Transmission and the Growth of Wind Energy November 2011
Slide 2
1 The central United States has some of the worlds best wind
resources Average 80 m wind speed. Source: NREL, AWS
Slide 3
2 The potential energy from the region is effectively unlimited
1.Based on windy land area in Lower-48 states with a gross capacity
factor (without losses) of 40%+ at 80-m height, and the wind energy
potential from development of the available windy land area
(excludes areas such as wilderness areas, parks, urban areas and
water features) StatePotential Installed Capacity 1 (GW) Current
Installed Capacity (GW) 1) Texas82710.1 2) Nebraska7770.3 3) S.
Dakota7660.8 4) Kansas7601.1 5) N. Dakota6931.4 6) Montana3980.4 7)
Iowa3193.7 8) Wyoming2621.4 9)Oklahoma2481.5 10) New Mexico1860.7
TOTAL5,23921.4 Source: NREL; AWS Truewind; AWEA Top States in Terms
of Wind Resource Potential Top ten states have 5,239 GW of high
capacity factor wind potential, compared to 2009 average US
electricity load of 425 GW
Slide 4
3 Source: Lazard Wind energy from the best resources is less
expensive than any other new power plant Levelized Cost of Energy 1
$ / MWh 1.Mid-point of Lazards LCOE estimates, except for lower-end
for coal (no carbon capture). Wind uses lower-end LCOE estimate
(for best quality wind)
Slide 5
4 The big challenge is transmission Existing High Voltage
Transmission Lines (500999kV AC and HVDC)
Slide 6
5 CA Rock Island Grain Belt Express Plains & Eastern
Centennial West Clean Lines projects connect the regions where wind
power is most abundant; existing extra- high voltage transmission
lines do not Existing High Voltage Transmission Lines (500999kV AC
and HVDC) Clean Line projects Clean Line has four projects that can
help solve the challenge
Slide 7
6 but we need a lot of help to make the projects happen STATE
POLITICAL SUPPORT LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR INDEPENDENTS STATE SITING
WHERE POSSIBLE FEDERAL SITING AS A BACKSTOP LONG TERM CONTRACTS
FROM UTILITIES IN-STATE AND OUT OF STATE PROJECTS