Wind Energy 101: a Guidebook for South Dakota Leaders and Stakeholders
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Wind Energy 101: A Guidebook for South Dakota Leaders and Stakeholders Summer 2018 Table of Contents Dakota Range Wind III • Dakota Range Wind III Project • Apex Clean Energy Overview • MaRous Market Analysis Wind Energy Benefits to Local Communities • Wind Energy Facts • The Facts About Wind Development in South Dakota | SDWEA | July, 2016 • REPORT: Economic Development Impacts of Wind Projects | AWEA | March 2017 • ARTICLE: New report says wind energy could add thousands of jobs by 2020 | AgriPulse | March 29, 2017 • ARTICLE: Wind Energy is Important Economic Development Tool | Des Moines Register | December 2016 • ARTICLE: Wind Energy to Add Billions to Illinois Economy | Illinois State University News | July 2016 Health Benefits of Wind Energy • Wind Energy and Health • REPORT: Air Pollution and Early Deaths in the United States. Part I: Quantifying the Impact of Major Sectors in 2005 | Atmospheric Environment | May 31, 2013 • REPORT: The Clean Air Benefits of Wind Energy | AWEA | May 2014 • REPORT: Wind Power for a Cleaner America I : Reducing Global Warming Pollution, Cutting Air Pollution and Saving Water | Environment America Research & Policy Center | November 2012 • REPORT: Wind Energy for a Cleaner America II : Wind Energy’s Growing Benefits for Our Environment and Our Health | Environment America Research & Policy Center | Fall 2013 Sound and Shadow Flicker Studies • REPORT: Wind Turbines and Human Health | Frontiers in Public Health | June 19, 2014 • REPORT: NHMRC Information Paper: Evidence on Wind Farms and Human Health | National Health and Medical Research Council | February 2015 • REPORT: Wind Turbines and Health: A Critical Review of the Scientific Literature | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | November 2014 • REPORT: Wind Turbine Health Impact Study: Report of Independent Expert Panel, Executive Summary | Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection; Massachusetts Department of Public Health | January 2012 • REPORT: Wind Health Impacts Dismissed in Court | Energy and Policy Institute | August 2014 Ice Throw • REPORT: Ice Shedding and Ice Throw - Risk and Mitigation | GE Energy | 2006 • REPORT: Recommendations for Risk Assessments of Ice Throw and Blade Failure in Ontario | Garrad Hassan | May 2007 Property Values • Wind Energy and Property Values • REPORT: Relationship between Wind Turbines and Residential Property Values in Massachusetts, Executive Summary | University of Connecticut and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | January 9, 2014 • REPORT: A Spatial Hedonic Analysis of the Effects of Wind Energy Facilities on Surrounding Property Values in the United States | Ernest Orlando Berkeley National Laboratory | August 2013 Electricity Prices and Incentives • Controlling your Electricity Bill • Electricity Incentives Facts • ARTICLE: American wind power now generates over 10 percent of electricity in nine states | AWEA | March 13, 2013 • ARTICLE: Wind Power is Reducing Electricity Rates; Pays Back Tax Credit 17 Times Over | Triple Pundit | April 7, 2014 • REPORT: What Would Jefferson Do? The Historical Role of Federal Subsidies in Shaping America’s Energy Future | Nancy Pfund and Ben Healey, DBL Investors | September 2011 Wildlife • Wind Energy and Wildlife • ARTICLE: World’s Top Serial Bird Killers Put Infamous Windmills to Shame | Bloomberg | April 21, 2014 • INFOGRAPHIC: Bad Kitty | Climate Desk | January 29, 2013 • REPORT: State of the Birds 2014 | U.S. Department of Interior | 2014 The Future of Wind Energy • REPORT: Wind Vision 2014, Executive Summary | U.S. Department of Energy | March 12, 2015 • REPORT: The Outlook for Renewable Energy 2014, Executive Summary and Wind Section | American Council on Renewable Energy | 2014 • REPORT: Renewable Energy in the 50 States: Midwestern Region | American Council on Renewable Energy | 2013 Apex in the News • Apex Clean Energy Sells 147 MW Grant Plains Wind • Kay Wind Wins in O&M • Apex Clean Energy to Operate IKEA Canada Wind Farm, Wintering Hills • Virginia’s Rocky Forge Wind Farm Approved • The IKEA Group Makes Largest Wind Farm Investment to Date • Avery Dennison Partners with Apex on Wind Energy PPA; Advances Towards 2025 GHG Reduction Goal • Steelcase Announces New Wind Power Investment with Apex Clean Energy • U.S. Army Signs Power Purchase Agreement with Apex Clean Energy for Hybrid/Solar Energy Project • Western Farmers Electric Cooperative Signs 50 MW Renewable Energy Purchase Agreement with Apex Clean Energy, Saves Money for Oklahoma Consumers • Southern Company subsidiary to acquire second wind project, surpassing 1,600 MW of renewable generation development • Apex Clean Energy Secures $216 Million Construction Loan for the Grant Wind Project • IKEA Makes First Wind Farm Investment in the United States • Apex Clean Energy Secures $397 Million Construction Loan for the Kay Wind Project • First Reserve Acquires Kingfisher Wind from Apex Clean Energy • Apex Clean Energy Secures $50 Million in Financing from Prudential Capital Group • Apex Clean Energy Secures $30 Million in a Second Round of Financing from Prudential Capital Group DAKOTA RANGE III WIND DAKOTA RANGE III WIND PROJECT PROFILE LOCATION: Grant and Roberts Counties, South Dakota TOTAL CAPACITY: 150 MW NUMBER OF TURBINES: Up 50 ANTICIPATED START DATE OF COMMERCIAL OPERATION: 2020-2021 Apex Clean Energy has submitted a permit to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission to construct Dakota Range Wind III, a wind energy project expected to generate up to 150 megawatts of clean, homegrown energy. Local wind data confirms that the area under consideration is ideal for a project of this size, which will produce enough safe, pollution-free energy to power tens of thousands of U.S. homes. Construction is expected to begin in 2020 and be completed in 2021. A Major Economic Opportunity for Grant and Roberts Counties Dakota Range Wind III will create jobs and generate an entirely new source of long-term revenue for schools, governments, and landowners. Each year, Grant and Roberts Counties can expect to receive tens of thousands in new tax revenue, respectively, with additional indirect economic benefits greatly exceeding that number. Landowners participating in the project all receive equal per-acre payments, whether there is a turbine on the property or not. These payments will continue over the projected 30-year lifespan of the wind farm, injecting millions of dollars into the economies of Grant and Roberts Counties to support local merchants, contractors, equipment suppliers, auto dealers, and others. Developed and constructed with private capital, the project is expected to generate millions of dollars in total taxes that are split between the different taxing authorities, including the school districts. Local Economic Benefits • Enough power for nearly 100,000 U.S. homes • Hundreds of jobs and significant local spending during construction, benefiting local vendors and other businesses • Approximately 5 full-time operations jobs • Taxpayers protected against decommissioning costs • 30 years of annual revenue for county, local landowners, and local schools, totaling millions of dollars [email protected] | 605.610.3255 | dakotarangewind.com | www.apexcleanenergy.com Dakota Range III Wind, LLC Health FAQs Christopher Ollson, Ph.D. Senior Environtal Health Scientist Ollson Environmental Health Management On May 9, 2017, Dr. Ollson delivered a presentation to the Clay County, Iowa Board of Supervisors discussing recent scientific findings regarding the relationship between wind turbines and human health. Highlights of this presentation are included in the following paragraphs. Summary: • Based on the findings of over 80 available peer-reviewed scientific studies, the weight of evidence shows that when sited properly, wind turbines do not cause adverse human health effects. • South Dakota’s permitting requirements provide ample protections for project area residents covering ice throw, noise, and continuation of normal farming conditions. • Therefore, there is no reason to be concerned about undue health effects associated with Dakota Range III. Wind Turbine Syndrome The scientific evidence is conclusive: “There is no evidence for a set of health effects from exposure to wind turbines that could be characterized as Wind Turbine Syndrome.” (Massachussets Wind Turbine Health Impact Study: Report of Independent Expert Panel, January 2012). Wind Turbine Sound Dakota Range III will self-regulate noise levels to participating and non-participating residences, as required to by Grant and Roberts Counties. Typically, turbines will have to be located between 750 and 1500 feet from a participating residence in order to meet noise standards. The specific distance required for any given turbine depends on the turbine model, the number of turbines, the project layout, and other site-specific conditions. According to a comprehensive Canadian study that looked into the effects of wind turbines on human sleep patterns, there is no evidence to support the idea that turbine sound at a decibel level of 48-50 dBA causes sleep disturbance. The study tested this effect among subjects located between 820 feet and 6 miles from a turbine. Low-frequency sound and infrasound Infrasound is low-frequency sound that is generally undetectable by the human ear. Sound with a frequency below 20 Hz is considered infrasound. Decades of research has produced no evidence that either infrasound or low-frequency sound from wind turbines has any impact on 1 human health. This is because wind