Exploring Wind Teacher Guide

Exploring Wind EnergyTeacher GuideHands-on, critical thinking activities that help secondary students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, economic, environmental, technological, and societal aspects of wind energy.

Grade Level:Pri

Ele

IntSec Secondary

Science

Subject Areas:

Language Arts

Technology

Social Studies

Math

2017-2018

2 Exploring Wind Energy Teacher Guide

Teacher Advisory BoardConstance BeattyKankakee, IL

Amy Constant - SchottRaleigh, NC

James M. BrownSaratoga Springs, NY

Nina CorleyGalveston, TX

Linda FonnerNew Martinsville, WV

Shannon DonovanGreene, RI

Samantha Forbes

Vienna, VA

Michelle Garlick

Bob Hodash

DaNel HoganTucson, AZ

Greg HolmanParadise, CA

Barbara LazarAlbuquerque, NM

Robert LazarAlbuquerque, NM

Leslie LivelyPorters Falls, WV

Jennifer Mitchell - Winterbottom Pottstown, PA

Mollie MukhamedovPort St. Lucie, FL

Don Pruett Jr.Puyallup, WA

Judy ReevesLake Charles, LA

Tom SpencerChesapeake, VA

Jennifer Trochez MacLeanLos Angeles, CA

Wayne YonkelowitzFayetteville, WV

Robert GriegolietNaperville, IL

Erin GockelFarmington, NM

Long Grove, IL

Printed on Recycled Paper

NEED Mission StatementThe mission of The NEED Project is to promote an energy conscious and educated society by creating effective networks of students, educators, business, government and community leaders to design and deliver objective, multi-sided energy education programs.

Permission to CopyNEED curriculum is available for reproduction by classroom teachers only. NEED curriculum may only be reproduced for use outside the classroom setting when express written permission is obtained in advance from The NEED Project. Permission for use can be obtained by contacting [email protected].

Teacher Advisory Board In support of NEED, the national Teacher Advisory Board (TAB) is dedicated to developing and promoting standards-based energy curriculum and training.

Energy Data Used in NEED MaterialsNEED believes in providing teachers and students with the most recently reported, available, and accurate energy data. Most statistics and data contained within this guide are derived from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Data is compiled and updated annually where available. Where annual updates are not available, the most current, complete data year available at the time of updates is accessed and printed in NEED materials. To further research energy data, visit the EIA website at www.eia.gov.

1.800.875.5029www.NEED.org

© 2017

www.eia.gov

www.need.org

© 2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA 20110 1.800.875.5029 www.NEED.org 3

Table of Contents Standards Correlation Information 4

Materials 5

Teacher Guide 7

Wind Energy Bingo Instructions 20

Rubrics for Assesment 22

Wind Energy Assessment 23

Wind Gauge Master 24

Forms of Energy Master 25

4-Blade Windmill Template 26

Genecon Activities 27

Measuring Electricity Master 28

Basic Measurement Values in Electronics Master 29

Turbine Assembly Instructions 30

Benchmark Blade Template 32

Calculating Wind Power Activity 33

Baseload Balance

Student Information 34

Game Board 36

Game Pieces 38

Generation Parameters 40

Hang Tag Template 41

Incident Cards 46

Cheat Sheet 47

Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm Activity 48

Wind Energy Bingo 51

Evaluation Form 55

Exploring Wind Energy

Exploring Wind Energy was developed by The NEED Project with funding from the American Wind Energy Association.

Exploring Wind Energy Kit 2 Alligator Clips 1 Anemometer 30 Binder clips 1 Compass 1 Genecon with booklet 1 Roll masking tape 2 Multimeters 30 Pencils 75 Snow cone cups 1 Box straight pins 100 Extra-long straws 30 Small straws 1 Wind gauge 1 Wind vane 30 Student Guides

KidWind™ Kit Materials Blade materials sheets (balsa and corrugated plastic sheets) 150 Dowels 10 Airfoil blades 10 Hubs 2 Tower and base setups 2 Geared nacelles 1 Power output pack 2 Gear sets 1 Sandpaper sheet 1 Visual Voltmeter Blade pitch protractor

Cover Photo: 135MW Judith Gap Wind Farm. Photo by Invenergy, NREL 14371


Standards Correlation Informationwww.NEED.org/curriculumcorrelations

Next Generation Science Standards This guide effectively supports many Next Generation Science Standards. This material can satisfy performance expectations, science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and cross cutting concepts within your required curriculum. For more details on these correlations, please visit NEED’s curriculum correlations website.

Common Core State Standards This guide has been correlated to the Common Core State Standards in both language arts and mathematics. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED curriculum correlations website.

Individual State Science Standards This guide has been correlated to each state’s individual science standards. These correlations are broken down by grade level and guide title, and can be downloaded as a spreadsheet from the NEED website.

www.need.org/curriculumcorrelations


Exploring Wind Energy Materials

ACTIVITY MATERIALS IN KIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDED

Measuring Wind Speed

Pencils Snow cone cups Extra-long straws Straight pins Masking tape Anemometer

Wind gauge Wind vane Compass

Hole punches Markers Scissors Watches with second hand or stopwatches Rulers

Wind Can Do Work Extra-long straws Small straws Binder clips Straight pins Masking tape

Large foam cups (approximately 14 cm tall) Rulers Hole punches Markers String or thread Paper clips Fan(s) Scissors

Introduction to Electricity

Dowels Turbine tower set-up (assembled)* Genecon and booklet Alligator clips

Masking tape Hubs

Poster board Small light bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) Fan Glue

Wind Blade Investigations

Dowels Visual voltmeter Hubs Blade pitch protractors Sandpaper Masking tape

Scissors Fan(s) Pennies or other masses Rulers Poster board Glue

Blade Aerodynamics

Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)* Hub Dowels Airfoil blades Masking tape Blade pitch protractor Multimeter

Glue Fan

Blade Design Challenge

Dowels Blade materials (flat balsa sheets, corrugated plastic sheets) Hubs Masking tape Multimeters Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)* Sandpaper Visual voltmeter Blade pitch protractor

Alternative blade materials Glue Scissors Fan(s) Rulers Stopwatches or watches with second hand

NOTE: You can build your own turbine towers using PVC pipe. For directions, visit www.NEED.org.*See pages 30-31 for turbine tower assembly instruction.

Multimeters Turbine tower set-ups (assembled)*


ACTIVITY MATERIALS IN KIT ADDITIONAL MATERIALS NEEDEDBaseload Balance Tape

Scissors String Erasers Colored paper Rope Marker boards Dry-erase markers


&BackgroundExploring Wind Energy is an inquiry-based unit with Teacher and Student Guides containing comprehensive background information on wind energy and electricity generation. Through hands-on inquiry investigations, reading nonfiction text, and critical thinking activities, students will learn about the physics of wind, the history of harnessing wind’s energy, and how we harness wind’s energy today. The kit that accompanies this curriculum contains most of the materials necessary to conduct the activities and investigations. Please refer to pages 5-6 of the Teacher Guide for a complete list of materials included in the kit and additional materials needed to conduct the activities.

TimeThe sequence of lessons was designed for use in a 45-minute class period. In this setting, the unit will take approximately 2-3 weeks, if done in its entirety.

Science NotebooksThroughout this curriculum, science notebooks are referenced. If you currently use science notebooks or journals, you may have your students continue using these. A rubric to guide assessment of student notebooks can be found on page 22 in the Teacher Guide.

In addition to science notebooks, student worksheets have been included in the Student Guide. Depending on your students’ level of independence and familiarity with the scientific process, you may choose to use these worksheets instead of science notebooks. Or, as appropriate, you may want to make copies of worksheets and have your students glue or tape the copies into their notebooks. The rubric can also be used to evaluate student work in this format.

Activity 1: Introduction to Wind Objective

Students practice making observations.

Procedure1. If you wish, have students complete the Wind Energy Assessment (page 23 of the Teacher Guide)

as a pre-test.

2. As an introductory activity or an alternative to the assessment, have students play Wind Energy BIngo. Instructions for the game are found on pages 20-21, and student bingo sheets can be found on page 51.

3. Have students read Introduction to Wind on pages 2-6 in the Student Guide.

4. Take the class outside to make their own wind observations. In science notebooks, students should use objects in the environment to record visual cues in words and/or sketches.

5. Back inside the classroom, have students share their observations with each other and write a paragraph about their observations.

Teacher Guide

Grade Level Secondary, grades 9-12

8 Web ResourcesAmerican Wind Energy Association www.awea.org

Bureau of Land Management www.blm.gov

Bureau of Ocean Energy Managementwww.boem.gov

Energy Information Administration www.eia.gov

EIA Energy Kids www.eia.gov/kids

U.S. Department of Energy Wind Program http://energy.gov/eere/wind/wind-energy-technologies-office

U.S. Department of Energy WINDExchange https://energy.gov/eere/wind/windexchange

Additional ResourcesNEED has several guides and activities that can support and enhance the content covered in this unit. Visit www.NEED.org for free downloads of the titles below and many more!

Secondary Energy Infobook Secondary Energy Infobook Activities Energy Games and Icebreakers Energy Live!

:Technology ConnectionThese activities also work nicely with probewear in the technology-savy classroom. Use Vernier’s Energy Sensors to measure output of turbines. www.vernier.com


Activity 2: Measuring Wind Speed Objectives

Students will be able to measure wind direction and speed. Students will be able to explain wind speed’s relation and importance when generating electricity from wind.

Materials FOR EACH STUDENT OR PAIR

5 Snow cone cups 1 Pencil 2 Extra-long straws 1 Straight pin Masking tape Hole punch Marker Watch with second hand or stopwatch Scissors Ruler Build an Anemometer worksheet, Student Guide page 22

Materials FOR THE CLASS

Anemometer Wind gauge Wind vane Compass

2 Preparation Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Gather supplies for the activity, and assemble stations, if necessary.

Procedure1. Students should review Measuring Wind Direction and Speed on page 6 in the Student Guide.

2. Students will build an anemometer using the directions on the Build an Anemometer worksheet.

3. Teach students how to use their anemometers and other wind measuring tools. Directions for the wind gauge can be found on page 24 of the Teacher Guide, project as necessary.

4. Bring students outside with their anemometers and science notebooks, along with the wind measuring tools included in the kit. If possible, allow students to spread out to different areas of the campus to record wind speed and direction and the time it was recorded. Students should record data and observations in their science notebooks, and compare their handmade tools to the wind gauge and plastic anemometer.

5. Return to class and lead a discussion about class observations. Were there differences in wind speed around the school grounds? Why might that be? Were there any discrepancies in measured wind speed from different anemometers? Why might this be? Ask students why recording the time is important.

Activity 3: History of Wind Energy Objective

Students will be able to describe important events in the growth of wind energy use over time.

Materials History of Harnessing the Wind’s Energy worksheet, Student Guide page 23

Procedure1. Make copies of worksheets, as needed.

2. Have the class read Evolution of the Windmill and American Windmills on page 12 of the Student Guide, and the Wind Energy Timeline on pages 20-21.

CONTINUES ON PAGE 9


Materials FOR EACH STUDENT OR PAIR

1 Large foam cup approximately 14 cm tall 1 Extra-long straw* 1 Small straw 1 Binder clip 2 Straight pins Ruler Hole punch Marker 50 cm String or thread Paper clips Masking tape Scissors Forms of Energy master, Teacher Guide page 25 4-Blade Windmill Template, Teacher Guide page 26 Wind Can Do Work worksheet, Student Guide page 24

Materials FOR THE CLASS

Fan(s)

3. Using the History of Harnessing the Wind’s Energy worksheet, students should choose five important events and analyze them.

4. Next, students should choose one event and write a more detailed paragraph about the event, what brought it about, and what impact it had.

Extension Students can work individually or in pairs to complete a more in-depth research report on a significant event.

2 Preparation Make copies of worksheets, as needed. Gather supplies for the activity, and assemble stations, if necessary.

Procedure1. Have students read Energy on pages 7-8 in the Student Guide.

2. Using the Forms of Energy master, discuss energy transformations with students.

3. Students should build windmills using the directions from the Wind Can Do Work worksheet.

4. Students should diagram their windmill assembly and trace the energy transformations that occur in this system in their science notebooks.

5. Encourage students to investigate the question, “What is the maximum load that can be lifted all of the way to the top of the windmill shaft?” Students should record data and observations in their science notebooks.

Extension Students can redesign the windmill to see if they can produce more work from the system. Students can also think of their own question and design their own investigation based on the system.

Activity 4: Wind Can Do Work Objective

Students will be able to explain how wind can do work.

*Note: The extra-long straw is long enough for two windmills when cut in half.


Activity 5: Introduction to Electricity

Objective Students will be able to describe how electricity is produced.

Materials FOR ACTIVITY

Poster board Dowels Hubs Glue Masking tape 1 Turbine tower set-up (see Preparation below) Genecon and booklet

Materials FOR TURBINE ASSEMBLY

2 Preparation Assemble at least one turbine tower (you will need both for Activity 6) using the Turbine Assembly Instructions and the materials listed above. A Vimeo© video of the turbine set-up process can also be viewed by visiting https://vimeo.com/114691934 or by visiting www.vernier.com. Utilizing poster board, dowels, hubs, glue, and tape, create your own set of benchmark blades using the blade template. Familiarize yourself with the Genecon. Make copies of worksheets, as needed.

Procedure1. Have students read Electricity on pages 9-11 in the Student Guide.

2. Demonstrate with the Genecon the difference between a motor and a generator. Use page 27 in the Teacher Guide for more detailed instructions. Students can take notes in their science notebooks or use the Observing a Genecon worksheet.

3. Explain to students that they will be working in teams to design the most efficient turbine blades possible. To do this, they will first investigate isolated variables using “benchmark” blades. Demonstrate this by showing them your blades and the turbine. It is recommended that all of the students make blades out of poster board prior to experimenting with the blade materials in the Designing Optimum Blades investigation.

Extension For additional Genecon activities, please refer to your Genecon booklet.

20” Wood towers Tower stand sets (1 locking disc, 3 base legs, 1 leg insert) Turbine nacelle Hex driveshafts Motor mount (2 bolts, 4 wing nuts, 4 nuts, 8 screws, 2 motor mounts (blue), 1 wind turbine motor with wires, 1 hi-torque motor with wires)

Turbine gear pack (3 gear keys, 1 8-tooth gear, 1 16-tooth gear, 1 32-tooth gear, 1 64-tooth gear, 1 wooden spool) Turbine Assembly Instructions, Teacher Guide pages 30-31 Benchmark Blade Template, Teacher Guide page 32

1 Bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads 1 Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) 1 Fan 2 Alligator clips Observing a Genecon worksheet, Student Guide page 25


Materials FOR TURBINE ASSEMBLY

2 Preparation

If you haven’t done so already, construct the turbine towers as directed on pages 30-31 of the Teacher Guide, using the materials listed above. BLADE MATERIALS—It is recommended that the benchmark blades be made of poster board, which is not included in the kit. Gather remaining materials and set up blade investigation stations. Make copies of worksheets, as needed.

Procedure1. Students should read Harnessing the Wind’s Energy on pages 12-13 and 18-19 in the Student Guide.

2. Teach students how to use the multimeters and voltmeter to measure electricity. Resources for measuring electricity can be found on pages 28-29 in the Teacher Guide and pages 26-27 in the Student Guide.

3. Divide students into small groups. Each group should be given their own hub and blade materials.

4. Have students complete each blade investigation. The investigations have been designed to build upon each other, and it is suggested that they be done in order in a gradual release model.

Blade Investigation #1 – Exploring Blade Pitch, Student Guide page 28 Blade Investigation #2 – Exploring Number of Blades, Student Guide page 29 Blade Investigation #3 – Exploring Surface Area, Student Guide page 30 Blade Investigation #4 – Exploring Mass, Student Guide page 31

WIND TURBINE MANAGEMENT TIP: NEED’s Exploring Wind Energy kit has two towers and ten hubs. In your classroom, you can set up two testing stations using the towers provided. Each student group should receive their own hub, and they can use this to prepare their blade investigations. When they are ready to test their investigation, students can bring their hub over to the tower and connect it to the generator.

WARNING: When removing hubs from the generator, students need to be careful not to pull the generator out of the nacelle, so that gears remain connected.

Activity 6: Wind Blade Investigations Objective

Students will be able to identify the blade variables that impact the electrical output of a wind turbine.

Materials FOR INVESTIGATIONS

Dowels Visual voltmeter Hubs Blade pitch protractor Sandpaper 2 Turbine tower set-ups (see Preparation below) Masking tape Multimeters

Scissors Fan(s) Pennies or other masses Rulers Poster board Benchmark Blade Template, Teacher Guide page 32 Blade investigations worksheets, Student Guide pages 28-31

20” Wood towers Tower stand sets (1 locking disc, 3 base legs, 1 leg insert) Turbine nacelle Hex driveshafts

Motor mount (2 bolts, 4 wing nuts, 4 nuts, 8 screws, 2 motor mounts (blue), 1 wind turbine motor with wires, 1 hi-torque motor with wires) Turbine gear pack (3 gear keys, 1 8-tooth gear, 1 16-tooth gear, 1 32-tooth gear, 1 64-tooth gear, 1 wooden spool)


2 Preparation Assemble a turbine tower, if you have not done so already, using the Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages 30-31 of the Teacher Guide.

Make benchmark airfoil blades by attaching the balsa wood airfoil sheets to dowel rods. They can be shaped more, if desirable.

Make copies of the worksheets, as needed.

Procedure1. Have students read the insert on blade aerodynamics, found on pages 14-17 of the Student Guide.

2. Students should take notes as they read.

3. Place the benchmark blades into the hub and attach the hub to the tower.

4. Demonstrate how the blades are shaped, and experiment with the different variables that students may have experimented with in their wind blade investigations (pitch, number, surface area, and mass), as time allows.

5. Students should record observations and plan their optimal blade design in their small groups from the previous investigations.

NOTE: The graphic organizer is optional in steps 1 and 2 above. The reading can also be completed as a homework assignment or as a jigsaw activity within small groups.

Activity 7: Blade Aerodynamics Objectives

Students will be able to describe the following terms: drag, lift, and torque. Students will be able to describe how aerodynamics of blades can affect the turbine’s efficiency.

Materials 1 Turbine tower set-up (assembled) Hub Dowels Airfoil blades Glue Masking tape

Blade pitch protractor Multimeter Fan Blade Aerodynamics Graphic Organizer (optional), Student Guide page 32 Blade Aerodynamics worksheet, Student Guide page 33


2 Preparation Assemble the turbine towers, if you have not done so already, using the Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages 30-31 of the Teacher Guide.

Make copies of the worksheets, as needed.

BLADE MATERIALS—The benchmark blades from previous activities were recommended to be made from poster board. Balsa and corrugated plastic sheets have been included in your kit, but anything can be used as blade material. You may want to gather your own materials, or have students bring in different materials for this investigation.

Procedure1. Students should work in small groups from earlier investigations to compile data they recorded about different variables, and plan for

designing the optimum blades. Students will follow the guidance of the Designing Optimum Blades worksheet to complete the activity.

2. Each group should have their own hub and any materials they would like to use to construct and build blades.

3. Decide on a time-frame for students to complete planning, testing, analysis, and redesigning phases, implementing checks on their work, as needed. Choose a time for final blade designs to be submitted.

4. Compare group designs as a class. Discuss what features and variables each group utilized and optimized to create their design. Discuss as a class what the most successful blade designs should incorporate.

5. Have students complete the Investigating Gear Ratios activity to examine how efficiency can also be tied to the construction of the tower. Discuss student observations.

NOTE: This activity may be framed as a competition or challenge between groups, with a reward. You may also choose to conduct the gear ratios activity as a demonstration with the winning design, or allow individual groups to experiment with gear ratios.

WIND TURBINE MANAGEMENT TIP: NEED’s Exploring Wind Energy kit has two towers and ten hubs. In your classroom, you can set up two testing stations using the towers provided. Each student group should receive their own hub, and they can use this to prepare their blade designs. When they are ready to test their designs, students can bring their hub over to the tower and connect it to the generator.

WARNING: When removing hubs from the generator, students need to be careful not to pull the generator out of the nacelle, so that gears remain connected.

Extensions Have students calculate wind power using the Calculating Wind Power worksheet on page 36 of the Student Guide. Have students investigate what happens to the electrical output when a load and/or resistors are added to the circuit.

Activity 8: Blade Design Challenge Objectives

Students will collaborate and create optimized wind turbine blades that generate the most electricity. Students will be able to identify variables that can affect the efficiency of a wind turbine.

Materials

Dowels Flat balsa sheets Corrugated plastic sheets Extra alternative blade materials Hubs Glue Masking tape Multimeters Scissors Fans

Rulers Stopwatches or watches with second hand Assembled turbine towers (with unused gears) Visual voltmeter Blade pitch protractor Sandpaper Designing Optimum Blades worksheet, Student Guide page 34 Investigating Gear Ratios worksheet, Student Guide page 35


Activity 9: Baseload Balance

&Background

Most students don’t give electric power much thought until the power goes out. Electricity plays a giant role in our day-to-day lives. This activity demonstrates how electricity supply is transmitted on the electric grid to consumers. It also encourages students to explore the differences between baseload and peak demand power, and how power companies maintain supply to ensure customers have power as they need it. Students will be introduced to the economics of electricity generation and supply and be able to see first-hand the financial challenges utilities must overcome to be able to provide the power demanded by consumers at the lowest cost. Figures, costs, and sources used in this activity are roughly based on current industry uses and costs, but have been made into round figures for ease of implementation. Students will first play a game with a game board and pieces. This activity is then followed by a simulation where students assume roles as “loads” or “generation”. You may decide to change the order of the activity or eliminate a part of the activity to meet the needs of your students.

Objectives

Students will be able to differentiate between baseload and peak demand power. Students will be able to explain the purpose of using a variety of sources to meet base and peak load power demand. Students will be able to describe the challenges of using certain sources to meet base and peak load power demand.

Materials

Scissors and tape for each student or small group String Rope Colored paper Individual marker boards with erasers and markers Baseload Balance Student Information, Teacher Guide pages 34-35

A Vocabulary SPECIFIC TO THE GAME

Baseload Generation Load Transmission Peak demand Megawatt

2Preparation

Familiarize yourself with the activity instructions and student background information before facilitating the game with students. Decide which version of the game you will use, if only using one part of the activity. Make a copy of the cheat sheet for yourself to have handy when going over the game and during game play with students. Copy the hang tags and cut them apart. Attach the tags to three colors of paper or color the cards so that the generation, the transmission, and the load cards are each a different color. Laminate, if desired, for future use. Make a copy of the Incident Cards. Cut the cards apart and fold on the dotted line. Laminate, if desired, for future use. Make a copy of the Game Board and Game Pieces for each student or small group of students. Laminate the board for future use, if desired. Make a copy of the background information for each student.

Game board for each student or small group, Teacher Guide pages 36-37 Game pieces for each student or small group, Teacher Guide pages 38-39 Generation Parameters master, Teacher Guide page 40 Hang tags, Teacher Guide pages 41-45 Incident Cards, Teacher Guide page 46 Cheat Sheet, Teacher Guide page 47


Prepare a copy of the Generation Parameters master to project for discussion. Designate an area of the room to be the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO). On one side of this area will be the generation group, and the other side will be the load group. Each side should have its own marker board, eraser, and marker. Decide if a student will be the RTO leader, or if the teacher or another adult will assume this role. Having a student assume this position will create a more student-centered activity. Depending on the ability of the students in your group, using a student for this role may require more monitoring and time than if a teacher is in charge. Instruct all students to read the Baseload Balance Student Information the night before playing as a homework assignment.

Procedure FOR INDIVIDUAL / SMALL GROUP PLAY

1. Distribute a game board and game pieces to each student or small group of students.

2. Explain the game board, and what each section represents. Explain that the x-axis shows the 24 hours of a typical day, and the y-axis shows the amount of electric power in demand.

3. Explain the game pieces by describing each energy source, the amount of power being generated, and the difference between baseload and peak load.

4. Instruct the students to cut the game pieces apart.

5. Students are to “meet demand” by laying their game pieces over the game board, starting first with baseload generation, using it to meet baseload demand. They can make small tape rings to hold their pieces in place on the game board, as needed.

6. To meet peak demand, students should trim their game pieces to cover the peak demand shown on the game board, maintaining the information on each piece (trim the blank areas first).

7. At the bottom of the game board, students can calculate the cost of electric power generation by adding the costs of the generating supply for that hour, if desired. Students can then calculate the average cost per megawatt-hour to generate electricity in that 24-hour period.

? Discussion Questions

1. What is the peak demand time? When is the least amount of power needed?

2. What was the average cost per megawatt-hour during daylight hours?

3. What was the average cost per megawatt-hour over the entire 24-hour period?

4. Everyone needed to use most of the same baseload generation. However, there were options for some of the generation and options to meet peak demand. Why did you choose your particular sources?

5. How would knowledge of historical data and weather forecasts help in making decisions about which sources to use?

Procedure FOR SIMULATION ACTIVITY

1. Assign each student a role that corresponds to each hang tag. If your class does not have enough students for each tag, the baseload tags can be tied to the rope because they are always in operation. A list of the roles can also be found on page 16. The Transmission roles are best assigned to students who are able to think quickly on their feet and have good math skills. Provide the RTO student a copy of the cheat sheet if a student is filling this role. Make sure you retain a copy to help facilitate game play.

2. Allow time for students to research their roles and re-read the background information. Students should be familiar with the vocabulary and information on their hang tag, including generating capacity, energy source, and power demand. Depending on the level of your students, you may choose to have them skip the section of the background information that discusses regional transmission organizations and independent system operators.

3. Project the Generation Parameters master for the class. Discuss the relative cost for each source and plant type as well as the suggested reasoning for the cost of each.


4. The activity begins with the transmission organization students gathering in the Regional Transmission Organization area, each holding onto the rope or string. The student on each end should have plenty of available rope or string onto which the generation students and load students will attach. These students will decide which peak load providers (plants) will be brought online to meet increasing demand as the activity progresses. They will also help the RTO by tabulating the current load or generation on their side of the line. They will display it on their marker board and update it as the activity progresses.

5. In the generation group, the residential baseload, commercial baseload, heavy industry baseload, and all baseload generation students all hold ends of the rope on their respective sides. They will be holding onto the rope during the entire activity because as baseload power or generation, they are providing or using power all the time.

6. At the appropriate time indicated on each hang tag, each load student will join the grid, increasing the load demand. Residential demand comes up (online) at about 7:00 a.m. as people begin to wake. Demand continues to rise as more residential, commercial, and industry come on the grid, pulling electricity or creating another load.

7. The transmission organization students will need to balance the generation against the load while using the cheapest sources available for the longest amount of time. They will choose the best generation students to come online to balance the load students. The RTO can monitor or assist the transmission group by announcing the time and reminding each load or role when to join on.

8. If time allows after going through the activity once (one complete 24-hour period), reset the activity to early morning and run through a second time. Choose one or more of the three Incident Cards to introduce to the balance. You may also wish to reassign students to different roles, depending on their command of the activity in the first round.

Student Roles for Ending Activity

Baseload demand – three students Peak load demand – eight students Baseload generation – six students Peak load generation – seven students Transmission – three to five students RTO – one to three students or a teacher


Extensions

RTOs usually require generation to be 15 percent above demand. Play the game again accounting for the prescribed demand plus the additional 15 percent. Hold a class discussion about why this extra generation is required.

Have students brainstorm other scenarios that could fit onto an incident card, and test out those scenarios.

Students could write a persuasive letter in support of a certain type of power plant after playing the game. Letters should include information gleaned about the plant’s advantages and disadvantages, as well as the feasibility for use in generation of electricity at the lowest cost.

The transmission of power on the grid during this game could also be illustrated with power “lines” made of rope. These ropes would represent the low-voltage and high-voltage lines that carry electricity. Make two bundles of rope, 8 pieces in each. Fasten the bundles of rope together with zip ties or duct tape, leaving several feet of loose rope on each end (see diagram below). As generation and loads are added, each student can hold onto a different end of the rope to more accurately demonstrate the distribution of power (see diagram on next page).

Bind the rope together with zip ties or heavy tape, leaving the ends free, as shown.

8 lengths of rope about 20 feet long

GenerationGroup

Transmission

LoadGroup

“Ropes” through transmission end in multiple “lines” allowing a grab-on point for new generation and load additions.


Activity 10: Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm Objective

Students will be able to identify essential factors and challenges to be considered when siting a wind farm.

Materials Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm activity, Teacher Guide pages 48-50 Roll Group worksheet, Student Guide page 37

Procedure1. Make copies of worksheets, as needed.

2. Introduce the activity by reading the activity instructions to students. Discuss as a class what they think a developer might need to do before introducing wind as an option for a community with no wind turbines. What might happen before the meeting and who might be involved?

3. Assign students different roles to investigate their perspective. Decide how much time students will have for research and presentation. Be sure to investigate the web resources provided on page 50 of the Teacher Guide prior to the activity to best guide your students to relevant and appropriate information.

4. Students should research their roles, answer the questions, and assess the positives and negatives of the proposal based on their assigned roles.

5. Students will present their perspective to the class in a mock town hall meeting. You may have teachers or students from other classes act as community members who vote based on the presentations.

6. At the conclusion of the activity discuss the results as a class. Ask students how we respect landowners and community member rights while meeting community needs. What happens if no agreement is reached?

Assessment Objective

Students will demonstrate their understanding of wind turbines and wind energy.

Materials Copies of the Wind Energy Assessment for each student, Teacher Guide page 23

Copies of Wind Energy Bingo for each student, Teacher Guide page 51

Procedure1. Give students the Wind Energy Assessment. You may also choose to do this at the beginning and end of the unit as a pre/post test.

2. Discuss answers as needed.

3. Assess students responses and work using the rubrics on page 22.

4. Play Wind Energy Bingo with students as a formative assessment or vocabulary review. Instructions for this game are found on pages 20-21.

5. Evaluate the unit using the Evaluation Form on page 55 and return it to NEED.

Wind Energy Assessment Answer Key1) c 2) b 3) b 4) a 5) b 6) a 7) b 8) d 9) d 10) a


Language Arts ExtensionsVisit www.NEED.org to find plays and rock song lyrics relating to wind energy, efficiency and conservation, and renewable energy sources. These are fun reinforcement extensions for your class, which also provide an outreach opportunity for your students to perform for and teach students in younger grades. From NEED’s homepage, go to the section “For Educators” and then to “Curriculum Materials.” Search for these materials by title:

Energy Live! Energy on Stage

EXPLORING WIND ENERGY KITGrades 9–12

These hands-on, critical thinking activities help students to develop a comprehensive understanding of the scientific, economic, environmental, technological, and societal aspects of wind energy. Students are challenged to design the optimum blades for a turbine and consider the best place to locate a turbine. The kit comes with a Teacher Guide, a class set of 30 Student Guides, and the materials necessary to conduct the activities, including two KidWind Geared Turbines.

Levels: SecondaryTeacher and Student Guides $ 5.00Learning and Conserving Kit $ 550.00Class Set of 30 Student Guides $ 50.00

WONDERS OF WINDWIND IS ENERGY ENERGY FROM THE WIND

OTHER EFFICIENCY AND CONSERVATION KITS


Get ReadyDuplicate as many Wind Energy Bingo sheets (found on page 51) as needed for each person in your group. In addition, decide now if you want to give the winner of your game a prize and what the prize will be.

Get SetPass out one Wind Energy Bingo sheet to each member of the group.

GoPART ONE: FILLING IN THE BINGO SHEETSGive the group the following instructions to create bingo cards:

This bingo activity is very similar to regular bingo. However, there are a few things you’ll need to know to play this game. First, please take a minute to look at your bingo sheet and read the 16 statements at the top of the page. Shortly, you’ll be going around the room trying to find 16 people about whom the statements are true so you can write their names in one of the 16 boxes.

When I give you the signal, you’ll get up and ask a person if a statement at the top of your bingo sheet is true for them. If the person gives what you believe is a correct response, write the person’s name in the corresponding box on the lower part of the page. For example, if you ask a person question “D” and he or she gives you what you think is a correct response, then go ahead and write the person’s name in box D. A correct response is important because later on, if you get bingo, that person will be asked to answer the question correctly in front of the group. If he or she can’t answer the question correctly, then you lose bingo. So, if someone gives you an incorrect answer, ask someone else! Don’t use your name for one of the boxes or use the same person’s name twice.

Try to fill all 16 boxes in the next 20 minutes. This will increase your chances of winning. After the 20 minutes are up, please sit down and I will begin asking players to stand up and give their names. Are there any questions? You’ll now have 20 minutes. Go!

During the next 20 minutes, move around the room to assist the players. Every five minutes or so tell the players how many minutes are remaining in the game. Give the players a warning when just a minute or two remains. When the 20 minutes are up, stop the players and ask them to be seated.

PART TWO: PLAYING BINGOGive the class the following instructions to play the game:

When I point to you, please stand up and in a LOUD and CLEAR voice give us your name. Now, if anyone has the name of the person I call on, put a big “X” in the box with that person’s name. When you get four names in a row—across, down, or diagonally—shout “Bingo!” Then I’ll ask you to come up front to verify your results.

Let’s start off with you (point to a player in the group). Please stand and give us your name. (Player gives name. Let’s say the player’s name was “Joe.”) Okay, players, if any of you have Joe’s name in one of your boxes, go ahead and put an “X” through that box.

When the first player shouts “Bingo,” ask him (or her) to come to the front of the room. Ask him to give his name. Then ask him to tell the group how his bingo run was made, e.g., down from A to M, across from E to H, and so on.

Instructions

Wind Energy Bingo is a great icebreaker for a NEED workshop or conference. As a classroom activity, it also makes a great introduction to an energy unit.

2Preparation 5 minutes

Time 45 minutes

BINGOWind Energy

Bingos are available onseveral different topics.Check out these resources formore bingo options!

Biomass Bingo—Energy Stories and More

Change a Light Bingo—Energy Conservation Contract

Coal Bingo—Coal guides

Energy Bingo—Energy Games and Icebreakers

Energy Efficiency Bingo— Monitoring and Mentoring and Learning and Conserving

Hydrogen Bingo—H2 Educate

Hydropower Bingo— Hydropower guides

Nuclear Energy Bingo— Nuclear guides

Oil and Natural Gas Bingo—Oil and Natural Gas guides

Science of Energy Bingo— Science of Energy guides

Solar Bingo—Solar guides

Transportation Bingo— Transportation guides

WIND ENERGY


Instructions

Now you need to verify the bingo winner’s results. Ask the bingo winner to call out the first person’s name on his bingo run. That player then stands and the bingo winner asks him the question which he previously answered during the 20-minute session. For example, if the statement was “can name two renewable sources of energy,” the player must now name two sources. If he can answer the question correctly, the bingo winner calls out the next person’s name on his bingo run. However, if he does not answer the question correctly, the bingo winner does not have bingo after all and must sit down with the rest of the players. You should continue to point to players until another person yells “Bingo.”

WIND ENERGY

measures wind speed

The sun heats Earth’s land and water surfaces differently.

Warm air rises, cool air moves in.

$0.127 national average for residential customers

potential, elastic, chemical, gravitational, nuclear, radiant, thermal, sound, motion, light,

electrical

wind speed and consistency, environment (land and

animals), public opinion, access to grid

Turbine spins a shaft, which spins a generator producing

electricity

biomassgeothermalhydropower

solar

meters per second, with anemometer

The Betz Limit is 59% for wind, today’s wind turbines are about

25-45% efficient.

Grind grain, pump water, generate electricity, etc.

Noisy, unpredictable, expensive, kills birds, interferes

with TV and communication signals, etc.

Connects low-speed shaft to high-speed shaft and increases

the rotational speeds to produce electricity

A

E

I

M

B

F

J

N

C

G

K

O

D

H

L

P

BINGO ANSWERS

SailboatSailboard

etc.

ask for location/description ask for details

ask for location/description

A. Has used wind energy for transportation

B. Knows the average cost per residential kilowatt-hour of electricity

C. Can name two renewable energy sources other than wind

D. Can explain how wind is formed

E. Knows what an anemometer does

F. Can name two forms of energy

G. Can name two factors to consider when siting a wind farm

H. Knows how electricity is generated by a wind turbine

I. Has seen a modern wind turbine

J. Knows how wind speed is measured

K. Has experienced the wind tunnel effect

L. Knows the energy efficiency of a wind turbine

M. Can name two uses of windmills

N. Can name two myths many people believe about wind turbines

O. Has been to a power plant

P. Knows what a gear box does


SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY DATA/OBSERVATIONS CONCLUSIONS

4 Written explanations illustrate accurate and thorough understanding of scientific concepts.

The student independently conducts investigations and designs and carries out his or her own investigations.

Comprehensive data is collected and thorough observations are made. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs are used and labeled appropriately. Data and observations are presented clearly and neatly with appropriate labels.

The student clearly communicates what was learned and uses strong evidence to support reasoning. The conclusion includes application to real life situations.

3 Written explanations illustrate an accurate understanding of most scientific concepts.

The student follows procedures accurately to conduct given investigations, begins to design his or her own investigations.

Necessary data is collected. Observations are recorded. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs are used appropriately most of the time. Data is presented clearly, and neatly.

The student communicates what was learned and uses some evidence to support reasoning.

2 Written explanations illustrate a limited understanding of scientific concepts.

The student may not conduct an investigation completely, parts of the inquiry process are missing.

Some data is collected. The student may lean more heavily on observations. Diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs may be used inappropriately, have some missing information, or are labeled without 100% accuracy.

The student communicates what was learned but is missing evidence to support reasoning.

1 Written explanations illustrate an inaccurate understanding of scientific concepts.

The student needs significant support to conduct an investigation.

Data and/or observations are missing or inaccurate.

The conclusion is missing or inaccurate.

CONTENT ORGANIZATION ORIGINALITY WORKLOAD

4 Project covers the topic in-depth with many details and examples.Subject knowledge is excellent.

Content is very well organized and presented in a logical sequence.

Project shows much original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive.

The workload is divided and shared equally by all members of the group.

3 Project includes essential information about the topic. Subject knowledge is good.

Content is logically organized.

Project shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights.

The workload is divided and shared fairly equally by all group members, but workloads may vary.

2 Project includes essential information about the topic, but there are 1-2 factual errors.

Content is logically organized with a few confusing sections.

Project provides essential information, but there is little evidence of original thinking.

The workload is divided, but one person in the group is viewed as not doing a fair share of the work.

1 Project includes minimal information or there are several factual errors.

There is no clear organizational structure, just a compilation of facts.

Project provides some essential information, but no original thought.

The workload is not divided, or several members are not doing a fair share of the work.

Inquiry Explorations RubricThis is a sample rubric that can be used with inquiry investigations and science notebooks. You may choose to only assess one area at a time, or look at an investigation as a whole. It is suggested that you share this rubric with students and discuss the different components.

Culminating Project RubricThis rubric may be used with the Siting and Permitting a Wind Farm activity starting on page 48 of the Teacher Guide, or for any other group work you ask the students to complete.

Rubrics For Assessment


1. The energy of moving molecules, electrons, and substances is called ___________________ energy.

a. potential b. elastic c. kinetic d. electrical

2. Renewable energy sources provide what percentage of total U.S. energy consumption?

a. 0.1-4% b. 5-10% c. 11-20% d. 21-30%

3. The energy in wind comes from ___________________ .

a. ocean currents b. solar radiation c. jet streams d. climate change

4. The direction of a wind blowing from Chicago toward Washington, D.C. is called a ___________________ .

a. northwest wind b. southeast wind c. northeast wind d. south wind

5. Wind is measured by the ___________________ .

a. Doppler Scale b. Beaufort Scale c. Richter Scale d. Coriolis Scale

6. An instrument that measures wind speed is a/an ___________________ .

a. anemometer b. wind vane c. multimeter d. aerometer

7. A device that uses electromagnetism to produce electricity is called a/an ___________________ .

a. motor b. generator c. electrometer d. turbine

8. A wind turbine converts ___________________ .

a. potential energy to electrical energy

b. kinetic energy to potential energy

c. chemical energy to kinetic energy

d. motion energy to electrical energy

9. A good place to site a wind turbine could be a ___________________ .

a. mountain top b. sea coast c. narrow valley d. all of the above

10. Wind energy produces how much of total electricity generation in the U.S. today?

a. 3-5% b. 6-8% c. 10-11% d. 25-26%

Name__________________________________________ Date______________________

Wind Energy Assessment


This type of wind gauge is designed to measure wind speed based on Bernoulli’s Principle, which states that energy is conserved in a moving fluid (liquid or gas). If the fluid is moving in a horizontal direction, the pressure decreases as the speed of the fluid increases. If the speed decreases, the pressure increases. This means that as the speed of the wind increases, its pressure decreases. Pressure moves from high to low.

Wind Gauge

The wind gauge has the following features:

A. one large hole in the top of the hollow stem;

B. one small hole on the side of the hollow stem;

C. two holes on the lower back; and

D. a very light ball at the bottom of the hollow stem

that can move up and down the stem.

The wind gauge has two ranges:

E. low; and

F. high.

To operate the wind gauge, hold the wind gauge upright into the wind with the scale side facing you. Do not block the bottom holes on the back. As the wind flows across the top holes it creates lower pressure at the top of the stem. No wind flows across the bottom holes, so the pressure there remains the same (at a higher pressure than at the top). Air flows into the bottom holes, lifting the ball. The faster the wind blows, the lower the pressure at the top of the stem. If the wind is blowing faster than 10 mph and the ball is at the top of the stem, cover the large hole at the top of the stem with your finger. Be careful not to obstruct the smaller hole on the side of the stem. The wind will create lower pressure only at the smaller hole. Read the wind speed using the high range on the wind gauge when the top hole is covered.

C C

MASTER


MASTER

e Forms of Energy

POTENTIALStored energy and the energy of

position (gravitational).

CHEMICAL ENERGY is the energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Gasoline and a piece of pizza are examples.

NUCLEAR ENERGY is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom – the energy that holds the nucleus together. The energy in the nucleus of a plutonium atom is an example.

ELASTIC ENERGY is energy stored in objects by the application of force. Compressed springs and stretched rubber bands are examples.

GRAVITATIONAL POTENTIAL ENERGY is the energy of place or position. A child at the top of a slide is an example.

KINETICThe motion of waves, electrons,

atoms, molecules, and substances.

RADIANT ENERGY is electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves. Light and x-rays are examples.

THERMAL ENERGY or heat is the internal energy in substances – the vibration or movement of atoms and molecules in substances. The heat from a fire is an example.

MOTION is the movement of a substance from one place to another. Wind and moving water are examples.

SOUND is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal waves. Echoes and music are examples.

ELECTRICAL ENERGY is the movement of electrons. Lightning and electricity are examples.

All forms of energy fall under two categories:


MASTER

4-Blade Windmill Template

Procedure1. Cut out the square.

2. Cut on the dotted, diagonal lines.

3. Punch out the four black holes along the sides (being careful to not rip the edges) and the one in the center.

4. Follow the directions on the Wind Can Do Work worksheet to complete the windmill.


Genecon Activities

Teacher Demonstration: Generator vs. MotorActivity used with permission from Adventures with the GENECON Hand Operated Generator, by Gary W. Nahrstedt.

Objectives Students will be able to describe how a generator converts kinetic energy into electrical energy. Students will be able to describe how a motor converts electrical energy into kinetic energy.

Materials Genecon with output cord 1 Bulb (3.8V, 0.3A) in socket with leads 1 Battery (any 1.5-volt AAA, AA, or D) 1 Turbine tower (see Turbine Assembly Instructions on pages 30-31 of the Teacher Guide) 1 Fan 2 Alligator clips Benchmark blades

ProcedurePART ONE1. Plug the output cord into the back of the Genecon. Connect the leads of the Genecon to one of the bulb sockets using the leads provided

in the kit.

2. Slowly turn the rotary handle of the Genecon with increasing force until the bulb lights. What do you notice about the bulb? How is it affected by the turning speed of the handle?

3. Rotate the handle in the opposite direction. What do you notice? Caution: excessively rotating the handle may burn out the bulb or strip the gears, damaging the unit.

PART TWO1. Replace the light bulb with a battery, with the two alligator clips making contact with the opposite ends of the battery. Now what

happens?

PART THREE1. Attach alligator clips to the leads of the turbine tower. Then attach the clips to the leads of the Genecon.

2. Face the turbine blades into the fan and watch the Genecon as the turbine blades spin. What happens to the Genecon? Change the speed of the fan faster and slower. What do you notice?

&Background Information: Why Does the Genecon Work?In the first part of the demonstration, the Genecon acts as a generator. A generator is a device that converts kinetic energy into electrical energy. When the handle is turned, the bulb lights. You should notice that the bulb becomes brighter as the handle is turned more rapidly. In general, the brighter the bulb, the more voltage the Genecon is producing. The bulb will light when the handle turns in either direction, although the polarity is reversed (see Activity 17 in the Genecon booklet).

In the second part of the demonstration, the Genecon acts as a motor—a device that converts electrical energy into kinetic energy. The battery converts chemical energy into electrical energy to turn the handle (kinetic energy).

In the third part of the demonstration, the Genecon again acts as a motor. Electrical energy from the wall outlet powers the fan (kinetic energy). The wind (kinetic energy) is captured by the turbine blades and they spin (kinetic energy). The spinning motion generates electrical energy that flows through the leads from the turbine to the Genecon. This electrical energy provides the power to turn the handle (kinetic energy). Notice the speed of the turning handle corresponds to the speed of the power source—the spinning blades. A motor and a generator are essentially the same device—the direction of the electrical flow determines what the device is called. Motor: electrical energy in, kinetic energy out. Generator: kinetic energy in, electrical energy out.

Assessment Questions1. Lighting the bulb demonstrates a series of energy conversions. Describe as many as you can.2. Write a paragraph describing how a motor works.3. Compare and contrast motors and generators.


Measuring ElectricityIncluded in the kit are three tools to measure electricity—two multimeters and one voltmeter. The multimeter allows you to measure current, resistance, and voltage, and displays the reading numerically. The voltmeter measures voltage only, but displays a visual reading as higher electrical outputs illuminate more lights.

When using either meter it should be noted that some measurements will never “stay still” at a single repeatable value. This is the nature of the variables being monitored in some circumstances. For example, if you were to measure the resistance between your two hands with the ohmmeter setting on the multimeter (megohm range—millions of ohms), you would find that the values would continuously change. How tightly you squeeze the metal probes and how “wet” or “dry” your skin is can have a sizable effect on the reading that you obtain. In this situation you need a protocol or standardized method to allow you to record data.

We recommend that you discuss with your class the variability of measurement and let them come up with a standard for collecting data. They may decide to go with the lowest reading, the highest reading, or the reading that appears most frequently in a certain time period.

Digital Multimeter Visual Voltmeter

Directions:1. Switch the tab over to 5V.

2. Press down on the “GND” button. Insert one wire from the turbine into the hole on the bottom. Release the button to secure the wire in place.

3. Repeat step two with the other wire on the “V+ Input” side.

4. Turn on the voltmeter.

5. Place the turbine in front of the fan. The lights on the voltmeter will light indicating how much electricity is being generated.

NOTES: • If the “Reverse Polarity” light flashes, switch the wires in the

“GND” and “V+ Input” locations.

• The voltmeter’s lowest reading is 0.25 volts. If you do not see any lights, connect the turbine to the multimeter for smaller readings.

Directions:DC VOLTAGE 1. Connect RED lead to VΩmA jack and BLACK to COM.

2. Set ROTARY SWITCH to highest setting on DC VOLTAGE scale (1000).

3. Connect leads to the device to be tested using the alligator clips provided.

4. Adjust ROTARY SWITCH to lower settings until a satisfactory reading is obtained.

5. With the wind turbine, usually the 20 DCV setting provides the best reading.

DC CURRENT (must include a load in the circuit)

1. Connect RED lead to VΩmA jack and BLACK to COM.

2. Set ROTARY SWITCH to 10 ADC setting.

3. Connect leads to the device to be tested using the alligator clips provided. Note: The reading indicates DC AMPS; a reading of 0.25 amps equals 250 mA (milliamps).

YOUR MULTIMETER MIGHT BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE ONE SHOWN. BEFORE USING THE MULTIMETER, READ THE OPERATOR’S

INSTRUCTION MANUAL INCLUDED IN THE BOX FOR SAFETY INFORMATION AND COMPLETE OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS.

(NOT USED)

MASTER


Basic Measurement Values in Electronics

SYMBOL VALUE METER UNIT

V Voltage (the force) Voltmeter volt

I Current (the flow) Ammeter ampere

R Resistance (the anti-flow) Ohmmeter Ohm

1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second

1 coulomb = 6.24 x 1018 electrons (about a triple axle dump truck full of sand where one grain of sand is one electron)

Prefixes for Units Smaller(m)illi x 1/1 000 or 0.001

(µ) micro x 1/1 000 000 or 0.000 001

(n)ano x1/100 000 000 or 0.000 000 001

(p)ico x 1/1 000 000 000 000 or 0.000 000 000 001

Bigger(k)ilo x 1,000

(M)ega x 1,000,000

(G)iga x 1,000,000,000

Formulas for Measuring ElectricityV = I x R

I = V/R

R = V/I

Series Resistance (Resistance is additive)RT= R1 + R2 + R3… +Rn

Parallel Resistance (Resistance is reciprocal)1/RT= 1/R1 + 1/R2+ 1/R3… +1/Rn

Note: ALWAYS convert the values you are working with to the “BASE unit.” For example, don’t plug kiloohms (kΩ) into the equation—convert the value to ohms first.

The formula pie works for any three variable equation. Put your finger on the variable you want to solve for and the operation you need is revealed.

MASTER


You Will Need 3 Legs 1 Center hub 1 Locking disc 1 Wood tower Nacelle (pre-assembled) Gears 12 Hole crimping hub Blades

Tower Assembly

1. Lock one leg onto the center hub.

2. Attach the two other legs in the same way.

3. Slide the locking disc onto the tower about 3 inches.

4. With the teeth of the locking disc pointing down, insert the tower into the center hub, locking the tower in place.

Turbine Nacelle1. The turbine nacelle comes pre-assembled as part of the NEED wind kit. The hub,

gears, and motor can be removed and rearranged, depending on the investigation. See page 31 for directions on changing gears.

1.

3.

2.

4.

Turbine Assembly Instructions

Turbine Nacelle

Leg

Center Hub

Locking DiscWood Tower


Turbine Gears and Motors1. The 16, 32, or 64 tooth gear will lock into the small Hex-Lock. You

can choose to mount the gear on either side of the nacelle, but we recommend mounting your gears on the side of the nacelle opposite from the hub. This makes it easier to interchange gears and manipulate your blade pitch.

2. You will now need to move your DC motor up or down so that the pinion gear (the smallest gear in a drive train) meshes with the gear on the hub.

NOTE: If you are using the largest gear size, you will notice that it will only fit with regular nuts under the motor mounts, as wing-nuts are too tall. If you are using the smallest gear size, you will have to use regular nuts above the motor mounts. Give the hub a spin to make sure that the gear turns and rotates the small pinion gear on the motor.

USING THE 16-TOOTH GEAR (SMALLEST RATIO) Since the 16-tooth gear is so small, it is challenging to get the generator high enough in the main body to mesh gears. In order to use this small ratio, you have to use the thinner generator. Remove the upper half of the motor mount and slide a small cardboard or folded paper shim in between the generator and the main body housing. You will have to adjust the width of this shim to get the gears to mesh perfectly. Tighten the nuts below the motor mount to secure the generator in place. If the gears do not mesh well, adjust your shim.

Adding the Hub and Blades1. The HEX shaped driveshaft allows you to connect the Hex-Lock to the driveshaft. If you mount your

gears or a weightlifting spool on the back of the nacelle, it will not slip on the driveshaft.

2. The Hex-Lock allows you to quickly interchange and lock gears in place on the driveshaft. Your gear will fit snugly onto this adapter. Slide the Hex-Lock and your gear up the driveshaft right behind the hub, as shown in the picture. Again, be sure to line up the main drive gear with the pinion attached to your DC motor.

3. The completed nacelle will slide right onto your tower. You can secure the nacelle in place by screwing in one or two more small screws in the holes at the bottom of the nacelle.

4. Turn the knob on the front of the hub to loosen the two hub sides. Do not turn the knob too far or the hub will separate completely.

5. Place the blades into the slots. Tighten the hub to hold the blades in place.

Video Assembly InstructionsVernier and KidWind teamed up to provide a short video showcasing turbine assembly from beginning to end. The Vimeo© video can be found on Vernier’s website, www.vernier.com, and also by visiting https://vimeo.com/114691934.

64-tooth Gear32-tooth Gear

16-tooth GearHex-Lock

Use the nuts to adjust the motor up and down

so the gears mesh.

Hub

Hub Quick-Connect


? Question How do you calculate wind power?

Materials Fan Wind gauge Turbine with benchmark blades Meter stick

Formula

Power = ½ ρAV3 where ρ = air density (ρ = 1.2 kg/m3 at standard ambient temperature and pressure); A = swept area (A = πr2 ; π = 3.1416); V = velocity

Watts = ½ (kg/m3) x (m2) x (m/s)3

Procedure1. Measure the radius of the turbine blade assembly and calculate the area swept by the blades.

(A = πr2)

2. Use the wind gauge to measure the wind velocity at a distance of 1 meter from the fan on low and high speeds. Convert the measurements from miles per hour to meters per second (m/s).

(1 mile = 1609.344 meters)

Wind Velocity at Low Speed - 1 meter: ____________ mph = ____________m/s

Wind Velocity at High Speed - 1 meter: ____________ mph = ____________m/s

3. Use the formula above to calculate the power of the wind in watts at both fan speeds.

Wind Power at Low Speed - 1 meter: ____________W

Wind Power at High Speed - 1 meter: ____________W

4. Vary the distance from the fan and calculate the power on low and high speeds.

Wind Power at ___________m (distance A) on Low Speed: ___________W

Wind Power at ___________m (distance A) on High Speed: ___________W

Wind Power at ___________m (distance B) on Low Speed: ___________W

Wind Power at ___________m (distance B) on High Speed: ___________W

Conclusion 1. Compare the power at different distances from the fan and on different fan speeds.

2. Explain the relationships between the different variables and the power produced.

Calculating Wind Power


Baseload Balance Student Information

IntroductionFour kinds of power plants produce most of the electricity in the United States: coal, natural gas, nuclear, and hydropower. Coal plants generate a little more than 33 percent of the electricity we use. There are also wind, geothermal, waste-to-energy, solar, and petroleum power plants, which together generate a little less than ten percent of the electricity produced in the United States. All of this electricity is transmitted to customers, or loads, via the network of transmission lines we call the grid.

Fossil Fuel Power PlantsFossil fuel plants burn coal, natural gas, or petroleum to produce electricity. These energy sources are called fossil fuels because they were formed from the remains of ancient sea plants and animals. Most of our electricity comes from fossil fuel plants in the form of coal and natural gas.

Power plants burn the fossil fuels and use the heat to boil water into steam. The steam is channeled through a pipe at high pressure to spin a turbine generator to make electricity. Fossil fuel power plants can produce emissions that pollute the air and contribute to global climate change. The amount and type of emissions can vary based upon the type of fossil fuel and technologies used within the plant.

Fossil fuel plants are sometimes called thermal power plants because they use heat energy to make electricity. (Therme is the Greek word for heat.) Coal is used by many power plants because it is inexpensive and abundant in the United States.

There are many other uses for petroleum and natural gas, but the main use of coal is to produce electricity. Over 90 percent of the coal mined in the United States is sent to power plants to make electricity.

Nuclear Power PlantsNuclear power plants are called thermal power plants, too. They produce electricity in much the same way as fossil fuel plants, except that the fuel they use is uranium, which isn’t burned. Uranium is a mineral found in rocks underground. Uranium atoms are split to make smaller atoms in a process called fission that produces enormous amounts of thermal energy. The thermal energy is used to turn water into steam, which drives a turbine generator.

Nuclear power plants do not produce carbon dioxide emissions, but their waste is radioactive. Nuclear waste must be stored carefully to prevent contamination of people and the environment.

Hydropower PlantsHydropower plants use the energy in moving water to generate electricity. Fast-moving water is used to spin the blades of a turbine generator. Hydropower is called a renewable energy source because it is renewed by rainfall.

Cost of ElectricityHow much does it cost to make electricity? Cost depends on several factors.

Fuel CostThe major cost of generating electricity is the cost of the fuel. Many energy sources can be used. There are also other factors that tie into the cost of a fuel, including production cost, manufacturing or refining costs, cost of transporting the fuel, and more. Hydropower is the cheapest energy source while solar cells are typically the most expensive way to generate power.

Building CostAnother factor is the cost of building the power plant itself. A plant may be very expensive to build, but the low cost of the fuel can make the electricity economical to produce. Nuclear power plants, for example, are very expensive to build, but their fuel—uranium—is inexpensive. Coal-fired plants, on the other hand, are cheaper to build, but the fuel (coal) is more expensive than uranium.

EfficiencyWhen figuring cost, you must also consider a plant’s efficiency. Efficiency is the amount of useful energy you get out of a system. A totally efficient machine would change all the energy put in it into useful work. Changing one form of energy into another always involves a loss of usable energy. Efficiency of a power plant does not take into account the energy lost in production or transportation, only the energy lost in the generation of electricity.

Combined Cycle vs. Simple CycleIn the most simple of thermal power plants, a fuel is burned, and water is heated to form high-pressure steam. That steam is used to turn a single turbine. Thermal power plants running in this manner are about 35 percent efficient, meaning 35 percent of the energy in the fuel is actually transformed into useable electrical energy. The other 65 percent is “lost” to the surrounding environment as thermal energy.

Combined cycle power plants add a second turbine in the cycle, increasing the efficiency of the power plant to as much as 60 percent. By doing this, some of the energy that was being wasted to the environment is now being used to generate useful electricity.


In general, today’s power plants use three units of fuel to produce one unit of electricity. Most of the lost energy is waste heat. You can see this waste heat in the great clouds of steam pouring out of giant cooling towers on some power plants. For example, a typical coal plant burns about 4,500 tons of coal each day. The chemical energy in about two-thirds of the coal (3,000 tons) is lost as it is converted first to thermal energy, and then to motion energy, and finally into electrical energy. This degree of efficiency is mirrored in most types of power plants. Thermal power plants typically have between a 30-40% efficiency rating. Wind is usually around the same range, with solar often falling below the 30% mark. The most efficient plant is a hydropower plant, which can operate with an efficiency of up to 95%.

Meeting DemandWe don’t use electricity at the same rate at all times during the day. There is a certain amount of power that we need all the time called baseload power. It is the minimum amount of electricity that is needed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is provided by a power company.

However, during the day at different times, and depending on the weather, the amount of power that we use increases by different amounts. We use more power during the week than on the weekends because it is needed for offices and schools. We use more electricity during the summer than the winter because we need to keep our buildings cool. An increase in demand during specific times of the day or year is called peak demand. This peak demand represents the additional power above baseload power that a power company must be able to produce when needed.

Power plants can be used to meet baseload power or peak demand, or both. Some power plants require a lot of time to be brought online – operating and producing power at full capacity. Others can be brought online and shut down fairly quickly.

Coal and nuclear power plants are slow, requiring 24 hours or more to reach full generating capacity, so they are used for baseload power generation. Natural gas is increasing in use for baseload generation because it is widely available, low in cost, and a clean-burning fuel.

Wind, hydropower, and solar can all be used to meet baseload capacity when the energy source is available. Wind is often best at night and drops down in its production just as the sun is rising. Solar power is not available at night, and is greatly diminished on cloudy days. Hydropower can produce electricity as long as there is enough water flow, which can be decreased in times of drought.

To meet peak demand, energy sources other than coal and uranium must be used. Natural gas is a good nonrenewable source to meet peak demand because it requires only 30 minutes to go from total shutdown to full capacity. Many hydropower stations have additional capacity using pumped storage. Some electricity is used to pump water into a storage tank or reservoir, where it can be released at a later time to generate additional electricity as needed. Pumped storage hydropower can be brought fully online in as little as five minutes.

Some power plants, because of regulations or agreements with utilities, suppliers, etc., do not run at full capacity or year-round. These power plants may produce as little as 50 percent of maximum generating capacity, but can increase their output if demand rises, supply from another source is suddenly reduced, or an emergency occurs.

Making DecisionsSomeone needs to decide when, which, and how many additional generating locations need to be brought online when demand for electricity increases. This is the job of the Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) or Independent System Organization (ISO). ISOs and RTOs work together with generation facilities and transmission systems across many locations, matching generation to the load immediately so that supply and demand for electricity are balanced. The grid operators predict load and schedule generation to make sure that enough generation and back-up power are available in case demand rises or a power plant or power line is lost.

Transmission OrganizationsBesides making decisions about generation, RTOs and ISOs also manage markets for wholesale electricity. Participants can buy and sell electricity from a day early to immediately as needed. These markets give electricity suppliers more options for meeting consumer needs for power at the lowest possible cost.

Ten RTOs operate bulk electric power systems across much of North America. More than half of the electricity produced is managed by RTOs, with the rest under the jurisdiction of individual utilities or utility holding companies.

In the 1990s, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission introduced a policy designed to increase competitive generation by requiring open access to transmission. Northeastern RTOs developed out of coordinated utility operations already in place. RTOs in other locations grew to meet new policies providing for open transmission access.

Members of RTOs include the following:

Independent power generators Transmission companies Load-serving entities Integrated utilities that combine generation, transmission, and distribution functions Other entities such as power marketers and energy traders

RTOs monitor power supply, demand, and other factors such as weather and historical data. This information is input into complex software that optimizes for the best combination of generation and load. They then post large amounts of price data for thousands of locations on the system at time intervals as short as five minutes.

The Continental U.S. Electric Grid

Data: Energy Information Administration


COM

MER

CIA

L BA

SELO

AD

20

MW

RESI

DEN

TIA

L BA

SELO

AD

35

MW

HEA

VY

IND

UST

RIA

L BA

SELO

AD

60

MW

TIM

E OF D

AY

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00

5 M

W

10 M

W

15 M

W

20 M

W

25 M

W

30 M

W

35 M

W

40 M

W

50 M

W

45 M

W

55 M

W

60 M

W

65 M

W

70 M

W

75 M

W

80 M

W

90 M

W

85 M

W

95 M

W

100

MW

105

MW

110

MW

115

MW

120

MW

125

MW

130

MW

135

MW

140

MW

145

MW

150

MW

155

MW

160

MW

165

MW

170

MW

Base

load

Bal

ance

GAM

E BOA

RD


COM

MER

CIA

L BA

SELO

AD

20

MW

RESI

DEN

TIA

L BA

SELO

AD

35

MW

HEA

VY

IND

UST

RIA

L BA

SELO

AD

60

MW

TIM

E OF D

AY

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00

5 M

W

10 M

W

15 M

W

20 M

W

25 M

W

30 M

W

35 M

W

40 M

W

50 M

W

45 M

W

55 M

W

60 M

W

65 M

W

70 M

W

75 M

W

80 M

W

90 M

W

85 M

W

95 M

W

100

MW

105

MW

110

MW

115

MW

120

MW

125

MW

130

MW

135

MW

140

MW

145

MW

150

MW

155

MW

160

MW

165

MW

170

MW


Coal

Bas

eloa

d G

ener

atio

n 40

MW

, $40

/MW

h

Nat

ural

Gas

Com

bine

d Cy

cle

Base

load

20

MW

, $50

/ MW

h

Nuc

lear

Bas

eloa

d 50

MW

, $30

/MW

h

Hyd

ropo

wer

Bas

eloa

d, 5

MW

, $30

/MW

hSo

lar B

asel

oad,

5 M

W, $

180/

MW

hW

ind

Base

load

, 5 M

W, $

80/M

Wh

Win

d Ba

selo

ad, 5

MW

, $8

0/M

Wh

Hyd

ropo

wer

Pum

ped

Stor

age

Peak

Loa

d, 1

0 M

W, $

60/M

Wh,

5

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

10

MW

, $90

/MW

h, 3

0 m

inut

es le

ad-in

tim

e re

quire

d

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

10

MW

, $15

0/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

5 M

W, $

200/

MW

h, 3

0 m

inut

es le

ad-in

tim

e re

quire

dN

atur

al G

as S

impl

e Cy

cle

Peak

Loa

d, 5

MW

, $60

0/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Hyd

ropo

wer

Pea

k Lo

ad, 5

MW

, $50

/MW

h, 5

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

5 M

W, $

90/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

5 M

W

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00

Base

load

Bal

ance

GAM

E PIE

CES


Coal

Bas

eloa

d G

ener

atio

n 40

MW

, $40

/MW

h

Nat

ural

Gas

Com

bine

d Cy

cle

Base

load

20

MW

, $50

/ MW

h

Nuc

lear

Bas

eloa

d 50

MW

, $30

/MW

h

Hyd

ropo

wer

Bas

eloa

d, 5

MW

, $30

/MW

hSo

lar B

asel

oad,

5 M

W, $

180/

MW

hW

ind

Base

load

, 5 M

W, $

80/M

Wh

Win

d Ba

selo

ad, 5

MW

, $8

0/M

Wh

Hyd

ropo

wer

Pum

ped

Stor

age

Peak

Loa

d, 1

0 M

W, $

60/M

Wh,

5

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

10

MW

, $90

/MW

h, 3

0 m

inut

es le

ad-in

tim

e re

quire

d

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

10

MW

, $15

0/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

5 M

W, $

200/

MW

h, 3

0 m

inut

es le

ad-in

tim

e re

quire

dN

atur

al G

as S

impl

e Cy

cle

Peak

Loa

d, 5

MW

, $60

0/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Hyd

ropo

wer

Pea

k Lo

ad, 5

MW

, $50

/MW

h, 5

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

Nat

ural

Gas

Sim

ple

Cycl

e Pe

ak L

oad,

5 M

W, $

90/M

Wh,

30

min

utes

lead

-in ti

me

requ

ired

5 M

W

Load

8:00

0:00

1:00

9:00

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

5 M

W

10:0

011

:00

12:0

013

:00

14:0

015

:00

16:0

017

:00

18:0

02:

003:

004:

005:

0021

:00

22:0

06:

007:

0019

:00

20:0

023

:00


Fuel Capacity Type of Generation Time Required for Full Capacity

Cost per Megawatt-hour

Coal 40 MW Baseload 24 hours $40

Nuclear (Uranium) 50 MW Baseload 24 hours + $30

Natural Gas Combined Cycle

(NGCC)

20 MW Baseload 30 minutes + $50

Wind 5 MW Baseload Immediate when wind speed is sufficient; primarily at night

$80

Solar 5 MW Baseload Immediate when solar intensity is sufficient;

only during day

$180

Hydropower 5 MW Baseload 5 minutes $30

Hydropower Pumped Storage

10 MW Peak load 5 minutes $60

Hydropower 5 MW Peak load 5 minutes $50

Natural Gas Simple Cycle (NGSC)

5-10 MW each site Peak load 5 minutes $90-$600

Baseload Balance GENERATION PARAMETERS


Baseload Balance Hang Tag Template

GenerationBaseload

Nuclear 50 MW

$30 / MW-hour

GenerationBaseloadCoal 40 MW

$40 / MW-hour

GenerationBaseload

Natural Gas CC 20 MW

$50 / MW-hour

GenerationBaseloadHydro

5 MW$30 / MW-hour

GenerationBaseloadWind

5 MW$80 / MW-hour

GenerationBaseloadSolar

5 MW$180 / MW-hour


GenerationPeak Load

Natural Gas SC 10 MW

$90 / MW-hour

GenerationPeak Load

Natural Gas SC 5 MW

$90 / MW-hour

GenerationPeak Load

Natural Gas SC 10 MW

$150 / MW-hour

GenerationPeak Load

Natural Gas SC 5 MW

$200 / MW-hour

GenerationPeak Load

Natural Gas SC 5 MW

$600 / MW-hour

GenerationPeak Load

Hydro (pumped storage) 10 MW

$60 / MW-hour


GenerationPeak LoadHydro

5 MW$50 / MW-hour

Transmission

Transmission Transmission

LoadCommercial

20 MWBaseload

LoadHeavy Industry

60 MWBaseload


LoadResidential

35 MWBaseload

LoadResidential

5 MW7:00 am – 12:00 am

LoadResidential

10 MW8:00 am – 11:00 pm

LoadCommercial

10 MW9:00 am –9:00 pm

LoadCommercial

5 MW5:00 pm – 11:00 pm

LoadLight Industry

5 MW8:00 am – 9:00 pm


LoadLight Industry

5 MW9:00 am – 8:00 pm

LoadResidential

10 MW3:00 pm – 1:00 am

LoadLight Industry

5 MW10:00 am – 8:00 pm

Regional Transmission Organization


INCIDENTAt 3:00 p.m. heavy cloud cover moves over the region taking out your solar generation. If you can’t provide enough power to meet the load, RTO must choose who will lose power and be in blackout. How could a blackout have been avoided?

INCIDENTAt 2:00 p.m. a baseload coal unit trips and you lose 10 MWs of baseload coal. If you can’t provide enough power to meet the load, RTO must choose who will lose power and be in blackout. How could a blackout have been avoided?

INCIDENTAt 5:00 p.m. a derecho hits, damaging power lines. You lose half your commercial and residential load. You must balance your load with generation. Could this have been predicted?

Baseload Balance INCIDENT CARDS


HANG TAGS

3 Baseload Demand

8 Peak Load Demand

6 Baseload Generation

7 Peak Load Generation

3 - 5 Transmission

1 - 3 RTO (Regional Transmission Organization)

28 - 32 TOTAL

LOADSBASELOAD DEMAND

Residential 35 MW

Heavy Industry 60 MW

Commercial 20 MW

TOTAL 115 MW

PEAK LOAD/DEMAND

7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. 5 MW Residential

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 5 MW Light Industry

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. 10 MW Residential


9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 10 MW Commercial


3:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 10 MW Residential

5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 5 MW Commercial

GENERATORSAVAILABLE GENERATION

BASELOAD GENERATION

Coal Baseload 40 MW $40/MW

Natural Gas Baseload 20 MW $50/MW

Nuclear Baseload 50 MW $30/MW

Hydropower Baseload 5 MW $30/MW

Solar Baseload 5 MW $180/MW

Wind Baseload 5 MW $80/MW

PEAK GENERATION

Hydropower Pumped 10 MW $60/MW 5 MIN

Natural Gas Simple Cycle 10 MW $90/MW 30 MIN





Hydropwer Peak 5 MW $50/MW 5 MIN

TOTAL ONLINE

TOTAL BASELOAD DEMAND 115 MW

PEAK LOAD COMING ONLINE

7:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. 5 MW 120 MW

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 5 MW 125 MW

8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. 10 MW 135 MW

9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 5 MW 140 MW

9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. 10 MW 150 MW

10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. 5 MW 155 MW

3:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 10 MW 165 MW

5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 5 MW 170 MW

TOTAL ONLINE

PEAK LOAD GOING OFFLINE

8:00 p.m. Lose 10 MW (2 Tags) 160 MW

9:00 p.m. Lose 15 MW (2 Tags) 145 MW

11:00 p.m. Lose 15 MW (2 Tags) 130 MW

12:00 a.m. Lose 5 MW (1 Tags) 125 MW

1:00 a.m. Lose 10 MW (1 Tags) 115 MW

Baseload Balance CHEAT SHEET


Your community is growing and needs to explore options for adding electricity generation facilities to support the local demand. One of the opportunities being considered is from a developer to build a wind farm on land in your community. You understand that developing renewable resources is a way to meet the growing electricity needs of your area, but you are curious about the impacts a wind farm might have on your community versus a natural gas plant or a solar farm. You and other stakeholders have been invited to present your perspectives at a public forum. Based on your research, followed by your panel presentation, the community will vote on whether or not to support building the wind farm.

Member of the County CommissionThe County Commission manages the public services of the community and determines how they are paid for. The County Commission is a political group and must take into consideration all political sides of the issue (jobs, taxes, revenue, etc.). You must consider the impacts on the community if the wind farm will be developed in the area.

1. What impacts would the wind farm have on the need to provide local services?

2. What economic impacts would the wind farm have on the local community and taxes?

3. What political impact would supporting the wind farm have on your community?

DeveloperAs the developer of the wind farm project, you must create a plan that details the advantages of establishing a wind farm in your particular area. You must also be able to answer questions from those groups that might oppose the wind farm. It is important as the developer that you understand the “big picture” of the positive and negative impacts of developing the wind farm.

1. What are the economic and environmental benefits to the community of developing the wind farm?

2. What are the disadvantages? How will potential risks be minimized?

3. How will the environment be protected during the installation, operation, and maintenance of the wind farm?

4. How will the utility and its customers benefit from the addition of the wind farm?

InvestorAn investor is someone who uses his or her money to finance a project, in order to make money later. A developer has approached you with a proposal to build a wind farm in a nearby community. As an investor, you are interested in paying money now to build a wind farm, with the idea that you will earn money later as the wind farm becomes productive. You need to determine the costs, risks, earning potential, and benefits of investing in the wind farm.

1. How much will it cost to build and maintain the wind farm? What costs do you need to consider?

2. How much return of income can you expect from your investment? Over how many years?

3. What are the biggest risks to investing in the wind farm?

4. How might the risks and rewards of a wind farm compare to other energy facilities (solar or natural gas, for example)?

Siting and Permitting a Wind FarmROLES AND KEY QUESTIONS


Site PlannerThe site planner of a wind farm considers many factors to determine the best location for a wind farm. You must take into consideration the important concerns that community members have. You need to determine the optimum areas for the turbines in regard to local weather patterns (wind strength). You must also take into consideration any other environmental factors that might affect the siting of the wind farm.

1. What information about local and global wind patterns and wind technology must you research before siting a wind farm?

2. What other weather information might be important besides wind speed?

3. What other factors must you consider? Are there roads and power lines nearby?

4. What environmental factors must you consider before siting a wind farm?

Farmer/RancherYou are a farmer and rancher who has 10,000 acres of land that you use to grow crops and graze your cattle. The developer has informed you that it is considering a proposal to place a wind farm on part of the land. You think that using renewable energy and having multiple uses of the land are good ideas, but you are concerned about the impact of a wind farm on your crops and animals.

1. What impacts will siting, building, and operating a wind farm have on your crops and cattle?

2. Will you have to reduce the acres of crops you grow or the number of cattle that graze on the land?

3. Are there any financial benefits to you if building the wind farm on your leased land?

Consumer/NeighborYou are a neighbor of the farmer/rancher on whose land the wind farm might be built. You have heard that large wind turbines generate a great deal of noise and that concerns you because the chinchillas you raise are very sensitive to noise. You are aware that there have been predictions of blackouts in the near future in your area because of a lack of electricity capacity. You are also wondering how the price of electricity in your area might be affected if a wind farm was installed.

1. How much noise do wind turbines generate? How can the developer plan for this?

2. What is shadow flicker? How can the developer plan for this?

3. How would a wind farm affect the property values of the surrounding properties?

4. How would local long-term electricity rates be affected by the installation of a wind farm?

EnvironmentalistYou are very concerned with protecting the environment. You would like to know how wind energy impacts the environment during the manufacture, installation, maintenance, and removal of the wind turbines. Also, there have been reports in the past of wind turbines injuring birds and bats that fly into them. You would like to know how wind energy installations might affect birds and animals in your area compared to other energy facilities. You are also concerned about pollution, climate change, and how electricity generation contributes to climate effects.

1. How would the manufacture and installation of wind turbines affect the local environment?

2. How would the operation of the wind turbines affect the surrounding environment and the plants and animals in the area?

3. Would the amount of electricity generated by the wind turbines be enough to offset the “cost” to the environment?

4. How does wind electricity generation compare to other options (natural gas, coal, solar) with carbon emissions?


EconomistAn economist is a person who can analyze the financial impacts of actions. The community that will be affected by the development of the wind farm has consulted you. They have asked you to determine the costs of generating electricity from fossil fuels and wind energy and to do a comparison study. This includes comparing construction costs, transmission costs, generation costs, and potential tax credits available for using wind.

1. How does the cost of using wind to generate electricity compare to other sources?

2. What economic advantages/disadvantages would the wind farm bring to the area?

3. Will the wind farm impact the economy of the area by bringing more jobs to the area? How many jobs? Will the jobs be permanent? What training is required?

Utility Company RepresentativeYou are an employee of the local utility company and are responsible for making sure that your utility has the necessary capacity to provide electricity to all of your customers. There is increased demand for electricity in your community and you know you must secure reliable sources of additional generation in the near future. You would be the main purchaser of electricity from the wind farm.

1. How expensive would the electricity be from the wind farm?

2. How predictable is the electricity generation from the wind farm?

3. How reliable is the equipment on the wind farm? What happens if one turbine goes down temporarily?

4. Will there be additional costs to the utility company that might be passed along to consumers?

Useful Websites to Visit When Conducting ResearchAmerican Wind Energy Association: www.awea.org

Energy Information Administration: www.eia.gov

Bureau of Land Management: www.blm.gov

U.S. Department of Energy - Wind: www.doe.gov/science-innovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy/wind

U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency: www.doe.gov/science-innovation/energy-efficiency

U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Wind Program: www.energy.gov/eere/wind/wind-energy-technologies-office


WIND ENERGY BINGO

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

NAME

A

E

I

M

B

F

J

N

C

G

K

O

D

H

L

P

A. Has used wind energy for transportation

B. Knows the average cost per residential kilowatt-hour of electricity

C. Can name two renewable energy sources other than wind

D. Can explain how wind is formed

E. Knows what an anemometer does

F. Can name two forms of energy

G. Can name two factors to consider when siting a wind farm

H. Knows how electricity is generated by a wind turbine

I. Has seen a modern wind turbine

J. Knows how wind speed is measured

K. Has experienced the wind tunnel effect

L. Knows the energy efficiency of a wind turbine

M. Can name two uses of windmills

N. Can name two myths many people believe about wind turbines

O. Has been to a power plant

P. Knows what a gear box does


Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement

All NEED schools have outstanding classroom-based programs in which students learn about energy. Does your school have student leaders who extend these activities into their communities? To recognize outstanding achievement and reward student leadership, The NEED Project conducts the National Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement.

Share Your Energy Outreach with The NEED Network!This program combines academic competition with recognition to acknowledge everyone involved in NEED during the year—and to recognize those who achieve excellence in energy education in their schools and communities.

What’s involved? Students and teachers set goals and objectives and keep a record of their activities. Students create a digital project to submit for judging. In April, digital projects are uploaded to the online submission site.

Want more info? Check out www.NEED.org/Youth-Awards for more application and program information, previous winners, and photos of past events.

Youth Energy Conference and Awards

The NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards gives students more opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The annual June conference has students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge. A limited number of spaces are available for a special two-day pre-conference event, which allows students access to additional information, time to discuss energy with their peers, and access to industry professionals. The conference culminates with the Youth Awards Ceremony recognizing student work throughout the year and during the conference.

For More Info: http://tinyurl.com/youthenergyconference

http://www.need.org/youth-awards

http://www.need.org//Files/Youth%20Awards/Event%20Page/YouthEnergyConference.html


SOCIAL MEDIAStay up-to-date with NEED. “Like” us on Facebook! Search for The NEED Project, and check out all we’ve got going on!

Follow us on Twitter. We share the latest energy news from around the country, @NEED_Project.

Follow us on Instagram and check out the photos taken at NEED events, instagram.com/theneedproject.

Follow us on Pinterest and pin ideas to use in your classroom, Pinterest.com/NeedProject.

Subscribe to our YouTube channel!www.youtube.com/user/NEEDproject

NEED’S SMUGMUG GALLERYhttp://need-media.smugmug.com/

On NEED’s SmugMug page, you’ll nd pictures of NEED students learning and teaching about energy. Would you like to submit images or videos to NEED’s gallery? E-mail [email protected] for more information. Also use SmugMug to nd these visual resources:

VideosNeed a refresher on how to use Science of Energy with your students? Watch the Science of Energy videos. Also check out our Energy Chants videos! Find videos produced by NEED students teaching their peers and community members about energy.

Online Graphics LibraryWould you like to use NEED’s graphics in your own classroom presentations, or allow students to use them in their presentations? Download graphics for easy use in your classroom.

E-Publications The NEED Project o ers e-publication versions of various guides for in-classroom use. Guides that are currently available as an e-publication can be found at www.issuu.com/theneedproject.

NEED’s Online Resources

AWESOME EXTRASLooking for more resources? Our Awesome Extras page contains PowerPoints, animations, and other great resources to compliment what you are teaching in your classroom! This page is available under the Educators tab at www.NEED.org.

The BlogWe feature new curriculum, teacher news, upcoming programs, and exciting resources regularly. To read the latest from the NEED network, visit www.NEED.org/blog_home.asp.

Evaluations and AssessmentBuilding an assessment? Searching for standards? Check out our Evaluations page for a question bank, NEED’s Energy Polls, sample rubrics, links to standards alignment, and more at www.NEED.org/evaluation.

NEED Energy BooklistLooking for cross-curricular connections, or extra background reading for your students? NEED’s booklist provides an extensive list of ction and non ction titles for all grade levels to support energy units in the science, social studies, or language arts setting. Check it out atwww.NEED.org/booklist.asp.

U.S. Energy GeographyMaps are a great way for students to visualize the energy picture in the United States. This set of maps will support your energy discussion and multi-disciplinary energy activities. Go to www.need.org/energyinsocietymaterials to see energy production, consumption, and reserves all over the country!

https://www.pinterest.com/needproject/

https://www.instagram.com/theneedproject/

https://need-media.smugmug.com/

https://www.facebook.com/NEEDProject/

https://twitter.com/need_project

http://www.need.org/booklist.asp

http://www.need.org/awesomeextras

http://www.need.org/energyinsocietymaterials

http://www.need.org/evaluation

https://issuu.com/theneedproject


Anemometers and solar cells and light meters — oh my! Getting your kits (or re lls) has never been easier! Check out NEED’s o cial online store at shop.need.org.

ORDER MATERIALS ONLINE!


Exploring Wind EnergyEvaluation Form

State: ___________ Grade Level: ___________ Number of Students: __________

1. Did you conduct the entire unit? Yes No

2. Were the instructions clear and easy to follow? Yes No

3. Did the activities meet your academic objectives? Yes No

4. Were the activities age appropriate? Yes No

5. Were the allotted times sufficient to conduct the activities? Yes No

6. Were the activities easy to use? Yes No

7. Was the preparation required acceptable for the activities? Yes No

8. Were the students interested and motivated? Yes No

9. Was the energy knowledge content age appropriate? Yes No

10. Would you teach this unit again? Yes No Please explain any ‘no’ statement below.

How would you rate the unit overall? excellent good fair poor

How would your students rate the unit overall? excellent good fair poor

What would make the unit more useful to you?

Other Comments:

Please fax or mail to: The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle Manassas, VA 20110 FAX: 1-800-847-1820

National Sponsors and Partners

Air Equipment CompanyAlaska Electric Light & Power CompanyAlbuquerque Public SchoolsAmerican Electric PowerAmerican Fuel & Petrochemical ManufacturersArizona Public ServiceArmstrong Energy CorporationBarnstable County, MassachusettsRobert L. Bayless, Producer, LLCBG Group/ShellBP America Inc.Blue Grass EnergyCape Light Compact–MassachusettsCentral Falls School DistrictChugach Electric Association, Inc. CITGOClean Energy CollectiveColonial PipelineColumbia Gas of MassachusettsComEdConEdison SolutionsConocoPhillipsConstellationCuesta College David Petroleum CorporationDesk and Derrick of Roswell, NMDirect EnergyDominion EnergyDonors ChooseDuke EnergyEast Kentucky PowerEnergy Market Authority – SingaporeEscambia County Public School Foundation EversourceExelon FoundationFoundation for Environmental EducationFPLThe Franklin InstituteGeorge Mason University – Environmental Science and PolicyGerald Harrington, GeologistGovernment of Thailand–Energy MinistryGreen Power EMCGuilford County Schools – North CarolinaGulf PowerHawaii EnergyIdaho National LaboratoryIllinois Clean Energy Community Foundation

Illinois Institute of TechnologyIndependent Petroleum Association of New MexicoJames Madison UniversityKentucky Department of Energy Development and IndependenceKentucky Power – An AEP CompanyKentucky Utilities CompanyLeague of United Latin American Citizens – National Educational Service CentersLeidosLinn County Rural Electric CooperativeLlano Land and ExplorationLouisville Gas and Electric CompanyMississippi Development Authority–Energy DivisionMississippi Gulf Coast Community Foundation Mojave Environmental Education ConsortiumMojave Unied School DistrictMontana Energy Education CouncilThe Mountain InstituteNational FuelNational GridNational Hydropower AssociationNational Ocean Industries AssociationNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryNC Green PowerNew Mexico Oil CorporationNew Mexico Landman’s AssociationNextEra Energy ResourcesNEXTrackerNicor Gas Nisource Charitable FoundationNoble EnergyNolin Rural Electric CooperativeNorthern Rivers Family ServicesNorth Carolina Department of Environmental QualityNorth Shore GasOshore Technology ConferenceOhio Energy ProjectOpterra EnergyPacic Gas and Electric CompanyPECOPecos Valley Energy CommitteePeoples GasPepcoPerformance Services, Inc. Petroleum Equipment and Services Association

Phillips 66PNMPowerSouth Energy CooperativeProvidence Public SchoolsQuarto Publishing GroupRead & Stevens, Inc. Renewable Energy Alaska ProjectRhode Island Oce of Energy ResourcesRobert ArmstrongRoswell Geological SocietySalt River ProjectSalt River Rural Electric CooperativeSaudi AramcoSchlumbergerC.T. Seaver TrustSecure Futures, LLCShellShell ChemicalsSigora SolarSingapore Ministry of EducationSociety of Petroleum EngineersSociety of Petroleum Engineers – Middle East, North Africa and South AsiaSolar CityDavid SorensonSouth Orange County Community College DistrictTennessee Department of Economic and Community Development–Energy DivisionTeslaTesoro FoundationTri-State Generation and TransmissionTXU EnergyUnited Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New JerseyUniversity of KentuckyUniversity of MaineUniversity of North CarolinaUniversity of TennesseeU.S. Department of EnergyU.S. Department of Energy–Oce of Energy Eciency and Renewable EnergyU.S. Department of Energy–Wind for SchoolsU.S. Energy Information AdministrationUnited States Virgin Islands Energy OceWayne County Sustainable EnergyWestern Massachusetts Electric CompanyYates Petroleum Corporation

©2017 The NEED Project 8408 Kao Circle, Manassas, VA 20110 1.800.875.5029 www.NEED.org

Exploring Wind Teacher Guide

Documents

Transcript of Exploring Wind Teacher Guide