Wind Power– A Community Development Opportunity

Andrew Perchlik

Renewable Energy Vermont (REV)

www.REVermont.org

Wind Power - An Age-Old Energy Source

Do we have an energy problem?

Community Wind SolutionsSmall Wind

• (100kW machines and under)

• Require 9 mph average wind speed

• Home owners

10 kW

1,500 kW

Community Wind Solutions

Community wind– Northern Power’s 100kW turbine– Rebuilt Utility turbines up to 250kW– Net metered, under 200 feet tall

Community Wind Solutions Wind Farms

– Provide wholesale bulk power

– Require 13-mph average wind sites at the minimum

Community Wind Solutions

Wind farm imagesAustria 19.25 MW

Little Equinox simulation

Rated Capacity 25 kW 1,650 kW

Rotor Diameter 10 meters 71 meters

Cost per kW $2,600 $790Output, MWh/year 45 5,600

1981 2001

= 120 X the energy at 20 X the cost

Technology Advances and Scale Economies Drive Down Cost

Wind Power CostsProject Size

Assuming the same wind speed, a larger wind farm is

more economical

Wind Power CostsProject Size

Wind Power CostsWind Speed

Assuming the same size project, the better the wind resource, the lower the cost

Wind cannot compete with nothing . . .But nothing is not a real choice

Energy policy is all about choices and their consequences

Have an Energy Policy

Energy Planning Are we currently planning for the best use of

our wind resource? What is the current plan for the use of our energy

resources?

Energy-shed PlanningTown and regional plans should include

mapping and inventories of their natural energy resources – their ‘energy sheds” – which would include the wind resource.

By not planning for the use of natural energy resources, like the wind, we are accepting the status quo and abdicating our energy choices to others.