The Institutional Investor Guide to Modern Energy - (Page 11) Co-Published by Vestas “Wind energy must further reduce its environmental footprint if it is to succeed as a pure and reliable green brand.” Peter Brun, Vestas “The secret is to find the most optimum placement of turbines,” says Christensen, “and that’s where there’s no formula.” Christensen and his team of 15 engineers use computer simulation and ever-more sophisticated computers, helping assuage visual impact concerns while also maximizing energy output. To combat noise, turbine designers have made significant progress by changing the thickness of the blades’ trailing edges, and by placing machines “upwind” rather than “downwind,” so that the wind hits the rotor blades first, then the tower. Finally, a small amount of noise is then generated by the mechanical components of the turbine, though this also can be greatly reduced by using direct drive turbines which have no gearbox or drive train and, consequently, no high-speed mechanical components. Brun says Vestas and the industry want to continue to push the green boundaries so that its customers can more easily make the case that they’re doing the right thing for the environment.“If we’re leading the battle on new energy,” he adds, “then we need to eliminate any scent of a bad agenda.” n national advocacy group analyses the impact and benefits of industrial wind energy development. One offshore wind project that has been controversial since it was first unveiled in 2001 is Cape Wind, slated for a site about five miles off the shore of Cape Cod in Nantucket Sound. The wind farm would cost more than $1 billion and include 130 turbines spanning an area of 24 square miles — about the size of Manhattan. It has been opposed by homeowners and boaters on Cape Cod, including Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy. In addition to the questionable aesthetics of seeing 440-foot tall turbines off the coastline, opponents say the project would harm birds and bats flying over the area and adversely impact fishermen, ships and aircraft traveling through fog over the sound, says Glenn Wattley, chief executive officer and president of The Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, in Hyannis, Mass. Government Support Crucial “We support renewable energy. But this is like putting a project right in the middle of Yellowstone Park,” says Wattley, a mechanical engineer who has worked as a consultant for the energy industry. “Let’s stop all this silliness. Let’s not cut corners here and let’s do this right.” Wattley referred to Bluewater Wind’s proposal to build a wind farm 23 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard as a viable project that would not endanger ships nor damage fishermen’s fortunes. Mark Rodgers, a spokesman for Energy Management Inc., the developer of Cape Wind, says that since 2001, the developers have made 400 presentations at meetings held by civic and school groups, government entities and others while gaining the support of organized labor and environmentalists. The project also has the support of Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, who wants his state to be a leader in creating alternative energy sources. In January, he set a goal of developing 2,000 MW of wind power capacity by 2020, enough to power 800,000 homes. The state now has only nine large wind turbines that can turn out 6.6 MW. “We’ve seen this project as a response to public policy goals to build up more renewable energy sources,” says Rodgers, who works in the company’s North Falmouth, Mass. office. “In any heavily populated area, any infrastructure project is going to have opposition.” Even in less populated areas, energy companies recognize the value of working with all stakeholders when developing a wind venture. Duke Energy worked successfully with all stakeholders — including the public, community organizations, neighbors and government and elected officials at the federal, state and local levels — when proposing the Campbell Hill Windpower Project in Casper, Wyo., says Gregory G. Efthimiou, a spokesman for the Charlotte, N.C.-based power company. “We held open house meetings in all venues and invited the public. We met with public officials in multiple counties,” says Efthimiou, adding that Duke also worked with environmental groups and federal agencies to assess the project’s impact on wildlife habitat, bird nesting patterns and area wetlands. Construction is about to begin and the 66 wind turbines, expected to generate 99 MW, are scheduled to be online by year’s end. “We learned a lot from other projects and learned to do a better job,” says Efthimiou, referring to Duke’s smaller Happy Jack Windpower Project near Cheyenne, Wyo. “The challenges of these projects must be met on a caseby-case basis,” he says. n * Not In My Back Yard This Special Report was prepared by the Special Projects Department of Institutional Investor. March 2009 • Institutional Investor Guide to Modern Energy • 11
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