Wind Power Suitability for Worcester, MA

1
Wind Power Suitability for Worcester, MA

• Chris Kalisz, Calixte Monast, Mike Santoro, Ben
  Trow

2
The Opportunity

• Political support
• Cities for Climate Protection (CCP)
• State regulations
• Mayor of Worcester
• Grid restructuring
• Continued technological development
• Societal acceptance
• Availability of information
• Wind power suitability report

3
The Goals

• To develop a list of criteria to assess wind
  power suitability
• To develop this list into a comprehensive report
  that can be used as a resource
• To apply these criteria to a specific location to
  determine their efficacy

4
The Vision

• What can Worcester do?
• Land
• Political leadership
• Regulations
• Sources of information

http//www.singlesourcephoto.com/search/ma/mab0001
.htm
5
Suitability Criteria

• What are suitability criteria?
• What are they used for?
• Why are they important?
• Functionality
• Financial security
• Public acceptance

6
Criteria Physical Characteristics

• Wind Speed
• Cut in velocity
• Power output
• Wind Consistency
• Varying speeds and directions
• Power output
• Turbine damage
• Elevation
• High wind velocity
• Little turbulence
• Wind speed and consistency

7
Criteria Technical Considerations

• Electrical grid
• Economics
• Construction
• intrusive
• Feasibility

http//www.ertra.com/History_pictures/Social/12ele
ctrical.htm
8
Criteria Regulations

• Federal
• State
• Worcester
• Wireless Tower Planning Process

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Regulations Federal

• Migratory Bird Treaty
• Audubon Society
• Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) Incidental Take
  Permit
• Endangered species habitats
• Storm Water Notice of Intent
• Waste water (construction)
• FAA
• Over 200 feet

10
Regulations State

• Environmental Notification Form
• 25 acres
• Noise Control Policy
• Massachusetts Aeronautics Commissions
• Over 200 feet
• NEPOOL Interconnection System Impact Study
  Facility Study
• Electrical grid integration

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Regulations Worcester

• Building Permit
• Planning Board
• Zoning Board
• Conservation
• Wetland Protection Ordinance
• Conservation Commission

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Name, address, telephone for addresses
applicants, co-applicants, and agentsOriginal
signatures of all applicants
Current Planning Processfor a Personal
WirelessService Facility
General FilingRequirements
Specific Location Tax Map and parcel number of
property Zoning Map with parcel identified Line
Map with parcel drawn to scale shows all
properties within 30 ft. City-Wide Map
including existing towers Proposed Map of
current and future personal towers
Location Filing Requirements
Vicinity Plan with one-inch-equals-forty-feet Ord
inance 7440, Siting Filing Requirements Sight
lines and photographs before and proposed photos
of site taken 300 ft. away Siting
elevations showing total elevation dimensions
Siting FilingRequirements
Zoning Boardof Appeals Special PermitGranting
AuthoritySPGA
Pre-ApplicationConferenceOptional
Equipment brochures Materials of
construction Proposed colors Dimensions of tower
height, width, breadth Photographic
superimpositions Landscape Plan Height simulation
using balloon or crane Lighting report
Design FilingRequirements
Ambient measurements of existing noise Proposed
noise measurement from tower
Noise FilingRequirements
Ambient measurements of existing RFR Maximum
estimate of proposed RFR Certification of meeting
FCC Guidelines
RadiofrequencyRadiation (RFR) FilingRequirements
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) Environmental Assessment submission for
FCC and city List all hazardous materials that
would be used at site Massachusetts Department of
Public Health regulation 105 CMR 122.000 SPGA can
waive any further filing requirements if it finds
unnecessary
Federal EnvironmentalFiling Requirements
13
Criteria Economics and Financing

• Economics in perspective
• Federal
• Grants
• Tax Incentives
• Loans
• State
• Grants
• Tax Incentives
• Regulatory restrictions
• Worcester

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Economics In Perspective
Wind Energy Explained. Pg. 427
15
Financing Federal

• Grants
• National Industrial Competitiveness through
  Energy, Environment, and Economics (NICE3)
• Up to 50 of project cost
• Environmental Finance Program (EFP)
• Community outreach
• Tax Incentives
• Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit (PTC)
• 1.5 cent tax credit per kWh
• Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS)
• Depreciation deductions (for 3 to 31.5 years)
• Loans
• U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)
• Not more than 750,000 or 75 of the project
• Up to 100,000 cannot exceed 80 of the project

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Financing State

• Grants
• Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust Fund
• Approximately 20 million per year
• MTCs Commercial, Industrial, Institutional
  Initiative (CI3)
• 6 million over the course of the next 3 years
• Up to 40,000, paying at least 20 or 5,000,
  whichever is less
• Tax Incentives
• State Individual Income Tax Credit
• 15 of the net expenditure or 1000, whichever is
  less
• State Sales Tax Exemption
• Regulatory Restrictions
• Generation Performance Standards (GPS)
• Limits air pollution per kWh
• Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard (RPS)
• Energy distributors must provide a minimum
  percentage of renewable energy sources
• Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (RERL)
• Provide free consultation

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Financing Worcester

• Local Property Tax Exemption
• Up to 20 years
• Proposed legislation
• 20 power from renewable sources by 2010

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Criteria Societal Concerns

• Noise
• Aesthetics
• Ownership
• Public vs. private
• Environmental Concerns
• Transportation Considerations

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Societal Concerns Noise

• How is it produced?
• Generator
• Blades
• Common public concern
• 50 decibel limit at property boundary
• Solutions
• Insulation
• Placement
• Education
• Technology

20
Wind Farm Mtg 22Jan03, Princeton Wind Farm
Powerpoint
21
Societal Concerns Aesthetics

• Why is this a common concern?
• Elevation for clean air
• Intrusive
• Flicker

22
Societal Concerns Ownership

• Public Land
• Pros
• Inherent local government support
• Economics
• Availability
• Cons
• Public support required

• Private Land
• Pros
• Total control of project
• Cons
• More expensive
• Availability

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Societal Concerns Environmental Concerns

• Moral obligation to local wildlife
• Migratory paths
• Wetland preservation
• Endangered Species
• Lengthy regulatory process
• Notes of intent
• Special permits
• Public reaction
• More harm than good

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Societal Concerns Transportation Considerations

• Site access
• New roads
• Damage to back roads
• Congestion
• Construction phase
• Urban emphasis

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Site Comparisons

• Princeton, Massachusetts
• Public vs. private ownership
• Altamont Pass, California
• Environmental concerns
• Cape Wind
• Public concerns

• Top of Iowa
• Financing
• Cornwall, England
• Public support
• Hull, Massachusetts
• Physical characteristics
• Searsburg, Vermont
• Aesthetics

26
Princeton Wind Farm
Cape Wind Project
Altamont Pass Wind Farm
Top of Iowa Wind Farm
27
Wind turbines at Cornwall, England
Searsburg, Vermont Wind Farm
Wind turbine at Hull, Massachusetts
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Overview

• Worcester is in a position to support wind energy
• Political opportunity
• Available information
• Wind power suitability report
• Questions or comments