East Central Regional Planning Commission Wind Energy Project

The Project Project Title: Regional (or statewide) GIS Based Wind Energy Siting Constraint Map Project Description: RECOMMENDATION CF : The Commission should work with state and local units of government, as well as wind- industry experts on the development of a GIS-based ‘opportunity & constraint’ map which better depicts the suitability for siting utility and community scale wind energy projects. Criteria for consideration include, but are not limited to, the proximity to: 1. power transmission lines with available capacity; 2. state and federal highways; 3. urban/urbanizing areas; 4. larger concentrations of rural residential development; 5. public lands (parks/wildlife areas); 6. airport runway zones; 7. scenic and aesthetic resources (as documented in official state, regional, or county level plans); 8. existing turbines/wind projects;

The Task Prepare a literature review on GIS mapping criteria for wind energy opportunities and constraints. Establish a set of criteria and a protocol for a county by county GIS analysis. Test protocol on approximately 3 counties in the East Central region of Wisconsin.

Student Qualifications Experience with library and web-based research Must have taken Geog 476 at minimum; GIS minor preferred Ability to work with both large and small groups Ability to communicate, especially report writing