Wind Energyin the Appalachians

Cost / BenefitAnalysis

Blue Ridge Mountain Defenders

• In 1982, the United Nations World Charter of Nature gave the first international recognition of the PP, stating that when "potential adverse effects are not fully understood, the activities should not proceed".

• 1992 Rio Declaration states: The best environmental policy is to protect the environmental systems as a priority, in particular where the results of an action are unknown.

A principle of "no regrets".

Precautionary Principle

Does the placement of industrial scale wind turbines near rural communities benefit one segment of society, while exploiting vulnerable rural populations and ecosystems?

for REFLECTIONCan people choose to live more simply so that

energy production may be reduced rather than expanded?

How are we responsible stewards of the earth if by attempting to conserve resources in one area (e.g., producing clean energy) we are at the same time causing destruction in other areas of the environment?

Consider our legacyto the

world of ourgrandchildren.

Island of Green

Mountain ridges are just as fragile as Wetlands

Turbine Installation On A Vermont Ridgetop

Siltation of creeks and tributariesSediments clog streamsHarm aquatic life

Water Degradation

Water Degradation (cont.)

Contamination of surface water will affect spring water for homes.

Contamination of groundwater aquifers will affect springs & wells, & ultimately rivers & reservoirs.

BEFOREAFTER

Oil in Turbines

Leaking oil can enter soil

& both surface &

groundwater.

Oil will add fuel to forest

fires caused by lightning,

mechanical problems, or

carelessness.

Contrary to popular opinion, due to their inefficiency in energy production, wind turbine installations

DO NOT REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT.

Turbine Construction = Habitat Destruction

PresentHoneysuckle Road

Future Honeysuckle Road?

Poor Mtn. Sugar Maples

Present Upland ForestRoanoke County

Ridges

Tree Species of Concern

AMERICAN CHESTNUT

CANADIAN HEMLOCK

CAROLINA HEMLOCK

DISEASED HEMLOCK

Native Fishes Will Suffer From Stream Siltation And Pollution

Brook Trout , Roanoke Logperch & Madtom

Habitats of Game Species will be Disturbed & Game Numbers Reduced

Songbirds Restricted ToVirginia’s Mountain Tops Will No Longer Be

Seen

VEERY JUNCO (SNOWBIRD)

CANADA WARBLER

Migrating & Resident Hawks Will Be Decimated Season After

Season

OVER 2700 HAWKS WERE SEEN OVER POOR MT. ON

SEPT 22ND, 2009

Hawk Count—September 2010

From the Poor Mt. Hawk Watching Site, during 35 hours of observation, the tally was 813 raptors, which included:

3 ospreys5 bald eagles23 accipiters2 peregrine falcons746 broad-winged

hawks

Bats are in trouble the world over. Let’s not send them over the edge.

ENDANGERED VIRGINIA BIG-EARED BAT

ENDANGERED INDIANA BAT

Unusual Mammal Residents of the Blue Ridge Mountains

Jumping Mouse

Eastern Woodrat

Long-tailed Shrew Red-backed Vole

Spotted Skunk

Poor Mountain Ridgeline Trail

The VA Dept. of Game & Inland Fisheries has added a 3.2 mile stretch along the top of Poor Mt. to the VA Birding and Wildlife Trail System

How are we responsible stewards of the earth if by attempting to conserve resources in one area, we are at the same time causing destruction in other areas of the environment?

Benefits Enhances community’s appreciation for

extraordinary Blue Ridge living environment

Provides electrical energy without atmospheric pollution, with the exception of supply and maintenance service provider industries (heavy metals for generators, petroleum products, steel & fiberglass)

By reasoning of displacement, the wind developers suggest Metric Tonnes of elimination of “greenhouse gas production”

On Poor Mountain, March 2010, the wind developer stated that a proposed 15 turbines would produce enough clean energy for 10,000 Roanoke Valley Homes

and eliminate 98,ooo mT of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere.

Benefits, cont’.

Provides financial revenue … stream to the property owner. Estimate: $7,000 -$10,000 per turbine per year /gross Provides financial revenue … stream to Roanoke County government. Estimate: $800,000 -$1,000,000 per year /gross

Provides jobs. One or two fulltime plus periodic maintenance and support personnel, annually. During construction, local graders, excavators and raw materials suppliers will be hired to assist the specialty construction workforce, who installs the turbines.

CostsONE HUNDRED

MILLION DOLLARSfor 15 wind turbines on Poor

Mtn. Funding? 30% Federal and other grants and subsidies ; not including annual maintenance subsidies or investment tax incentives

30% Federally-insured loans

30% private investment

10% wind developer & turbine manufacturer – “…they have no skin in the game.” Larry Summers, WSJ Oct 2010

Costs, cont’.

PLUSHigher Electricity

Rates Renewable Energy Credits 1 Mwh = 1 REC

31 States have Renewable Portfolio Standards enacted that require power companies to supply a designated percentage of electricity distributed in the state, to be from renewable energy providers. – A False Market

Power companies are routinely granted rate increases by the states, to pay for this relatively scarce electricity resource. So, while the taxpayer provides the majority of the funding for this industry, the consumers pay still MORE!

Beech Ridge Wind Energy Center, WV

Costs, cont’.Appropriated Land Area

~ 2000 A tract / 18 turbines x 2.5

MW = 44 ½ acres per Mwin the Appalachian Mountains Poor Mtn.: 4.75 miles of new

100’ wide (minimum) access corridors on the ridges to connect each 3 to 5 acre turbine site. –Denuded Areas

Little or No CO2 benefit

in the Appalachian Mountains Wind is intermittent, therefore supplemental Coal will likely remain on line in the Appalachians for base load requirements.

15?, 18?, 36?, 54?1.5Mw?, 2.5Mw?,

4Mw? on Bent Mountain &

Poor Mountain inRoanoke County

…thousands on Appalachian ridges across Virginia

or

Scope

Are we considering 15 or 18 turbines on Poor Mountain...

Floyd County

Tools for

Evaluation• DOE Wind Data Charts• 6 Years Data from local automatic weather station• Google Earth• Local & Statewide professional resources

Blue Ridge Mountains

Roanoke County

In March 2010, Invenergy stated there proposed 15 turbine project would be capable of generating enough electricity to provide for 10,000 Roanoke Valley homes.

Our Finding: 5,104 Homes

LESS 10% Transmission/Distribution Losses (510)

4,594 Homes Annually

Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area

Population: 303,200Households based upon US Census

Data: 2.2 per household138,000

Electricity Requirement for RMSA

541 – 2.5 Mw Wind Turbines

44.5 x 541 x 2.5 = 6o,186 Acres of Mountain

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Can site based generation systems be a better clean energy solution?

VAWT

All provide equal or greater supplement in both urban & rural locations and reduce transmission and distribution losses

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines

Solar Panels

Bloom Boxes

Does the placement of industrial scale wind turbines

near rural communities benefit one segment of society, while

exploiting vulnerable rural populations and ecosystems?