1. Wind Energyin the Appalachians Cost / Benefit Analysis Blue Ridge Mountain Defenders
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3. 1992 Rio Declaration states: The best environmental policy is to protect the environmental systems as a priority, in particular where the results of an action are unknown.
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5. How are we responsible stewards of the earth if by attempting to conserve resources in one area (e.g., producing clean energy) we are at the same time causing destruction in other areas of the environment?
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7. Island of Green Mountain ridges are just as fragile as Wetlands
10. Water Degradation (cont.) Contamination of groundwater aquifers will affect springs & wells, & ultimately rivers & reservoirs. Contamination of surface water will affect spring water for homes. AFTER BEFORE
11. Oil in Turbines Leaking oil can enter soil & both surface & groundwater. Oil will add fuel to forest fires caused by lightning, mechanical problems, or carelessness.
12. Contrary to popular opinion, due to their inefficiency in energy production, wind turbine installations DO NOT REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT.
26. Unusual Mammal Residents of the Blue Ridge Mountains Jumping Mouse Eastern Woodrat Red-backed Vole Long-tailed Shrew Spotted Skunk
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29. Benefits, cont’. Provides financial revenue … stream to the property owner. Estimate: $7,000 -$10,000 per turbine per year /gross Provides financial revenue … stream to Roanoke County government. Estimate: $800,000 -$1,000,000 per year /gross Provides jobs. One or two fulltime plus periodic maintenance and support personnel, annually. During construction, local graders, excavators and raw materials suppliers will be hired to assist the specialty construction workforce, who installs the turbines.
30. Costs ONE HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS for 15 wind turbines on Poor Mtn. Funding? 30% Federal and other grants and subsidies ; not including annual maintenance subsidies or investment tax incentives 30% Federally-insured loans 30% private investment 10% wind developer & turbine manufacturer – “…they have no skin in the game.”Larry Summers, WSJ Oct 2010
31. Costs, cont’. PLUS Higher Electricity Rates Renewable Energy Credits 1 Mwh = 1 REC 31 States have Renewable Portfolio Standards enacted that require power companies to supply a designated percentage of electricity distributed in the state, to be from renewable energy providers. – A False Market Power companies are routinely granted rate increases by the states, to pay for this relatively scarce electricity resource. So, while the taxpayer provides the majority of the funding for this industry, the consumers pay still MORE!
32. Costs, cont’. Appropriated Land Area ~ 2000 A tract / 18 turbines x 2.5 MW = 44 ½ acres per Mw in the Appalachian Mountains Poor Mtn.: 4.75 miles of new 100’ wide (minimum) access corridors on the ridges to connect each 3 to 5 acre turbine site. –Denuded Areas Little or No CO2 benefit in the Appalachian Mountains Wind is intermittent, therefore supplemental Coal will likely remain on line in the Appalachians for base load requirements. Beech Ridge Wind Energy Center, WV
33. Scope 15?, 18?, 36?, 54? 1.5Mw?, 2.5Mw?, 4Mw? on Bent Mountain & Poor Mountain in Roanoke County Are we considering 15 or 18 turbines on Poor Mountain... or …thousands on Appalachian ridges across Virginia
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35. 6 Years Data from local automatic weather station
37. Local & Statewide professional resourcesBlue Ridge Mountains Floyd County
38. In March 2010, Invenergy stated there proposed 15 turbine project would be capable of generating enough electricity to provide for 10,000 Roanoke Valley homes. Our Finding: 5,104 Homes LESS 10% Transmission/ Distribution Losses (510) 4,594 Homes Annually
39. Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area Population: 303,200 Households based upon US Census Data: 2.2 per household 138,000 Electricity Requirement for RMSA 541 – 2.5 Mw Wind Turbines 44.5 x 541 x 2.5 = 6o,186 Acres of Mountain
40. Can site basedgeneration systems be a better clean energy solution? Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Solar Panels Bloom Boxes All provide equal or greater supplement in both urban & rural locations and reduce transmission and distribution losses Vertical Axis Wind Turbine VAWT
41. Does the placement of industrial scale wind turbines near rural communities benefit one segment of society, while exploiting vulnerable rural populations and ecosystems?
Hinweis der Redaktion
Thanks, EdWhen we started this presentation, we introduced you to our evaluation process as a Cost/Benefit Analysis.Up to this point in our presentation we’ve focused upon our potential environmental losses. Now, we need to review the benefits.As a result of the introduction of this alternative mass electrical generation industry, we’ve been given a unique opportunity appreciate our extraordinary living environment in the Blue Ridge.Provides electrical energy without atmospheric pollution, with the exception of supply and maintenance service provider industries.By reasoning of displacement, the wind developers suggest Metric Tonnes of elimination of “greenhouse gas production”On Poor Mountain, March 2010, the wind developer stated that a proposed 15 turbines would produce enough clean energy for 10,000 Roanoke Valley Homesand eliminate 98,ooo mT of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere.