bothersome light pollution tourism officials predict wind farms will damage tourism Community Opinion ( ind_power#Aesthetics( ind_power#Aesthetics)

What environmental problems does wind power pose? Noise Level Anesthetics Safety Impact on wildlife Land use Climate change Ecological Footprint Net energy gain Green house gas emissions Tornado False Positives (

Laws And Regulations Beneficial Regulations Problematic Regulations Production Tax Credit (PTC) - An incentive that gives an income tax credit of 2.1 cents/kilowatt-hour for the production of electricity from utility-scale wind turbines. Small Wind Systems Tax Credit - A federal-level investment tax credit (ITC) is available to owners of small wind systems with 100 kilowatts (kW) of capacity or less. They can receive a credit for 30% of the total installed cost of the system. The American Clean Energy and Security Act - The committee’s bill contains a 20% renewable electricity by 2020 standard, allowing for 8% of the standard to be met through energy efficiency improvements. Migratory Bird Treaty Act - The statute makes it unlawful to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill or sell birds listed as “migratory”. A proposed wind farm in Greenbrier County, West Virginia was ruled against because of the possible injury and death to an endangered species of bats. The National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act- any activity on refuge lands must be compatible with the Refuge system mission.

Problematic Regulations In Pennsylvania, wind turbines must be set back from the nearest occupied building, road, or property line a distance not less than the greater of the maximum setback requirements for that zoning classification where the turbine is located or 1.1 times the Turbine Height, whichever is greater. The setback distance is measured from the center of the Wind Turbine base to the nearest point on the foundation of the Occupied Building Audible sound from a Wind Energy Facility cannot exceed fifty (55) dBA, as measured at the exterior of any Occupied Building on a Non-participating Landowner’s property.

Is Wind Power Sustainable The two biggest reasons for using wind to generate electricity are the most obvious ones: Wind power is clean, and it's renewable we are in no danger of running out of wind anytime soon.

There is independence associated with wind energy, as any country can generate it at home with no foreign support. Wind turbine can bring electricity to remote areas not served by the central power grid Wind is free, wind farms need no fuel. Produces no waste or greenhouse gases. The land beneath can usually still be used for farming. Wind farms can be tourist attractions.

Lifespan of Modern Wind Farms The lifespan of a modern turbine is pegged at around hours or years They aren't totally maintenance free because they contain some moving parts which will need to be replaced during their lifespan

Conclusion Wind power is a very effective choice for alternative energy. It is probable and achievable. Not to mention the fact that it is an almost COMPLETELY clean source.

Questions?