Wind Ordinances: Best Practices

1
Wind Ordinances Best Practices

• Elise Brown
• Renewable Energy Coordinator
• Utah State Energy Program

2
Why Wind Energy?

• Local economic development
• Price-stable
• On-site generation reduces utility peak demands
• Low maintenance reliable energy
• Inexhaustible
• Conserves finite resources for future generations
• Increases energy independence

3
Need for Wind Zoning

• Proactive rather than reactive
• Addresses all types of wind, small and large.
• Removes barriers such as time and cost
• Ensures compatibility with existing land uses
• Address environmental concerns upfront
• Allows for public participation and consensus
  building.

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Senate Joint Resolution 1 Model Renewable
Energy Ordinances

• Worked with a number of stakeholders including
  State Energy Program, Utah Clean Energy, Wasatch
  Wind, America Wind Energy Association (AWEA),
  Department of Energy, etc.
• Tasked with developing model ordinance this year
  and reporting to legislature.
• Governors Office of Planning and Budget has this
  ordinance posted on their website

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Small Wind Systems

• On site systems for home, farm, school or small
  business.
• Defined in ordinance as less than 100kW
• Grid tied or stand alone
• Can be combined with other renewable energy
  systems such as solar

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Small Wind System Types

• Smaller is generally louder
• Turbine life 20-30 years

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Commercial Scale Wind

• Heights range from 40 meters to 80 meters
• Reliable range of 14-30 mph winds
• Open spaces most desirable
• Proximity to transmission and distribution
• Require wind resource assessment (anemometers)
• Designed to stop at extreme speeds

8
Standards Height

• Height Wind quantity quality (Impact on
  economic feasibility)
• Vertical distance reduces noise at ground level
• Height above structures and trees
• Hub Height
• Small Wind 120
• Commercial Wind 150 - 260
• (80 meter for met towers)
• Ground clearance of moving parts25-30
• Consider exemptions from existing height
  limitations
• Set structure heights in all districts increases
  predictability of the wind environment.

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Standards Aesthetic Considerations

• Require conditional use permits for special
  character districts (historic areas, scenic
  by-ways)
• Require maintenance
• Restrict colors to neutral colors beige, gray
  and white
• Restrict advertising
• Stipulations for removal and land reclamation

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Standards Sound / Noise

• Usually masked by ambient sounds
• Modern turbines are much quieter
• Commercial turbine is 45 db at 300 ft
• Restrict to 60 dBa from nearest inhabited
  structure.
• Allow for variations during storms and other
  events
• Visit Spanish Fork wind farm

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Standards Safety

• Lock utility boxes
• Ensure that ladders are at least 10 ft from the
  ground if accessible by public
• Setbacks at 110 of top of rotor to ground.

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Standards Setbacks

• Setbacks are recommended over a minimum lot size.
• Typical standards are 110 - 150 of rotor
  tower from property line, public rights-of-way,
  and utility transmission lines
• Alternative compliance exceptions
• Building inspector certify installation
• Adjacent owners sign agreement

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Wildlife Considerations Bats

• Recent studies show that increased number of bat
  mortalities have been found at large scale wind
  farms.
• Current Biology article found barotrauma.
• More studies are underway, ecosystem effects are
  unclear.
• Anabat meters now being used in wind studies.

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Wildlife Considerations Birds

• Some raptors are killed at wind sites.
• Avoid migratory corridors
• Audubon Society endorses wind when sited properly
• Best practices suggest that any large wind farm
  should be subject to local wildlife office
  inspection and approval.
• Public should have chance to comment.

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Wildlife Considerations Sage Grouse

• Studies suggest that Sage Grouse avoid vertical
  structures
• Best practices 4 miles from any identified lek,
  OR line of sight. Utah Division of Wildlife.
• Many studies underway, we will know more next
  year.
• Sage Grouse is expected to be listed as
  threatened or endangered in Summer of 2009.
• http//www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/birds/
  sagegrouse/

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Wildlife Considerations Sage Grouse

• Leks can be obtained from the Utah Division of
  Wildlife, but require a Government Records Access
  Management Act (GRAMA) request.
• Protected information that cannot be shared with
  the public.

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Where do we go from here?

• The model ordinance will be sent out to the Wind
  Working Group Listserv and everyone here today.
• If you would like to see something added or
  amended, please send written comment via email or
  post by 07/31/09.
• The Utah State Energy Program will compile the
  comments and we will address them as a group in
  our next meeting.

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Questions

• Elise Brown
• Renewable Energy Coordinator
• Utah State Energy Program
• [phone]
• elisebrown_at_utah.gov
• 1594 W. North Temple
• Ste3110
• Salt Lake City, UT 84114