Fissette.+Conway.+Cushman+MMA+Spring2009+Energy+and+Water+Wiki

**__Wind Power__** John Cushman, Kerri Conway, Colleen Fissette Enough wind blows through the Midwest each day to supply all of America’s electricity. And US businesses have already been capitalizing on this potential: for three years in a row, the US has led the world in wind power installations, and our capacity is growing – we are now the world leader in wind electricity generation and 2008 will be another record year for new wind energy projects. In addition to hundreds of companies directly involved in wind energy today, there are more than 16,000 companies employing over 1 million people that manufacture products for industries that could support wind components

How It Works: Wind turbines work on the same principle as a child’s pinwheel. When you blow on a pinwheel, the blades of the pinwheel spin around same with a wind turbine. When the wind blows against the blades of the wind turbine, the blades slowly rotate. The blades are connected to a drive shaft inside the large box (called a nacelle) seen on the top of the tower. The drive shaft turns the generator, which makes the electricity. Each wind turbine operates independently of the others. Each is, essentially, an individual power plant.The turbine has a weather station on the top that tells it the wind speed and wind direction. That information is sent to the turbine’s computer, which moves the top of the turbine (the nacelle and blades) so that the blades are always facing into the wind. The nacelle can turn 360 degrees. The electricity is carried in cables from the generator down the inside of the tower, then underground to the site’s substation. That power then goes into the offsite transmission lines and is used by the local utility to serve its customers in the region.



One of the oldest and most reliable forms of energy production throughout the history of mankind has been wind power. Now more than ever, we must innovate, learn about, and exploit the use of wind as a renewable energy source. Reliable as it may have been in the past, such as the railroads use of wind mills in desolate, dry mid western states to pump water for locomotives which dotted the landscape, or the notorious Dutch windmills used to grind grain, we must now address the problems associated with wind power generation and create new methods for maximizing their use.

Wind power can efficiently generate electricity it is renewable and environmentally friendly. Wind farms emit no greenhouse gases like fossil fuel power plants, when they reach the end of their life span, they can simply be removed without the threat of dangerous pollutants or waste. Even though the cost of building wind farms can be high, they can earn back the investment very quickly especially in places such as offshore wind farms.



Problems associated with wind power generation include the following:

I. Intermittent generation of power due to inconsistent wind. The sun’s uneven heating of the earth, from the different latitudes, to terrestrial vs. ocean heating creates wind pattern which result in periods of high winds and no wind. Wind is not a consistent source of power. A. Supplementing power when there is no wind. Depending upon placement and distribution there is the difficulty of providing power when wind power is insufficient to meet demand. Alternate sources must be standing by to supply power during low wind times. II. Small percentage of power currently generated by wind. Considering the vast coastlines, windy desert areas, there is great potential for wind farm installation in areas that will not impact everyday life negatively.

III. Distribution of power generated by wind. A. Grid for distribution of power 1. Global use. Wind turbines of large industrial size and small residential size can be placed virtually anywhere that there is consistent wind. A power grid to carry excess electricity is essential to the effective use of wind farms. 2. Local use. Small wind generators can be used in remote places to power residences without resorting to large power grids. The drawbacks are the inconsistent production of power. Therefore supplemental sources may be required. IV. Costs; The cost of installation can be substantial, depending upon the size and intended use. The effective way to increase the number of wind turbines is to provide government incentives with subsidized loans, or tax rebates. V. Environmental impact A. Noise B. Placement: Offshore wind farms are out of the view of people that would object to them spoiling the landscape. Oceans are perfect because they are often windy and there are no obstructions to slow the wind down. The turbines can produce power consistently. They do need shallow water of depths from 60 to 90 feet. The cost may be higher, but the production capacity is high. C. Size: a large number of turbines are necessary to build a commercial wind farm, with large blades. This makes quite an impact on the landscape, which people oppose and consider an eyesore. The installation requires large foundations with steel and concrete and clearing of woodland, with an impact on wildlife such as birds and bats.

After researching and learning how Wind Power is utilized I would give more press to this new way of generating energy. Many Americans and people around the world are in the dark about how effective this new way of creating energy is. It is cost effective, environmental friendly and powers cities without creating hazardous gases. By creating more power grids you will enhance the use and the result of these wind turbines. Once we start to create more areas that are run by wind it will spread throughout the US. For example, MMA, we are getting

Wind turbines are very expensive, bulky, and an eyesore. They are big and cumbersome and do not produce enough electricity. Wind turbines also need a lot of maintenance and require close attention. Wind turbines produce more problems than they do energy, they require more maintenance than other sources of energy and are not very efficient. Wind turbines will only produce energy is the and speed is efficient. They cannot run when there is too little or too much wind. They destroy natural habitats and landscapes. Building these monstrosities requires space, taking away from both animals and humans. Imagine peering over the Atlantic ocean and seeing hundreds of wind turbines lined up. Wind turbines are also very expensive. If one were ever destroy it would cost millions to replace. The economy needs to recover before we think of ways to uses wind turbines as energy sources. The California Energy Commission reported that the state's **14,000 turbines produced half of one percent of their electricity in 2002**. Extrapolating this record to the U.S. as a whole, __it would take over 100,000 wind turbines spread over 10 million acres of land (costing $150-300 billion) to produce 5% of the country's electricity__ (http://www.keepersoftheblueridge.com/faqs.html). Those numbers are not very inviting and America can not afford that right now.
 * __2. The driving Problems behind wind power-__**

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__**3. WHAT ARE PEOPLE CURRENTLY DOING OR NOT DOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM:**__ A) The world’s largest wind farm, the Titan Wind Project, will be built in South Dakota - the 2,000 turbine, 5,050 MW wind farm will provide enough energy to power 1.5 million homes—more than five times the amount needed to power every home in South Dakota. "July 30, 2008 Clipper Windpower Plc ("Clipper") today announced that it has entered into a 50:50 joint venture, the ("JV"), with BP Alternative Energy ("BP") to develop the Titan wind project, a 5,050 MW South Dakota-sited wind energy project formerly known as Rolling Thunder. The project is expected to be constructed in multiple phases and, if completed, will be the world's largest wind facility.  In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Clipper and BP will combine their 50:50 interests in a previously announced 1,550 MW South Dakota joint venture project together with a further 3,500 MW contiguous wind resource to form the expanded 5,050 MW, 50:50 joint venture. In addition, the JV has agreed it will enter into a Master Turbine Supply Agreement ("MTSA") which will enable the supply of up to 2,020 of Clipper's 2.5 MW Liberty wind turbines upon the Project's successful phase development and subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions in accordance with the MTSA. "BP's leadership in recognizing and acting on its commitment to increase its international renewable energy portfolio is exemplary" said James GP Dehlsen, Clipper's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We are pleased to be moving forward with this milestone development which will provide clean, renewable, and home grown power for approximately 1.5 million average American homes and offset nearly 24 billion pounds of carbon dioxide that would have otherwise been released into our atmosphere if produced by traditional means [according to the national energy mix]." Dehlsen added, "Both South and North Dakota, with their abundant and renewable wind energy resources are an important part of our Nation's clean energy, and energy secure future. We look forward to this and future world-class projects of this caliber which continue to be spurred by the growing demand for environmentally responsible and sustainable energy solutions." Project development of the Titan project is underway. The project's Liberty turbines, at 2.5 MW of capacity, are the largest wind turbines built in the Americas." (http://www.clipperwind.com/pr_073008.html)
 * WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING:IN THE NEWS:

B) The first US offshore wind farm is scheduled to be completed in 2012. Bluewater Wind is building the project near Rohoboth Beach, Delaware, capitalizing on Delaware's coastal winds, which are capable of producing a year-round average output of over 5,200 MW, or four times the average electrical consumption of the entire state. The project will produce just over $2 billion in annual revenue on the wholesale electricity market, create hundreds of new union jobs, and provide roughly $100 million in direct local union construction wages.

C) North Dakota recently opened FPL Energy's Oliver County Wind Energy Center – which is capable of generating enough electricity from its 54 turbines to power more than 24,000 homes.

FPL has windfarms in 16 states and canada: Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center: FACTS: Located in Taylor and Nolan counties in Texas, Built by NextEra Energy Resourses. Produced 735.5 megawatt and is the largest wind generating plant in Texas. The 421 total turbines are capable of generating enough electricity for more than 220,600 homes. It began commercially operating in 2005. The wind turbines stang 260 ft tall. BENEFITS: Employs 47 staff members, adds tax base to Taylor and Nolan counties, provifed economic stimulus of landowner lease payments, causes no air or water pollution, uses no water in generation of electricity, and allows land to remain in agricultural use.

D) Hopkins Ridge and Wild Horse wind facilities in Washington State produce enough renewable energy to meet the needs of approximately 100,000 homes – combined, the two facilities have paid more than $3.3 million in state, county and local taxes since going into operation, and additional turbines are being planned.  "BELLEVUE, Wash. (July 14, 2008) – Puget Sound Energy (PSE) announced today that its Hopkins Ridge and Wild Horse wind facilities have both reached a milestone, with each facility now having produced more than 1 million megawatt hours (MWh) of clean, renewable electricity since entering service in 2005 and 2006 respectively.  “Wind energy is now a proven performer for meeting our customers’ growing demand,” said Kimberly Harris, executive vice president and chief resource officer for PSE. “Not long ago, wind power was only a concept. Today, it is a clean, renewable resource for helping combat climate change.” PSE is the largest utility generator of renewable energy in the Northwest, with its two wind facilities producing enough electricity, on average, to meet the equivalent of the needs of approximately 100,000 homes. PSE owns and operates the Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility in Columbia County, Wash., and the Wild Horse Wind Facility in Kittitas County, Wash. Hopkins Ridge, near the historic city of Dayton, began operation in November 2005 and has 87 wind turbines with the capacity to produce 150 megawatts (MW) of electricity. It reached the 1 million MWh mark of cumulative energy production on June 3, 2008. Wild Horse, located east of Ellensburg, entered service in December 2006 and has 127 wind turbines with the capacity to produce 229 MW of electricity. It reached the 1 million MWh mark on July 4, 2008. PSE is completing construction on four additional turbines at Hopkins Ridge, and recently announced plans to expand Wild Horse with an additional 26 turbines by late 2009. “Hopkins Ridge and Wild Horse have exceeded our expectations,” Harris said. “This year, both facilities are producing about 6 percent more electricity than our meteorological and engineering studies had predicted, and have shown themselves to be reliable resources throughout the year.” In addition to the energy they generated, the two PSE facilities have had a significant economic impact on the local communities near which they operate. Combined, the two facilities have paid more than $3.3 million in state, county and local taxes since going into operation. Each has also generated more than 20 permanent jobs in their home communities and 150 to 250 temporary jobs during construction. The Kittitas Valley’s role in providing clean energy through wind and solar power is showcased in PSE’s Renewable Energy Center, a visitor center offering a first-hand look at operating wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. Open to the public for the first time in April 2008, the center has already welcomed more than 6,500 visitors. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. seven days a week from April through November, excluding during severe weather. It is located just north of Interstate 90, approximately 16.5 miles east of Ellensburg, at 25901 Vantage Highway. Driving directions and maps to the center can be found at www.PSE.com." (http://www.pse.com/newsarchive/Pages/NewsMegawattMilestone.aspx?navpath=/InsidePSE/newsroom)

E) Right in the heart of the oil patch, Houston has started receiving about 25 percent of its electricity from wind – the city council decided to take action to provide cleaner and cheaper energy to its citizens after Hurricane Katrina damaged oil and gas infrastructure, increasing the price of natural gas.

"On July 1, 2008, Houston, Texas, began recieving about 25 persent of their electricity from wind energy. West Texas wind farms will help provide Houston with the energy it needs, and at a savings to consumers. A kilowatt hour of wind-generated electricity costs 7.5 cents, compared with 9.5 cents for a kilowatt hour of conventional power.  Hurricane Katrina prompted Houston’s move to wind power The storm damaged oil and gas infrastructure, and increased the price of natural gas, which Houston relies on heavily for electricity. “We begin taking this wind power today as a benefit for both the environment and the taxpayer,” said Houston Mayor Bill White. “As the energy capital of the world, Houston is committed to becoming the clean, sustainable energy capital of the world as well.” Other cities and states around the country are taking up the same challenge to rely on cleaner, cheaper energy, but the movement has sparked a heated clean energy debate. Wind turbines may be environmentally friendly but many people find them visually unappealing, and there is some noise pollution produced when the turbines are moving. In the Bisbee, Arizona and St. Lucie County, Florida, for example, residents are torn over whether they want wind turbines on their hillsides and coastlines. John Dorschner of the Miami Herald noted that people generally critical of wind projects “think wind is find—as long as the tall turbines are somewhere else.” Wind power presently accounts for just one percent of U.S. electricity, but federal estimates indicate that wind power could supply 20 percent of national energy needs by 2030." (http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/business/July-08/Houston-Turns-to-Wind-for-Power--Savings.html)  Need cash help fel free to contact at : - http://www.poundtopockett.co.uk/

**__6. DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF CO2 IT PRODUCES OR INHIBITS.__**

According to the Wind Energy Association:


 * **Wind Energy FAQ **

**CO2 Emissions: Wind vs. Trees **
Wind turbines are extremely effective at reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), the leading greenhouse gas.

 A single 750-kilowatt (kW) wind turbine, typical of those now being installed in power plants around the world, produces roughly 2 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually.

 Based on the U.S. average fuel mix, approximately 1.5 pounds of CO2 is emitted for every kWh generated. This means that an average wind turbine prevents the emission of

 **2 million kWh x 1.5 pounds CO2/kWh =** **3 million pounds of CO2 =****1500 tons of CO2 each year.**

According to **//Our Ecological Footprint//,** (Wackemagel & Rees, 1996), a forest absorbs approximately 3 tons of CO2 per acre of trees per year.  //**Thus, a single 750kW wind turbine prevents as much carbon dioxide from being emitted each year as could be absorbed by 500 acres of forest.**//  And the roughly 3 billion kWh that are produced each year by California's wind power plants displace CO2 emissions of 4.5 billion pounds (2.25 million tons), or as much as could be absorbed by a forest covering more than 1100 square miles. || ( http://www.awea.org/faq/co2trees.html)

The World Watch Institute:

=**2006 Wind Installations Offset More Than 40 Million Tons of CO2**= by Worldwatch Institute on July 25, 2007 **WASHINGTON, D.C.—**The 15,200 megawatts of new wind turbines installed worldwide last year will generate enough clean electricity annually to offset the carbon dioxide emissions of 23 average-sized U.S. coal-fired power plants, according to a new Vital Signs Update from the Worldwatch Institute. The 43 million tons of carbon dioxide displaced in 2006 is equivalent to the emissions of 7,200 megawatts of coal-fired power plants, or nearly 8 million passenger cars.

"Wind power is on track to soon play a major role in reducing fossil fuel dependence and slowing the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," according to Worldwatch Senior Researcher Janet Sawin. "Already, the 43 million tons of carbon dioxide displaced by the new wind plants installed last year equaled more than 5 percent of the year’s growth in global emissions. If the wind market quadruples over the next nine years—a highly plausible scenario—wind power could be reducing global emissions growth by 20 percent in 2015." ( http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5258)

9. DESCRIBE HOW THE CRITICS WOULD DISCUSS IT.

Most critics are citizens of the US that are worried about the how they look and the threat to the environment. But isn't less CO2, saving the earth, and clean energy more important than a pretty picture of the ocean or a field? what it could look like(computer generated)

In Massachusetts in 2006: **Proposed wind farm could generate 75% of the power needed for the region** **" The developer of a proposed "wind farm" off the Massachusetts coast dodged a bullet recently when Congressional leaders removed a provision from a Coast Guard reauthorization bill that would have granted Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) veto power over the project. **
 * Romney opposes developer Jim Gordon's Cape Wind project, which would erect 130 giant electricity-generating wind turbines in Nantucket Sound. Romney has said he would veto the plan if given the chance.**
 * Cape Wind needs permits from 17 federal and state agencies, under the National Environmental Policy Act and the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act, before construction may begin. Company plans call for operation to begin in 2009.**
 * Although the project recently overcame a political hurdle, financial and economic ones remain. Despite high oil and gas prices, questions remain about the financial viability of the wind power project. " (http://www.heartland.org/policybot/results/19666/Proposed_Mass_Wind_Farm_Generates_Intense_Criticism.html)**


 * **Critics are worried about the look of their beloved Massachusetts beaches of Cape Cod but it poses no environmental threats**


 * " BOSTON — A federal agency said Friday that the nation’s first offshore wind farm, proposed for the waters off Cape Cod, posed no serious environmental threat, bringing it a major step closer to fruition. Homeowners and boaters on the cape, including Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts, have fought the project for eight years, saying it would hurt wildlife, fishing and tourism and spoil the beauty of Nantucket Sound. Opponents have sued to stop the project, known as Cape Wind, and more challenges are certain, keeping the path to construction bumpy despite what supporters on Friday called a crucial victory. The wind farm would cover 24 square miles — roughly the size of Manhattan — five miles off Cape Cod. From the shore, the 130 turbines, each 440 feet tall, will be visible half an inch above the horizon on clear days, according to Energy Management Inc., the company planning the project. Jim Gordon, the company’s president, said that optimistically, construction could begin late this year, and that the wind farm could be producing electricity by the end of 2011." **
 * (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/17/us/17wind.html)**


 * OVERALL: The wind project for Cape Cod has put down a few of the hurtles put up by local government but could be a great project for thre region. Being at school here at Mass Maritime, I see a windmill everyday, it grows on you, and on a very windy day it's nice to know that our school is powering itself and not polluting the world I have to live in a lot longer than the old fashioned MA residents that don't understand the technology. I support the project.**

__10/11. Why doesn't Wind Power make up more of the World's energy?__


 * Although wind power is a great source of energy it has many downfalls. These downfalls are what prevent it from being a main source of the world's energy. As mentioned previously, wind turbines are expensive, inefficient, and eyesore, and require a lot of maintenance. An online article read...**
 * " Wind farms make the landscape an eyesore – coupled with the noise, that’s why people do not like them close to where they live and protest vigorously when one is to be sited close to their home. They also kill birds.**
 * These turbine constructions are so massive that they need 1,000 tons of concrete to hold them in the ground. They also need a lot of road infrastructure for maintenance. In general, turbines are sited in some of our most naturally beautiful areas. How stupid is destroying a beautiful landscape for environmentalism? It doesn’t make sense." (http://www.moneyweek.com/news-and-charts/economics/why-wind-power-wont-work.aspx).**
 * This article brings up a good point, why are we destroying the environment in an effort to make it better? Wind farms damage the environment that they are trying to protect which is the definition of irony. Wind farms take up a lot of space and cause both air and sound pollution. They take away from the beauty of the environment. Wind farms are a good candidate for powering mother earth, but they need to be more technically advanced. Wind farms need to be more efficient and less harmful to the environment to be the driving force of the world. Wind farms are paid for by tax payers, like you and me.**
 * " The turbine owners make money because of guaranteed government subsidies and tax credits (i.e., paid for by you and me). Most of us have a surcharge on our electric bills to pay for "green" energy. A megawatt of wind-generated electricity costs about 11 or 12 times as much to produce as a megawatt of coal- or oil-generated electricity."**
 * The article shows how we pay for the wind power out of our own pockets and the owners of these monstrosities gains from our loss. Coal and oil are a lot cheaper than Wind power. Again wind turbines need to be better designed to be more efficient and cheaper before they can be a trustworthy source of energy.[[image:3186143355_4840fb7620.jpg width="350" height="261" align="left" caption="A beautiful moonrise hidden by wind turbines"]]**

First to make wind turbines a bigger source of energy we need to make them better. By making wind turbines more efficient and cheaper we can utilize them better. Reducing the cost of the wind turbines will make it easier to install more of them around the world. With more wind turbines they will produce more energy. Making wind turbine more efficient and smaller will allow us to produce more. With a higher efficiency they can produce exponentially the amount f energy that they are producing now. With smaller, more efficient, cheaper, and larger numbers of wind turbines we can power the world. We just need to invest some more time in researching and developing them. If the world is to change to wind power than we have to do it right, rushing now and having to change things up later won't help. We can wait a couple years for the technology to improve if we have to, at that point I am all for wind power and wind farms. "//Technologically advanced wind machines like the Eggbeater windmill and Vertical Shaft Turbine are extremely efficient.//" (http://www.scienceclarified.com/scitech/Energy-Alternatives/Wind-Power.html)
 * __15. How do we use wind power on a larger scale?__**

Advancements like these are just steps we need to take to get to the holy grail of wind turbines. We have not reached that point yet, but when we do we will be able to exploit it in every way possible. By examining different approaches to using wind as a source of energy we can work to find a better more efficient way to use wind turbines.

A lot of different organizations use windmills for promotional purposes. Going green excites customers to buy their products. Here at Massachusetts Maritime Academy we use a windmill to power the whole school and than some. Here at the academy we use a windmill because we reside in a relatively windy spot. It makes sense here because the thing is always spinning. The windmill also serves as a symbol of our school, a cadet could recognize it from anywhere. It makes sense that we would have one, with majors such as Marine Safety and Environmental Protection and Emergency Management we are all but required to be as green as possible. Personally, I like the windmill though I would not want to wake up and look across the canal to see hundreds of wind turbines. Companies such as NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) are using wind turbines for research. They are trying to find the best way to utilize these wind turbines and how to make them more efficient. "Wind turbines can be used as stand-alone applications, or they can be connected to a utility power grid or even combined with a photovoltaic (solar cell) system. For utility-scale (megawatt-sized) sources of wind energy, a large number of wind turbines are usually built close together to form a //wind plant//. Several electricity providers today use wind plants to supply power to their customers." (http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_wind.html) The article shows how when wind farms are built on a power grid they can store energy for alter use. It also says that several energy providers use wind plants to supply power to their customers. Wind power is on the rise and is becoming a bigger source of the worlds energy. Major companies are not the only ones using wind turbines for energy. Families across the US have invested in the wind turbine as a source of energy. "Home wind turbines have seen sales spike in recent years, because of soaring energy costs, earth-friendly attitudes and financial incentives from the government." (http://blog.mlive.com/michigan/2008/04/more_families_use_wind_turbine.html). The family to the right uses the wind off of lake Michigan to power their home. It's effective and they are saving money so why complain. Wind turbines are good for small sources of energy, like a house or MMA, but they need some advancements before they power the entire world.
 * __16. Who uses it and why?__**

[|Carbon footprints]