Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Wind Power On the Community Scale Community Wind Community Wind Case Study: Hull Power Case Study RERL—MTC Hull Wind One Community Wind Fact Sheet Series In 2001 Massachusetts’ first modern wind turbine these tend to make siting more difficult at towns was installed in at Windmill Point, at the tip of the such as Hull; others make it easier. In collaboration with the Mas- town of Hull. The turbine is owned and operated by Hull Wind One represents three historic “firsts”: sachusetts Technology Col- the Hull Municipal Light Plant (HMLP), and the laborative’s Renewable En- project was developed by • The first commercial-scale ergy Trust Fund, the Renew- HMLP with assistance of the wind turbine to go online any- What made Hull Wind One able Energy Research Lab University of Massachusetts’ where on the eastern U.S. coast- such a success? (RERL) brings you this series Renewable Energy Research line • Municipal electric utility that of fact sheets about Wind Laboratory and the Massachu- • The first suburban-sited tur- was an active participant in the Power on the community setts Division of Energy Re- bine on the North American con- sources. process scale: tinent, and • Local champions 1. Technology The 660 kW turbine is close to • The first such publicly owned • Good wind resource 2. Performance the high school, within 100 ft of wind turbine to be sited in the Public involvement 3. Impacts & Issues the site of a 40 kW turbine • United States within a short 4. Siting (since removed) which was • Previous experience in wind walking distance of a stop on a installed approximately 20 years mass transit system (a ferry). 5. Resource Assessment • Town realized public benefit before. The town is in a highly This case study briefly discusses 6. Wind Data • Available site populated coastal area, within 8 the history of “Hull Wind One,” 7. Permitting • Technical support miles of Boston (city hall) and 5 as the turbine is now called. It is Case Studies miles of the runways at Bos- condensed from a longer paper ton’s Logan International Airport, so it might at first (Manwell et al., 2003) that more closely examines seem that it would be a difficult location at which to the factors that led to successful realization of the site a wind turbine. In fact, there are many factors project and the manner in which they affected Hull’s that affect the siting of a wind turbine. Some of decision to proceed with its new turbine. Profile of Hull Inside this Edition: A town with a history in wind Hull Case Study The town of Hull, Massachusetts is located on a Hull has a long history of land-based wind energy peninsula in Boston Harbor. Its population is use, beginning at least 200 years ago, when wind Hull Wind One p. 1 about 10,500, which in- was used to produce creases to over 16,000 during salt. The site of Hull Town Profile p. 1 the summer vacation season. Wind One was referred Hull’s Advantages p. 1 Electricity is supplied to the to as “Windmill Point” residents by the Hull Munici- as early as the 1820’s. Project History p. 2 pal Light Plant (HMLP), a In the 1980’s, the municipally owned utility. town’s first electricity- Hull’s Wind Machine p. 2 Annual average power con- producing wind ma- Obstacles to Wind En- p. 3 sumption is approximately 6 chine was installed, a ergy Development MW (corresponding to an 40 kW Enertech ma- energy use of approximately chine. Today the town Economics p. 4 53,000 MWh/yr). HMLP continues to look for Public Power p. 4 purchases most of its electric- ways to make the best ity at wholesale from the Massachusetts Munici- out of their windy location, with proposals for more For more information p. 4 pal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC). wind power. Page 2 Community Wind Power Case Study P hoto credit: Doug Welch, Island Alliance. Alliance. Island Doug Welch, hoto credit: Project History Siting study: The Massachusetts Division of Energy Re- “turnkey” contract price was $698,699, including a stan- sources (DOER) discussed potential wind power projects dard set of spare parts. This contract included purchase with the Hull Municipal Light Plant (HMLP) in the and installation of the transformer, providing a buried 1980’s and 1990’s. Work on Hull Wind One began in cable, and connection with the HMLP distribution system. earnest in 1998, when the Note that this figure did not UMass RERL, under sponsor- include work done directly by ship from the DOER, carried HMLP, valued at $54,000. The out a detailed technical evalua- total installed cost was ap- tion of possibilities for the proximately $753,000 (not replacement of the old wind including development ser- turbine installed at the High vices supplied by DOER and School. The study (Ellis, RERL). Vendor selection was Rogers, and Manwell, 1999) followed by contract negotia- reviewed the issues related to tions, and by a signed contract the installation of a wind tur- in August, 2001. Hull’s Wind Machine bine at the High School site Construction: Excavation for and identified the potential Hull Wind One, seen from Peddocks Island, the foundation began in No- merits and impacts of a num- Manufacturer: Vestas vember, 2001, and by the end ber of different wind turbines. across Hull Gut Model: V47 of November the foundation For this proposal, it was as- concrete was cured. On December 16th the tower was in Rotor Diameter: 47m = 154’ sumed that HMLP would assume responsibility for the place and the rotor was installed. At 2:45 PM on Decem- Hub height: 50m = 164’ operation of the machine. The work (which involved ber 27th the turbine was put online. Power rating: 660 kW extensive interaction with numerous Hull community Rotational speed: 28.5 RPM groups) consisted of the following six major parts: Current status: Hull Wind One, represents the high point of almost 20 years of wind energy activity at Hull’s Wind- • Detailed description of the proposed site mill Point. In its first two years of operation (Dec. 27, • Description of the available wind resource • Description of candidate turbines 2001 - Dec. 26, 2003) it produced about 3,100 MWh, for a • Review of environmental, regulatory, and public capacity factor of 27%. acceptance hurdles • A preliminary economic evaluation Hull Wind One: Daily Energy Production • Discussion and recommendations 18 2002 16 Selection of New Wind Turbine: Following the positive 2003 14 results and recommendations of the study, and after a 12 2004 number of news reports on the subject (Boston Globe, the 10 Patriot Ledger, the Tiny Town Gazette, and the Hull 30-day 8 Moving Avg. MWh/day (2003) Times), HMLP notified the town’s citizens of 6 a public meeting on June 16, 2000 at the High 4 Energy based on School. The meeting included presentations 2 average values from periodic 0 by the town manager, the town historian, and meter readings Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec representatives from the Hull Light Board, Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), RERL, and the local Many groups of visitors have made special trips to the site group Citizens For Alternative Renewable and media coverage of the installation, and its successes Energy (CARE). This group fielded questions and awards, have been extensive. Awards to HMLP in- from the public and responded to fellow pan- clude: elists. Following the strongly positive results • Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from of this meeting, it was announced that HMLP US Congressman Delahunt, June 2002. The Award would solicit a Request for Proposals (RFP) cites benefits both to the environment and to the com- for the supply and installation of a wind tur- munity. bine. At the same time, HMLP announced its • EPA Environmental Merit Award, 2002 intention to apply for the various permits that • US Department of Energy Award 2002 would be required. Over the following • Utility Leadership Award from American Wind Energy months, a detailed RFP was prepared. The Association, 2003 RFP was formally released in January 2001, • Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Innovation and by March three bids were received. In Award, 2003 April the town accepted Vestas’ bid which • Climate Award for communities from Clean Air - Cool Assembly of Hull Wind One’s rotor included their popular V47 turbine. The Planet, 2003 Renewable Energy Research Laboratory, University of Massachusetts at Amherst Hull, Massachusetts Page 3 Obstacles & Champions Issues to be addressed Factors Affecting Hull’s Decision to Install a Wind Tur- bine The following is a list of potential issues that are typically considered in any wind project of this type, along with the The factors affecting Hull’s decision to install a new wind town’s perception of them for Hull’s particular case. turbine are closely related to the issues that needed to be addressed to realize such a Beneficiaries vs. those impacted The proposed owner and project (as outlined above). The most impor- operator of the project was always to be the Hull Municipal tant factors are summarized below. Light Plant. The beneficiaries were thus the residents of Hull. Similarly, those affected were also residents, with Municipal electric light plant The presence those closest to the turbine being the most affected. of a municipal utility in a town simplifies the process of acquiring distributed generation Visual impact To some extent the concern for the visual (such as a wind turbine), since there is clear impact in Hull was less than it might otherwise have been mechanism for doing so.