Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs

1. Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs Distributed Wind – Tribal Opportunities for Self-Generation Robi Robichaud National Renewable Energy Laboratory

2. Distributed Generation Opportunities Topic Overview • Distributed Wind Market Overview • Appropriate-sized Wind Assessment for DG Wind • Community Support • Issues – Sound, Visual, Environmental

3. Small (100 kW) Homes Tribal Buildings Farms Remote Applications Schools Businesses Community Wind Mid-Sized(100 - 2000 kW) Distributed Energy Tribal Communities Village Power Businesses Community Wind Large >2MW Utility-scale Community Wind NREL - Outreach & Market Support – All Sizes

4. Distributed Wind – Then & Now Source: http://distributedwind.org/

5. U.S Distributed Wind Capacity by Turbine Type Source: 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/2012_distributed_wind_technologies_market_report.pdf

6. Types of Turbines & Towers in U.S. - 2012 Source: 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/2012_distributed_wind_technologies_market_report.pdf

7. Installed Costs for DG Turbines 2012 Source: 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/2012_distributed_wind_technologies_market_report.pdf

8. Distributed Wind O&M Costs Larger turbines >100kW --> annual contract Smaller turbines < 10 kW --> serviced as needed Small Wind O&M Estimate per JEDI Assumptions Source: 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications http://www1.eere.energy.gov/wind/pdfs/2012_distributed_wind_technologies_market_report.pdf

9. Is Wind Economic? It Depends Cost of Competing Electricity vs. Wind Speed Curve • Factors to shift curve down-left (good): • Taller tower • Low wind speed turbine • Utility-scale vs. distributed turbine • PTC (production tax credit) or other incentives • Streamlined permitting • Factors that shift curve up-right: • Increased financing costs • Increased interconnection costs • Permitting/zoning costs

10. Wind Project Development Process • Site Selection • Fatal Flaw Analysis • Land Agreements • Wind Assessment • Environmental Review – sound, visual, etc.. • Community Support • Economic Modeling • Permitting • Financing • Interconnection Studies • Sales Agreements • Turbine Procurement • Construction Contracting • Operations & Maintenance • 3-7 year process • Lots of moving parts - no guarantee of success

11. Power in Wind Equation Wind energy is kinetic energy -- mass and momentum Derived from K.E. = ½ mv2 P = A * * V3/2 • P = Power of the wind [Watts] • A = Windswept area of rotor (blades) = pD/4 = pr2 [ m2] • r = Density of the air [kg/m3 ] (at sea level at 15°C) • V = Velocity of the wind [m/s] D • Wind energy is proportional to velocity cubed (V3): • 25% higher wind speed ≈ 2x’s the power available • If velocity is doubled, power increases by a factor of eight (23 = 8)! • Small differences in average speed cause big differences in energy production!

12. Turbine – Sized to Economic Project Goals Vestas V-90 3MW ~ 1,000 homes GE 1.5sle 1.5MW ~ 500 homes Vestas V47 600kW ~ 200 homes Bergey Excel 10kW ~ 1 home

13. Relative Size of Swept Area A = PiD2 / 4 Credit: Paul Gipe

14. Wind Resource Assessment1st Step - Maps of Resources NREL http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/windmaps/

15. Maps for Distributed Scale 80 – 50 – 30m Community Scale – 50m Residential – 30m

16. Wind Resources and Opportunity on Tribal Lands

17. Map vs. Purchased Data vs. Met Tower vs. SODAR

18. Permitting Path and Timeline • Cultural Resource Clearances • Tribal, local, state and federal permitting support (FAA, DoD Radar & Operations) • Human health and environmental effects assessments • Biological assessments and ecological impact analyses • Threatened and endangered species clearances • Noise and visual impact analyses (use existing guidance) • Tribal Leadership approval The timeline of getting appropriate clearances and permits must coincide with the project construction schedule

19. Visual Impacts • Visual characteristics - surrounding landscape & scenic value • Project Map – with key Natural & Cultural Resources • Viewshed Mapping – distance, angle and scale • Identification of Viewpoints • Simulations – with and without turbines • Shadow Flicker – identify when and where, use appropriate setbacks • Zoning may define the setbacks and rules for property lines, structures, roads, river beds, etc. • State Siting Board or other regulatory reviewer • Public input Use existing resources- web source: http://www.cleanenergystates.org/resource-library/resource/a-visual-impact-assessment-process-for-wind-energy-projects

20. Visual – Perception - Surroundings

21. Wind and Sound/Noise Turbine at 225-300m setback

22. Noise and Sound Pressure Level (SPL) Noise Level of a Turbine Sound Level (dB) Distance to turbine (m) Background noise makes a difference Sound and perceptible sound can vary

23. Types of Wind Turbine Noise • Mechanical • Mostly tones • Gearbox • Generator • Tower resonance • Blade movement • Aerodynamic • Blades & tips • Proportional to Vtip5 • Higher frequency and broadband • Tower wake • Rotational (low frequency) • 1-3 per rev

24. Noise Regimes • 3 different regimes • Human perception

25. Noise Reduction • Move turbines farther away • Low frequencies travel farther • Mechanical • Isolation • Insulation • Aerodynamic • Lower tip speed (Noise Reduced Operation) • Modify Blade Shape • Sharp trailing edges

26. Noise & Site Contour Studies/Maps Source: Rose Forbes, ASFCEC, MMR, Wind Project Manager

27. Building Community Support • Develop communication plan early • Identify key tribal and community members and educate them on all aspects of the project • Clear, straightforward messages – public oration, response to inquiries and in the press • Be sure the whole team has training and can speak effectively to any issues raised • Focus on educating people on the issues, mitigations, benefits • Take people to see turbines up close

28. Building Community Support • Be ready to counter mis-information • Focus on fact-based information, not emotional pleas • Focus on benefits: • ERevitalizing the community • Local ownership • Water conservation (vs. coal or nuclear power) • Economic – royalties or energy • Be able to address issues such as: • Intermittency • Potential impacts to wildlife • Potential impacts to radar, FAA, DoD • Aesthetics, sound, flicker

29. Resources & Contact Information For More Information: DOE Office of Indian Energy Website: www.energy.gov/indianenergy Services offered, resources for Tribes DOE Wind & Water Program – Distributed Wind Energy http://wind.energy.gov/wind_dist_tech.html NREL Wind Technology Websites: http://www.nrel.gov/wind/midsize_wind.html DSIRE: http://dsireusa.org/ Grants, interconnection, net metering, rebates, tax credits, loans Windustry: http://www.windustry.org/ Wind Basics, project development, community – farm wind, economics DWEA: http://distributedwind.org/ Zoning & permitting, conferences Small Wind Certification: http://www.smallwindcertification.org/ Robi Robichaud robi.robichaud@nrel.gov Tel: 303-406-1603

30. Additional Information Intended for the web site, but not part of the presentation

31. New Turbines (HAWT or VAWT) • Five things to ask about wind turbine companies and their products • Is the turbine certified by International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards? • http://www.awea.org/standards/iec_stds.html (If not certified, do you regularly purchase equipment that is not certified or UL listed?  Do you buy back-up generators or other power equipment that is not certified?) • What are its performance specs? • What does the power curve look like? • How did they arrive at it – by modeling or gathering data from a system operating in the field? • How many kilowatts hours per year will it produce if the average wind speed is 6 m/s? 5 m/s? (how do they know? Is it from testing or modeling performance?) • What is its track record of the turbine? • How many years has it been out? • Are they still running? What % are still running? • Has it performed as expected or touted? • Can they share field data? • Conduct some due diligence with customers who own them • How is the warranty service? • Does the company provide add-on O&M after warranty expires? If so, at what cost? • Parts availability? • Turbine availability percentage? • What does it cost? • What does the actual turbine cost? • What do the financials of the company look like? • Will they be around to service your turbine in 3 years? 20 years?

32. Native American Anemometer Loan Program Currently 21 of 70 sites are posted – mostly 20-m data sites Source: http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/anemometerloans/projects.asp

33. DSIRE - Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency • Info on: • Tax Credits • Net Metering • Interconnection • Rebates • Loans • Public Benefits Funds • RPS Source: http://www.dsireusa.org/

34. Incentives Can Provide Opportunities for Cost Reductions • DSIRE - Information on All Types of Incentives: • To Finance Projects: • PTC - 2.3 cents/kWh for 1st ten years + accelerated depreciation • ITC – 30% cost recovery tax credit • Utility Incentives to do Renewables: • RPS – varies state to state, utility to utility • Net Metering – provides full retail value of electricity generated • Other Sources for Financing: • USDA REAP – Grants (25%) & Loans (75%) • New Market Tax Credits • Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds Source: http://www.dsireusa.org/