Wind Today - Q1 2008 - (Page 40)

Interview Willett Kempton, Ph.D. Associate Professor , University of Delaware Dr. Willett Kempton’s fields of interest include anthropological studies of environmental policy, marine policy, energy policy, citizens’ environmental values and actions, and cognitive anthropology. He is a research area leader of the University of Delaware’s working group on offshore wind power in the College of Marine Studies. Wind Today intereviewed Dr. Kempton by phone in December, 2007. How and when did you become interested How you interested offshor shore in offshore wind energy? At the College of Marine and Earth Studies we are measuring the beginning impacts of climate change, and have a very good understanding of the likely ultimate impacts over the next centuries. Some of us are trying to understand how to address this. In this region, we don’t have much in the way of land-based wind resources—almost none in Delaware, and not much on the east coast. Over the ocean, there are high—and much more steady—winds, than found in most land locations. We calculated the offshore wind resource, and it’s enough to power the coastal states from Massachusetts to North Carolina. Born: March 21, 1948 | Education: University of California, Berkeley. Postdoctoral training in quantitative anthropology with public policy emphasis, 1977-1978; University of Texas at Austin. Ph.D. in anthropology, 1977; University of Virginia, Charlosttesville. B.A. in sociology and anthropology, with background in electrical engineering and computer science, 1972 | Career: Associate Professor, 1999-present, Assistant Professor, 1995-1999, Graduate Collge of Marine Studies. Secondary appointments: Associate Professor, College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy, University of Delaware, 1992-present; Research Anthropologist, Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, Princeton University, 1985-1992; Research Associate, Family Energy Project, College of Human Ecology; and Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Michigan State University. 1980-1985. We have a team of atmospheric physicists, climate modelers, marine law and policy experts, sociology professionals who can do surveys and figure out why somebody is in favor of or against an offshore development, and, on the engineering side, people interested in fluid dynamics, vibration, and composites. Our group can put together a lot of the research needed to move the wind industry forward. you work cooperativ atively industry? Do you work cooperatively with the industry? As the state university, we are making filings and doing analysis of the economics of the Bluewater Wind Project “The offshore wind resource is enough to power the coastal states from Massachusetts to North Carolina.” — Willett Kempton, University of Delaware and its health impacts. Our team decided we wanted to be involved in this. Those involved in the project didn’t come and ask us to do it—we stepped in and offered advice and made filings before the public service commission regarding a contract that’s being evaluated now. Because we’re engaged in legal proceedings with the state of Delaware, we can’t apply to industry for grants because then we would seem to be a biased party. We are not getting any grants from wind companies right now. hav you Delaware What have you learned about Delaware view residents’ views about wind energy? We surveyed residents in a statistically valid sample of the whole state, including all utility areas. We oversampled the coast area, but then we balanced to get statewide per capita numbers. We asked, approximately, “Would you rather have an offshore wind farm that you could see out there, that might kill some birds; or would you rather continue to rely on natural gas and coal for most of our electricity with the environmmental effects of those.” Results indicated that 93% of the Delaware residents 40 WIND TODA Y First Quarter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wind Today - Q1 2008

Wind Today - Q1 2008 Contents Windpower 2008 U.S. Energy Map Canada Energy Map Global Report Options and Expectations for O&M Service Providers O&M Safety Issues for Wind Farms Guanting Wind Farm to Power 2008 Olympics Operating Economics of Wind Farms Long-Term Operating Costs Post-Warranty Energy Bill Incentives May Have Another Chance Wind Gears: A Closer Look at the Drive Train Elk River Wind Farm Should Lightning Be A Concern For Wind Farms? Interview: Steve Sawyer Zephyr Powers Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort WT News: United States & Canada Interview: Willett Kempton Centennial Wind Energy WT Transmission: Southwest Power Pool EPA's Top 25 Wind Power Projects 2008 RPS Update Mark Scher, MSE Power Systems Richard Legault, Helimax Second Wind Henkels & McCoy NRG Systems Apterra Technologies, Inc. Wind Resource Maps: Michigan and New York Calendar Glossary Product Surveys Ad Index

Wind Today - Q1 2008

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