A primer on wind energy planning for Nova Scotian municipalities

Transcription

1 A primer on wind energy planning for Nova Scotian municipalities There is a need for communities to continue open discussion on wind energy planning. To meet our Provincial renewable energy targets, it is expected that the number of large wind turbines installed in Nova Scotia will increase significantly in the coming years. To help facilitate proactive wind energy planning by communities, the Union of Nova Scotia Municipality s (UNSM's) Municipal Sustainability Office received funding from the Department of Energy for a pilot project. Both the Municipality of the County of Cumberland and the Municipality of the District of Shelburne were selected for this pilot to identify zones where the installation of large wind turbines is to be encouraged, discouraged or prohibited. This primer will assist other municipal governments in leading the proactive planning of larger wind energy projects. Stakeholder consultation, development criteria and opportunities mapping, and thoughtful planning policy are required for the development of successful wind energy projects and strong communities. There is no silver bullet that works for all municipalities in Nova Scotia; each municipality needs to develop their individual solution. Contents Wind Energy Sustainable Communities 3 Consultation 4 Mapping 6 Planning Policy 8 Resources 10

2 Climate change. Rising energy prices. Energy security. Sustainability. These are just some of the motivating factors for our Province to increase the amount of clean, secure sources of renewable energy generated in Nova Scotia. The Renewable Electricity Plan 1 outlines a regulated target of 25 percent renewable electricity by 2015, and set a goal of 40 percent by These are some of the most aggressive renewable electricity transformations in the world. Wind energy is expected to be a big part of this renewable electricity generation. Nova Scotia has a world class wind resource. Wind energy is one of the lowest cost forms of renewable energy. Wind energy offsets greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants. Wind energy is locally produced. As of April 2011, a total of 160 wind turbines were installed in Nova Scotian communities; these have the capacity to generate over 12% of our electricity requirements 2. Installation of more wind turbines are expected to meet our ambitious renewable energy targets. Wind energy may be harnessed at various scales; this may range from a single turbine or an array of large turbines on multiple properties. Small turbines are available for businesses or farms; these small turbines are often under 50 kw. Large turbines may be grouped as a utility sized wind farm or as an individual or a small grouping. Many industry organizations provide additional information on wind energy 3. Project ownership models can vary as much as wind energy projects themselves; these include local ownership, external developers or partnerships. In Nova Scotia, there are programs for enhanced net metering, community feed in tariff (COMFIT) and competitive bidding for independent power producers, typically for large projects 4. Like ownership, the end use of the electricity generated from the wind project will vary. For example, a COMFIT project must be designed so that the electricity is used locally on the distribution system while larger wind farms are connected to the transmission system. Undoubtedly having a suitable wind resource is necessary for siting wind turbines; a basic wind resource map is available to begin the planning process 5. There are many other considerations in wind energy planning, such as social, environmental, cultural, economic and technical aspects. All communities need to understand wind energy in terms of scale, ownership, and end use of the electricity. Education on wind energy from various views will greatly influence how a community envisions these projects fitting into their community 6, 7, 8, 9. Proactive wind energy planning requires meaningful stakeholder consultation, mapping of constraints and opportunities, and development of thoughtful land use policy. Well planned wind energy projects can be an essential part of strong, sustainable communities. Indeed to meet our renewable energy targets, good planning is essential. 2

3 The economy, society, culture and environment are components that are all essential to community sustainability. Nova Scotian municipalities recently completed Integrated Community Sustainability Plans (ICSPs). Renewable energy projects were part of many of the ICSPs that were prepared by our communities. As many Nova Scotians are concerned about climate change impacts, they want to make a difference by reducing greenhouse gas emissions with alternative energy projects, as well as energy conservation. Wind energy projects can foster community sustainability when projects are well planned with stakeholder consultation. Land use planning is the role of the municipal government in Nova Scotia as per the Municipal Government Act; this includes planning for turbines both large and small. Wind energy can benefit our communities in many ways, such as: Improving air quality and reducing greenhouse gases by reducing fossil fuel use; Creating local investment, e.g., land leases, municipal taxes, etc.; Increasing demand for local labour on project activities like site preparation, construction and maintenance; and Providing opportunities for education on climate change and positive actions, like renewable energy. Yet there are also risks associated with siting wind turbines (e.g., noise, visual impact, shadow flicker, bird and bat strikes, etc.). Nova Scotia has an environmental assessment process to address these issues for projects over 2MW 10 ; but land use planning decisions remain with local governments. As siting a large project, like a wind farm, can negatively impact a community, there needs to be education and dialogue on the potential benefits and risks. With municipal leadership to educate and consult, wind energy can find a best fit within sustainable communities. The Municipality of the County of Cumberland and the Municipality of the District of Shelburne completed their own proactive wind energy planning as part of the pilot project funded by the Department of Energy 11, 12. Best practices in wind energy planning, i.e., consultation, mapping, and planning policy, are described on the following pages using examples from these pilots and other initiatives. 3

4 To successfully plan for wind energy in a community, the municipality must educate and engage its residents. When a community is not well informed and does not trust the planning process, there will be less acceptance of the resulting project. Wind energy projects can have impacts both positive and negative. These must be acknowledged and local planning must provide a balance. For example, the size of utility wind turbines needs to be understood before they are constructed in your community. Source: Municipality of the County of Kings Large Scale Wind Turbine Public Participation Poster. Several governmental and nongovernmental organizations have produced educational materials on wind energy. For example, the Department of Energy prepared a Wind Toolkit 13 which provides basic information as a first step for municipalities and their residents, including a recent statement from the government of Ontario on potential health impacts 14. Education must be factual and present all perspectives. There are a variety of myths about wind energy; this leads to fear of noise, visual impact, etc. Education and openness will correct anti wind myths 15. Ideally there is early engagement of stakeholders to collectively make decisions based on openness and respect. Stakeholders are residents, businesses, First Nations communities, community groups, etc. Consultation allows residents to feel that they are being listened to and can influence the outcome. Best management practices have been developed by industry 16. If the residents and local government can actively plan for wind energy in their communities before a project is proposed, the discussion can focus around education and values. Developers can share their expertise as well. Joint fact finding allows a community to determine impacts before turbines are erected. Source: Pembina Institute. Wind Power Realities. eng wind factsheet.pdf 4

5 As part of the wind energy planning pilots, the Municipality of the County of Cumberland and the Municipality of the District of Shelburne consulted with their residents. While their goals were the same that is, provide basic education on wind energy and collect input for development of planning policy, their methods varied. There is no one right way to educate and consult residents. It is as individual as the municipality itself. For example, five open houses were set up in Cumberland; these were well advertised and completed in summer months to accommodate Cumberland s seasonal residents. In contrast, Shelburne set up wind energy education kiosks as part of four community events, and they held two open houses and two public meetings to review the draft policy; this represented a progression of public involvement. 5 Open houses on wind energy presented by the Municipality of the County of Cumberland in Both Cumberland and Shelburne shared handouts on wind energy. Both had surveys present at the consultation sessions and an online presence. Shelburne found it helpful to have an objective expert on hand during consultation sessions to help answer questions as municipal staff may not have the expertise. Generally residents supported wind energy development often with strong support for community scale energy. Residents were concerned about potential negative impacts; they wanted the municipal wind energy plans to provide protection for the residents. When a municipal government provides factual education and consultation opportunities for its residents, the community sees the value in this approach. Staff of both Cumberland and Shelburne heard of cynicism of residents on information presented by developers. They also both heard that residents want more research on impacts of wind energy, especially large projects. While education and consultation are essential parts of wind energy planning, it is not easy for residents to agree on separation distances of residences from large wind turbines. Both pilots shared mapping with the residents to demonstrate the impact of various distances on potential development. Indeed there is no magic distance for separation that is ideal for all sites; it is a balance as too large a distance may limit turbine potential while too small a number may result in unacceptable impacts. Accordingly consultation needs to continue. Municipalities must have public meetings when the policies are revised. Outside of this, residents should be updated regularly for an ongoing dialogue. This should include policies for consultation on specific projects.

6 Mapping of criteria and opportunities for wind energy projects will put the planning exercise quickly into context. Availability of a goodwind resource is a necessity to develop wind energy. There is a Province wide wind resource atlas 5 ; as it is at a lower resolution, it provides only an initial understanding of possibilities. Some municipalities, like Cumberland, have developed their own wind resource mapping to get a more accurate picture. This can increase understanding of wind resource by residents and developers alike; areas that had been considered a lower wind resource may be found to be feasible for turbine development. But it is not that easy. There are other considerations for large wind projects outside of wind resource technical, social, ecological, cultural, and economic considerations, including: Proximity to the electrical grid and available capacity; Locations of homes and other buildings; Presence of natural features like wetlands, important bird areas, and other significant habitats; Cultural value of the view plane; Ownership of the land; and Economic feasibility which can vary over time. Wind Resource of Cape Breton (80m) Nova Scotia Wind Atlas Source: Example of Ecological Constraints on Isle Madame Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Significant Habitats of Nova Scotia Source: Once some general criteria are mapped, the policy implications can be shown. These may be areas where municipalities and their residents want to encourage, discourage or prohibit turbines. These decisions may vary for sizes of turbines and can restrict wind energy development. Both pilots developed various setback options for large turbines to show the effect on available areas for turbines. It is about balance increasingwindenergy capacitywhile protecting the community and its environs from negative impacts. By mapping various policies, like setbacks or zoning, stakeholders can see the potential effect. Many municipalities will find several locations for large wind farms, while some may find that opportunities appear limited. Yet smaller and domestic turbines may be planned differently. It is about balance of economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects this is community sustainability. 6

7 As part of creating theirwind energy development plan, both Shelburne and Cumberland developed mapping. This showed development criteria and therefore opportunities for wind energy projects. Mapping showing large turbine setbacks of 550m from residences for discussion by the Municipality of the District of Shelburne Areas potentially suitable for wind energy development as per constraint mapping by the Municipality of the District of Shelburne Again, the objective of mapping is to use basic information to better understand opportunities and implications of policy. Mapping of ecological areas from available data does not replace field work associated with environmental assessment of projects greater than 2MW in size, i.e., utility scale. Mapping serves as an excellent consultation tool. For example, Shelburne residents wanted preservation of historic view planes from the waterfront of the Town of Shelburne; therefore, utility scale wind energy development is prohibited here and community scale wind energy is allowed only via a conditional permit. Mapping of the wind resource, necessary infrastructure and criteria for development will assist in developing thoughtful planning policy that attempts to find that balance. It is not a linear process; mapping will serve discussion with all stakeholders, including residents, government and industry. Mapping of criteria may identify opportunities for wind turbines domestic, small and large as well as areas where such turbines should be prohibited. Thoughtful planning policy should seek to encourage turbines in areas where the community will be supportive, as well as discouraging wind turbines in other areas. Indeed planning policy should evolve from iterations with mapping of development criteria and opportunities in concert with stakeholder consultation. 7

8 Municipal governments can create thoughtful planning policy for wind energy development based on consultations with stakeholders using development criteria and opportunities mapping. Planning policy for wind turbines can take many forms. There is no right answer. Indeed, there is no consensus on the best way to plan for wind energy in Nova Scotia, in Canada or internationally. A review of best practices for Nova Scotian municipalities was completed in 2008, as well as development of a model wind turbine bylaw 17. As many municipal governments have since developed or updated their bylaws, UNSM has consolidated information as of late Refer to the Nova Scotian guide for landowners and communities for details on wind energy development 19. There are numerous mechanisms and combinations available. Four types 17 are listed below in order of increasing labour intensity of municipal staff: Development permits, i.e., as of right development; Land use bylaw amendments; Site plan approval; and Development agreements. There are pros and cons of each mechanism. For example, as of right development is straightforward though it requires a generic approach and there are minimal consultation opportunities. While a development agreement is often a cumbersome process, it prescribes formal consultation. Practical considerations, such as municipal staff resources and ability of council s decision to be appealed, also need to be taken into consideration. In accordance with Nova Scotian policies 4, small wind turbines are those with an output of 50 kw or less based on industry standards. Yet Shelburne and Cumberland have used different definitions. For example, Shelburne has identified small scale turbines as under 100kW. Yet Cumberland has approached it differently; they have identified turbines with a height under 25m as domestic rather than stipulate by capacity. Turbines under 100kW are identified as small, whereas all other turbines are considered large. Some municipalities may identify projects over 2MW as utility scale due to the provincial environmental assessment requirement 10. The approach to planning mechanisms, use of separation distances or setbacks, and identification of size categories are all as individual as the municipality; these decisions should fit within the selected policy types and the views expressed by stakeholders. Provincial policy, best practices, and technologies will all change over time. A planning policy developed today may not be current in a year or two. Planning policies should address this. For example, Shelburne has committed to biannual reviews. While formal reviews must be noted in the planning documents, in house amendments are often made to address new information on best practices for planning of wind turbines. Development of proactive planning policy with public consultation and criteria mapping is an ongoing and iterative process. 8

9 As Cumberland had an existing bylaw respecting wind energy development, staff opted to revise the language to include concerns identified by residents. The separation distance of 500m (or three times height of the turbine if greater) remained the same, but provisions were included to respond to residents concerns; these must be met for a development permit to be issued. Staff felt that as of right development with special requirements was the most appropriate approach for their municipality. By contrast, Shelburne had no existing land use controls; they were developing a single issue plan. Due to minimal staff resources, they opted for as of right development with a conditional development permit using separation distances, as well as evidence of public consultation. Specific planning frameworks for each turbine size classification were used, as well as protection of the historical view plane from the Town of Shelburne. Noise is one of the largest considerations in siting wind turbines; generic noise models often determine setbacks, e.g., Ontario s provincial approach where separation distances start at 550m. Many residents are concerned about audible sound pressure levels, and some are also concerned about health effects of low frequency sound. Some municipalities opt to include provisions for sound pressure limits in their planning policy. While others will base setbacks on generic sound pressure levels. In any case, it is necessary to consider the staff resources required to enforce sound pressure limits and to update policy to reflect best available data. At present, Ontario has a series of separation distances based on noise modeling to achieve 40dBA at the nearest residence 14. Nonetheless, noise is defined as unwanted sound. Where residents do not support a wind energy project, any perceptible sound may be unwanted. Consultation during the planning of specific projects is as important as consulting residents during proactive development of wind energy policy. Planning policy should require consultation during project development. For example, Shelburne requires evidence of community consultation for a development permit. While there are best practices for developers 16, policy mechanisms for increasing community consultation as part of project development are needed. Consultation is an ongoing and necessary process. Community engagement is progressive from education to proactive policy to project development. 9

10 Below provides additional information from a variety of viewpoints. 1 Nova Scotia Department of Energy. April Renewable Electricity Plan. 2 Nova Scotia Power. (Website). Interactive Map of Nova Scotia s Wind Energy. 3 Canadian Wind Energy Association. (Website). Wind Energy and Wind Facts. 4 Nova Scotia Department of Energy. (Website). Renewable Electricity in Nova Scotia. 5 Nova Scotia Department of Energy Nova Scotia Wind Atlas. 6 Pembina Institute. (Website). Energy Source: Wind Energy. 7 Nova Scotia Department of Energy. (Website). Nova Scotia Renewables Public Education in Wind Energy. education/wind/ 8 Clean Nova Scotia. (Website). Wind Energy in Nova Scotia. 9 National Wind Watch. (Website). Presenting the facts about industrial wind power. watch.org 10 Nova Scotia Environment. May Updated September Proponent s Guide to Wind Power Projects: Guide for Preparing an Environmental Assessment Registration Document. Proponents WindPowerProjects.pdf 11 Municipality of the County of Cumberland. August Cumberland Wind Energy Development Plan Municipality of the District of Shelburne. May Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw L Nova Scotia Department of Energy. April Wind Toolkit Chief Medical Officer of Health (ON). May The Potential Health Impact of Wind Turbines Environmental Defence. June Blowing Smoke Correcting Anti Wind Myths in Ontario. smoke correcting anti wind myths in ontario 16 Canadian Wind Energy Association. January Best Practices for Community Engagement and Public Consultation. communityengagement report e finalweb.pdf 17 Jacques Whitford. January Model Wind Turbine By laws and Best Practices for Nova Scotia Municipalities Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities Responses to Wind Energy Bylaws Questionnaire Pembina Institute Wind Energy in Nova Scotia: A guide for landowners and communities. This primer on wind energy planning has been prepared by Janis Rod, P.Eng., an environmental consultant who has worked with communities, government and developers on renewable energy projects, and focused her thesis on early stakeholder engagement for large, onshore wind farms. This effort was supported by UNSM s Municipal Sustainability Office and the two municipalities, Municipality of the County of Cumberland and the Municipality of the District of Shelburne, who completed their own proactive wind energy planning as part of the pilot project funded by the Department of Energy. We thank Nova Scotia Department of Energy for funding development of this primer.