Permitting Small Wind Turbines: A Handbook Learning from the California Experience

Transcription

1 Permitting Small Wind Turbines: A Handbook Learning from the California Experience

2 Why Small Wind? Abundant, renewable, and non-polluting Enhances reliability, eases demand on the power grid Diversifies state s energy supply portfolio Increases energy independence Promotes customer choice

3 Kern County Tom and Angela Rhamy cut their power bills in half with their hybrid solar/wind energy system; with the help of state incentives, their system will pay for itself in 5-7 years. Kern County hosts 22 small wind installations.

4 What are small wind turbines? Small Wind Energy Systems Typically less than 100 kw Rotors 23 inches to 21 feet in diameter, mounted on 65- to 120-foot towers Suitable for rural farms or residences Can operate in areas with Class 2-3 wind resources

5 In contrast, large wind turbine arrays Industrial-Scale Wind Farms Multiple MW turbines Rotors measuring 150+ feet in diameter mounted on 200- foot tall towers Produce power for sale to utilities and resale to retail customers Require Class 4-5 wind resources

6 Highlights of Siting Handbook Siting considerations and tips for communicating with neighbors Case Studies: Permitting experiences and ordinances in select California counties Permitting checklist, key provisions of AB 1207 Best Practices for Counties Do s & Don ts Extensive reference section: Publications, agencies and incentive programs for small wind turbines Utility and County officials contact information Turbine manufacturers and distributors Wind maps and rankings of windy acreage by County and zip code Small wind installations by County

7 Siting Considerations Adequate wind resource? Contact the county planning department and local utility Neighborliness issues: noise, aesthetics, property values, electronic interference Safety, air traffic Avian risk Acquire permit, utility interconnection

8 Adequate Wind Resources Small wind turbines require less robust wind resources than large commercial turbines Detailed wind maps are available for residents and county officials, available from California Energy Commission online at: maps/wind.html or Call Site-specific terrain effects determine project economics

9 Maximum Requirements Under AB 1207 Small wind turbines must be certified by the CEC, comply with building and electric codes Notice of application to install a small wind turbine need only be provided to property owners within 300 feet of the property on which the installation is proposed No part of the system, including guy wires, may be closer than 30 feet to the property boundary; comply with fire setbacks and FAA requirements if near runways

10 Contact County Planning Department Determine if small wind systems are addressed by your local ordinance If not, small wind turbine are allowable use, subject to provisions of California Government Code (f) AB 1207 establishes consistent, statewide standards to achieve the timely and cost-effective installation of small wind energy systems Specifically, AB 1207 sets (maximum) restrictions on: Minimum parcel size Minimum allowable tower height Setback requirements Noise levels Neighbor notification

11 San Luis Obispo County Joe Mathewson was impressed by the permitting staff in his county they were friendly and accepting, even though there were many unknowns Now his system helps irrigate his 40 acre vineyard, and cuts his power bill from $1000 to $200 San Luis Obispo has 5 small wind installations.

12 Tower Height Matters Towers up to 65 feet are allowed on properties 1-5 acres; up to 80 feet on properties 5 acres or more Taller towers are not prohibited by state law Avoid obstructions go for high ground; position turbine at least 30 feet above nearby features Higher towers mean more wind and greatly increased output Putting a wind turbine on a short tower is like putting a solar array in the shade

13 Aesthetics Visibility impact depends on height, topography, and direction Consistent with rural and agricultural land use features Comparable to utility poles, water towers, cellular phone towers, or satellite dishes Property rights and contribution to electricity supply should be weighed against aesthetic concerns

14 Noise Drops sharply with distance; complaints are rare Under AB 1207, noise levels must not exceed 60 db(a) as measured from the closest neighboring inhabited dwelling Background noise usually masks wind turbine noise A noise reading taken 25 feet away from a turbine will drop by a factor of four at 50 feet, and by a factor of 16 at 1000 feet

15 Sound Study 10 kw Bergey Wind Generator Location: Suisun, CA - Ledgewood Creek Vineyard (July 9, 2001) Wind Speed: 19 to 24 mph Wind System: Bergey 10 kw Excel-S wind generator - 80 tower Distances: Sound measured downwind at 20, 50, 100, 150 & 200 Investigator: Bernard L. Krause, Ph.D., President, Wild Sanctuary, Inc. Results: Distance Wind Turbine on Wind Turbine off 20 ft dba 45.7 dba 50 ft dba 45.8 dba 100 ft dba 48.1 dba 150 ft dba 44.4 dba 200 ft dba 44.3 dba

16 Other siting considerations Avian Risk Statistically, a sliding-glass door is a greater threat to birds than a small unlighted wind turbine California Audubon endorsed AB 1207, noting lesser concern of impacts from small wind turbines Air Traffic Safety Federal Aviation Administration does not require lighting on towers less than 200 feet tall Approval only needed for structures more than 200 feet tall or within 10,000-20,000 feet of runways Townships in close proximity to Edwards Air Force Base Flight Test Center subject to military notification requirements

17 Other siting considerations Property Values Surrounding property values are not effected negatively, in fact they have been shown to increase Electronic Interference Small wind turbines do not interrupt telecommunications or radio wave transmissions

18 Other permit requirements Compliance with Uniform Building Code (UBC) Standard drawings and an engineering analysis of the tower showing compliance with the UBC or the CA Building Standards Code is required accompany the building permit application. Wet stamp is not required. Compliance with National Electric Code (NEC) A line drawing of electrical components in sufficient detail to allow confirmation of NEC compliance shall accompany the building permit application. Wet stamp is not required.

19 Utility Interconnection Federal law (PURPA) requires that all utilities allow customer-owned generators to interconnect with the grid CA requires utilities to offer net metering and sign an interconnection agreement Off-grid systems do not need to notify the utility The California Energy Commission (CEC) offers a Emerging Renewable Program with a waiting list for small wind rebates on equipment

20 AWEA s Recommendations American Wind Energy Association has created a Model Zoning Ordinance to help local officials update permit requirements for small wind turbines, available at: It is very important to standardize and streamline the proper issuance of building permits for small wind energy systems Counties and small turbine owners have provided the following lessons learned

21 Best Practices for Counties Recognize that small wind turbines: Reduce the threat of blackouts Contribute to national security Reduce dependence on polluting forms of electric generation Are community assets Make sure fee structure is not discouraging total permitting costs should not exceed 2% of capital cost Consider example of San Bernardino County, which has altered ordinances to promote small wind and taller towers Use engineering analysis and standard drawings to review tower design integrity Identify a model project and set a high standard for staff to be prepared to address misconceptions Refer to AB 1207 when in doubt

22 Guidance for Counties Don t supersede FAA lighting requirements Don t require small wind to obtain conditional use permits; instead, create a permitted use designation Don t arbitrarily prohibit wind turbines on ridgelines; consider merits of individual sites Don t require turbines to blend into the environment; require mitigation only when there is a clear public benefit Privately financed infrastructures do not typically require a bond or performance security for removal, so don t require it for small wind turbines Do not require fencing unless public safety is a particular concern at a given site

23 Small Wind Publications and Websites Permitting Small Wind Turbines: A Handbook American Wind Energy Association Buying a Small Wind Electric System A California Consumer s Guide _WIND_GUIDE.PDF California Energy Commission - Consumer Energy Center Renewable Energy Atlas of the West: A Guide to the Region s Resource Potential

24 Small Wind Government Contacts California Energy Commission Guidebook for the Emerging Renewables Rebate Program F.PDF U.S. Department of Energy Wind Energy Program Wind Powering America