Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII Pre-Conference Session ......Non-Wildlife Environmental Siting...
Transcript of Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII Pre-Conference Session ......Non-Wildlife Environmental Siting...
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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SITING CONSIDERATIONS
Wind Wildlife Research Meeting VII
Pre-Conference Session
Introduction to Wind and Wildlife Issues
October 27th, 2008
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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AgendaPurpose: walk through the basic considerations addressed when siting a utility-scale wind farm, to set the stage for discussing wildlife impacts at these projects
Site Selection: Fundamental Opportunities & ConstraintsConsidering the Wind ResourceTransmission & SitingLand ControlFinancing & Project EconomicsNon-Wildlife Environmental Siting IssuesPermits & GuidelinesProject Schedule: Pulling it All Together
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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How is a Site Selected?
Siting Industry: General Rules & Case Studies
Where there’s a resource
Where there’s a way to get the resource to the user
Siting Utility-Scale Wind FarmsSame issues (opportunities)
Same constraints
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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WHERE DO WE NEED POWER?
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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WHERE DO WE HAVE (WIND) POWER?
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Siting Utility-Scale Wind: Opportunities & Constraints
Compare wind resource to populated areas (need)Northwest mountains and northern plainsCentral plains – T Boone Picken’s “Saudi Arabia of wind”Chicago – strong wind resources in the lake but (a) haven’t engineered deep water WTGs yet, and (b) Chicago’s got plenty of power
West Virginia – good resources, reasonably proximate to demand, but there are other issues there, like coal and wildlifeHigh demand in Georgia and Florida, but little windHigh demand in the eastern seaboard,
• and lots of offshore wind, • but public controversy is high
How much wind is needed to build a utility-scale wind farm?
That depends: it’s a function of how much energy you can get from the wind, and what you can sell it for
How much energy do you need to run turbines?
Wind speed 11-13 mph (power increases exponentially with speed)
Capacity factor (how much power is produced over time rel. to how much power would be produced if the plant ran at full capacity) ca. 27%
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Transmission & Siting: Getting Utility-Scale Wind Energy to Market
Proximity to existing lines that can accept the load, so you don’t have to build infrastructure
Proximity to the user
T-Line and substation siting subject to environmental permitting and engineering requirements
Consider queue time
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Transmission & SitingMISO Queue Reform
Backlog of interconnection queue requests – April 08 – MISO had 348 active requests (80 GW of generated power) – would take 42 years under current process
Proposed reform: Consider cost & schedule implications (which may apply even if you’re already in the queue)
Established New Rules (FERC approved August 2008)
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Transmission & SitingMISO Queue Reform : New Rules
Pre-Queue Phase: information/preparation, established milestones
Queue Position: assigns your place in line (with responsibilities)
Feasibility Study now qualitative & defines your next step (shorter Fast Track to Definitive Planning Phase, or longer System Planning and Analysis Phase)
Deposits rated to size of energy generation
Must provide financial security so those behind you in the queue don’t get harmed if you suspend your position
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Land Control
Community involvement (approval)
Royalty, ownership, or lease agreements with landowners
Consider parcel footprint – turbine layout, roads, transmission lines & substation, maintenance facilities
Sensitive information & competition (when in the process are land rights acquired?)
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Financing
AWEA Fact Sheet: $1 M per MW of installed generating capacity
Economies of scale apply, but project has to meet other siting constraints
How are Projects Financed?
Corporate structure (Corporations, LLCs, JVs)
Investment funds/equity partners
Partnership flips
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Financing, cont.
Where do the costs go (approximately)?
Equipment procurement (turbines + towers + transport): 62%
Construction & financing: 26%
Interconnection & substation: 4%
Development, design engineering, legal, financing: 8%
Selling the generated power: Power Purchase Agreements (PPA)
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Financing & EconomicsTax Incentives (credits, depreciation deductions)
Renewable portfolio standards
Grants
Financing strategies
Economies of scale
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Revenue Components
Power Sales
Depreciation
PTC
While wind power costs have dropped substantially over the
years, wind power has been a less productive source of
energy than traditional fossil fuels
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Non-Wildlife Environmental Siting Issues
Environmental Resources & Issues
Permitting Requirements
Siting Guidelines
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Water Resources
Surface Waters & Wetlands
Water Quality
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Cultural Resources
Historic Properties (Viewshed)
Archeological Resources
Recreation
Aesthetics
Cultural/Community Values
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Visual Impacts
Purpose
Evaluate the visibility of the proposed project
Compare landscape with and without the project
Provide information to decision makers & public
understand potential visual impacts
make an informed judgment about aesthetic impacts
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Visual Impacts
Aesthetics/Viewshed
Flicker
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Visual Impact Assessment
No specific Federal rules, regulations, or policies govern evaluation of visual resources
Uses standards & procedures from:
National Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
Federal Highway Administration
State agencies
Visual Impact Assessment
Quantitative (how much is seen, from what locations = visual impact)
Qualitative (how it will be perceived = aesthetic impact)
Steps:
1. Define existing landscape
2. Conduct visibility analysis
3. Identify sensitive aesthetic resources
4. Select key receptors
5. Depict the appearance of the completed facility
6. Evaluate aesthetic effects of the visual change from project construction & operation
7. Identify opportunities for mitigation
Visual Impact AssessmentViewshed, example site layout with selected environmental features
Viewshed withsensitive aestheticresources
Visual Impact AssessmentViewshed, Terrain only Viewshed, leaf-on
Photosimulation
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Shadow Flicker
Shadow hours per year
Shadow HPY
Shadow HPY
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Shadow HPY
Shadow HPY
Shadow HPY
Shadow HPY
Shadow HPY
Noise
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Dept. of Transportation
Roads
Traffic
Airspace
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Other Siting Issues
FAA
Military Radar
Communications & Microwave (EMF)
RECs (Phase I ASTM)
Air Quality
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Permitting & Guidelines:the Changing Landscape
Current Regulations
Federal/State/Local/”Home Rule”
What to Expect
New Directions
What’s the Difference Between a Permit and a Guideline?
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Federal, State, and Local “Umbrella” Permits
NEPA/Federal regulatory compliance
State “NEPA”
Regional, e.g. WAPA
State Siting Certificates (e.g. PUC, PSB, PSC)
Local/State Permitting Zoning, Siting Restrictions, Ordinances
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Siting and Environmental Permits for Windpower (Wildlife)
Endangered Species Act
Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Bald Eagle and Golden Eagle Protection Act
State endangered species and wildlife laws
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Siting and Environmental Permits for Windpower (Water)
CWA 404 Waters of the US (Nationwide & individual permits)
CWA 401 Water Quality Certification (NPDES, SWPPP)
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Siting and Environmental Permits for Windpower (Cultural Resources)
National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
NAGPRA, Tribal Laws
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Siting and Environmental Permits for Windpower (Construction)
Zoning
Local Traffic
Building Permits
Decommissioning standards & Requirements
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Overview of Siting and Environmental Permits for Windpower (Others)
FAA & Military Radar
Transmission
Decommissioning standards & Requirements
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Federal, State, and Local GuidelinesEcological
State Wildlife
Other State or Designated Lands
Sensitive Habitats (e.g. native grasslands, caves)
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Federal, State, and Local Guidelines
Cultural Resources (e.g. Historic Properties, Archeological Resources)
Health & SafetyIceBlade dropFireLightningEMFVoltage
Set Backs
Decommissioning Plan
Project Steps & Schedule
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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Siting Considerations and Successful Project Initiation
Early Project Scoping
Critical Issues Analyses (red flags, fatal flaws)
Don’t underestimate the time it will take to meet environmental requirements
Remember that issues are interrelated
Have a plan & use tools to manage critical issues
DEFINING ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS
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QUESTIONS?
Karen Tyrell, PhD
Senior Vice President
865.922.4305
BHEEnvironmental.com