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Community-Scale Wind Energy for Aquidneck Island

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Community-Scale Wind Energy for Aquidneck Island CommunitCommunity-Scaley-Scale WindWind EnergyEnergy A Presentation to the communities of Aquidneck Island Sally Wright, PE Research Fellow, Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts Supported by the Renewable Energy ResearchSupported Laboratory, by the UMass Amherst The US www.ceere.org/rerlDepartment of Energy Community-Scale Wind Power: Agenda •• Why Why WindWind Power?Power? •• Community-scale Community-scale windwind –– Technology Technology –– Economics Economics –– Process Process // NextNext StepsSteps –– Impacts Impacts Point of view: Spirit Lake Schools, Iowa Point of view: Spirit Lake Schools, Iowa thethe communitycommunity -- needsneeds factualfactual supportsupport forfor importantimportant decisionsdecisions Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Why Renewables? Impacts of Fossil Fuels •NOx,•NOx, SOSO22,, COCO22 •• Mercury, Mercury, Dioxin,Dioxin, Particulates,Particulates, COCO •• Oil Oil Spills,Spills, mountainmountain toptop removal,removal, ash,ash, sludge,sludge, …… Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Why Renewables? Impacts of Fossil Fuels • Electricity: Largest industrial source of air pollution. – 2/3 SOx – 1/4 NOx – 2/5 CO2 – 1/3 Mercury Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Sulphur Dioxide – SO2 –Acid Rain • Where it comes from: – 67 % of SO2 emissions in US from fossil-fuel power plants • Effects: – acid rain – smog • Health impacts: – smog triggers asthma attacks • Environmental Impacts: – acid rain harms lakes & streams, depletes soil nutrients, – damages trees, crops, historic buildings Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Nitrogen Oxides – NOX –Smog • Where it comes from: – 23% of NOX emissions in US from fossil fuel power plants. • Effects: – ground-level ozone (smog) – acid rain • Health impacts: – smog triggers asthma attacks • Environmental Impacts: – acid rain, reduced visibility Want more info? Try- http://www.epa.gov/air/concerns/ Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Poisons & other emissions •Mercury – brain damage, fetal damage • Dioxin – Liver damage, immune deficiency • Carbon monoxide – poisonous; greenhouse gas • Particulates, arsenic, lead, cadmium • Cooling water heats rivers & lakes Anchorage Daily News • Oil Spills, mountain top removal, ash, sludge, etc. Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Carbon Dioxide – CO2 – Climate Change • Where it comes from: – 40% of man-made US CO2 emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants • Effects: – Predominant greenhouse gas – Disrupts earth’s carbon cycles - more CO2 than normal into atmosphere –Warming • Environmental Impacts: – Global climate disruption: – Sea level rise, Glacier melt, intensifying weather – Impacts on: health, agriculture, water resources, Want more info? Try- forests, wildlife, coastline www.epa.gov/globalwarming Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Climate Change – No longer conjecture • All scientists believe in the greenhouse effect. • All scientists accept that putting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere will warm the planet. • The only disagreement is over precisely how much the warming will be amplified by planetary feedbacks Want more info? Try - http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels - The Far Side: At least our brains are the size of a cantaloupe United States: 5 % of world population, but emits ~ 25 % of world’s greenhouse gases. Energy from low/zero emissions sources is the core of the strategy. - conclusion of US Climate Change Technology Program, Sept ‘05 The picture's pretty bleak, gentlemen. The world'sRenewable climates Energy are Research changing Laboratory,, the mammals UMass are Amherst taking over, and we all have a brainwww.ceere.org/rerl about the size of a walnut. Beyond emissions - More Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Extraction • Coal & Mountain-top removal • Oil drilling Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of Fossil Fuels: Environmental Impacts • Sierra Club • Union of Concerned Scientists: •• Major Major environmentalenvironmental • Conservation Law Foundation groupsgroups supportsupport windwind • National Audubon Society • Green Peace powerpower • Friends of the Earth • Environmental Defense Fund asas oneone ofof thethe toolstools toto • Clean Water Action • Natural Resources Defense reducereduce ourour energy’senergy’s Council • Climate Action Network impacts.impacts. • National Environmental Trust etc. Electric power generation produces more pollution than any other single industry in the US Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Why Renewables? Economic Reasons - • Reduce dependence on foreign oil Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Why Renewables? Economic Reasons - • Renewable – No fuel-price volatility – US oil production is declining / “Peak Oil” • Diversify energy portfolio – Over-dependence on Natural gas • Reduce fossil fuel dependence – Security & foreign policy • Fossil fuels from unstable regions – Economic • Trade Deficit • Domestic, local power – RI $ & jobs leaving the state Armed escorts of LNG tanker into Boston Harbor. Source: Globe. Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Impacts of our Energy Use & Production •Allenergy choices have impacts – Health – Economics – Security – Environmental • Air, water, radiation, strip-mining, habitat, wildlife … – Global climate change, etc. … • How can you compare them? Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl External Costs of Electricity ExternE: European study based on costs: • Human Health, mortality & morbidity • Building Material • Crops • Global Warming • Amenity losses • Ecosystems Example: costs in Germany Want more info? http://www.externe.info/ Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl External Costs of Electricity Cost of Externalities of Various Electric Technologies: New Jersey Study 35 79 46 75 30 Mean 30 Median Maximum 25 20 16 15 15 14 11 10 8.3 7 External costs, cents/kWh costs, External 5.4 5 3.9 3.0 2.6 0.9 1.0 1.0 0.40.4 0.4 0.9 0 Coal Oil Nat. Gas Nuclear Hydro Wind Solar source: www.njcleanenergy.com Technology Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst Want more info? http://www.njcleanenergy.com/media/base_linwww.ceere.org/rerle_studies_pdfs/CEEEP_Impacts_of_Environmen.pdf Why Renewables? • Environmental & Economical – Energy Status quo: • Not acceptable • Not sustainable - it will change • Solutions …. No one solution is sufficient – Conservation & efficiency – Renewable energy Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl States respond: Rhode Island et al. Require Renewables •• RI RI RenewableRenewable PortfolioPortfolio StandardStandard (RPS)(RPS) –– 1% 1% newnew inin 20072007 …… 14% 14% newnew inin 20192019 •• Massachusetts Massachusetts RPSRPS –– Renewable Renewable EnergyEnergy CertificatesCertificates (“REC(“REC ’s”)’s”) –– Anywhere Anywhere onon NewNew EnglandEngland GridGrid •• ~18 ~18 statesstates havehave anan “RPS”“RPS” Want more info? www.evomarkets.com lists current REC prices Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Existing State Renewable Portfolios 18 States and Washington D.C. ME: 30% by 2000 MN (Xcel): 825 MW wind by 2007 + 10% by 2015 WI: 2.2% by 2011 MA: 4% new by 2009 NY: 24% by 2013 RI: 16% by 2019 NV: 15% by 2013 PA: 8% by 2020 CT: 10% by 2010 IA: 105 MW NJ: 6.5% by 2008 MD: 7.5% by 2019 CA: 20% by 2010 CO: 10% by 2015 DC: 11% by 2022 NM: 10% by 2011 AZ: 1.1% by 2007 HI: 20% by 2020 TX: 2880 MW by 2009 Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Renewable Energy Source • Ultimately derived from the sun* • Capable of being replenished on a reasonable time-scale *Or moon, in case of tides No one energy source can deliver all the electricity we need to fuel our economy Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Renewable Energy: Sources for Electricity •• Sunlight:Sunlight: PVPV Renewable,Renewable, but not for Electricity in RI: •• WindWind but not for Electricity in RI: •• SolarSolar ThermalThermal •• BiomassBiomass •• GeothermalGeothermal •• LandfillLandfill gasgas NotNot renewablerenewable sourcessources:: •• HydroHydro •• HydrogenHydrogen •• Ocean:Ocean: -Carrier-Carrier (Storage)(Storage) –– WavesWaves •• FuelFuel CellsCells -Premium-Premium powerpower –– OceanOcean currentscurrents -Way-Way ofof usingusing HH22 –– TidesTides Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Renewable Energy: Electricity Options for New England • Hydro: sites are taken in NE • Ocean: Not yet feasible in N.E. • Landfill: important – But limited resource • Biomass: important – emissions • PV: 5-25 x cost of wind • Æ Wind Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Wind Power Today Our primary renewable energy resource Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst www.ceere.org/rerl Wind Power Today (& yesterday): Wind Mills Wind mills do mechanical work PumpingPumping waterwater Grinding grain Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, UMass Amherst
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