Georgia’s Off-shore Wind Opportunities

Presented by Bill Bulpitt and Rita Kilpatrickfor Tybee Island City Council

March 27, 2008

Georgia Wind Working Group

The Georgia Wind Working Group formed in 2005 through a partnership involving:- Southern Alliance for Clean Energy- Georgia Tech’s Strategic Energy Institute- Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority

The Group consists of people representing utility companies, wind developers, government agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations.

GEORGIA

WIND WORKING GROUP

Georgia Offshore Wind Maps

Class 3

Class 5

Class 4

Class 3

Class 4

50-M above Sea Level 90-M above Sea Level

Source: AWS Truewind, 2006

Off-Shore Wind Resourcein Georgia

Site specific data:

– 50 m high anemometer

– Online since June 1999 (nearly 7 years)

– 27 m deep water,` 60 km offshore– 6-minute data

averages

Source: Southern Winds Project

Southern Winds Off-shore Project

• By Southern Company and Georgia Tech

• Began July 1, 2005• To study viability of

wind power generation off the Georgia coast

Preliminary Findings:

• Wind resource warrants further review

• 20 year levelized cost: 50-160 MW scale:$.08-$.12/kwhr

• No “show stopper” environmental issues

• Coastal community acceptance important

Simulated View of a Wind Farm (10MW) 10.2 Miles South Southeast of

Tybee

Source: Southern Winds Project

US Projects Proposed

Prop

Atlantic Ocean

Gulf of Mexico

Cape Wind AssociatesWinergy

LIPA & FPL

W.E.S.T. LLC

Hull Municipal

Southern Company

Superior Renewable

New Jersey

Delaware

Project State MWCapewind MA 420LIPA NY 150Winergy (plum Island) NY 10Southern Company GA 10W.E.S.T. TX 150Superior Renewable TX 500Buzzards Bay MA 300New Jersey NJ 300Hull Municipal MA 15Delaware DE 600Total 2455

US Offshore Projects

Buzzards Bay

No projects installed in US yet

Benefits of Off-shore Wind

• Better wind resources• Reduced turbulence –

steadier wind• Higher wind = better

energy production• Higher capacity

factors –load matching• Minimize visual

impacts with greater distances

• Proximity to load centers

• Lower transmission constraints

• Serve high cost regions

• Uses indigenous energy

• Avoids size limits

GEORGIA

WIND WORKING GROUPCourtesy Walt Musial: NREL

Off-shore Wind Regulation Pending(beyond 3 nautical miles from shore)

• Minerals Management Service is establishing permitting rules

• Will require full environmental review for wind farms and cabling pathway

• Multiple federal and state governing authorities apply

• Environmental considerations include:

- Bird migratory pathways- Habitats – marine,

fisheries, avian- Natural reefs and other

aquatic life

GEORGIA

WIND WORKING GROUP

Next Steps for Utilities andWind Developers

• Track federal rulemaking process

• Install a meteorological tower for wind site specific resource assessment

• Plan wind farm projects where communities are supportive

• Participate in competitive process for lease site

Georgia

Wind Working Group

Photo Courtesy: NREL

The Georgia Wind Working GroupMission

Georgia

Wind Working Group

Promotes the responsible development and use of wind energy by facilitating stakeholder collaborations, assisting with resource assessments, and enhancing public understanding of the benefits and impacts of wind energy.

Georgia Wind Working Group

• Provides general public education

• Provides technical outreach and targeted stakeholder outreach

• Hosts wind workshops• Develops state

specific literature• Provides presentations

at key events

GEORGIA

WIND WORKING GROUP

The Georgia Wind Working Grouplooks forward to working with the

City of Tybee Island and others to explore wind energy opportunities.

Georgia

Wind Working Group

Photo Courtesy: Georgia Tech SEI

Additional Background on Existing Off-shore

Wind Farms

Courtesy: Georgia Tech SEI

Arklow

Project Statistics• Turbines 3.6MW x 7• Depth of piles 35-45m• Weight of piles 280tonne (5m diameter)• Weight of turbines 290tonne• Blades 50.5m, 15tonne each• Nacelle/Hub height 73.5M• Rotational speed 8.5 – 15 rpm• Distance offshore 10km• Onshore cable 5km• Voltage 38kV distribution connected• Rotor diameter 104m > soccer pitch area• 25MW serves 16,000 households (Irish)

• Sandbank 24 miles long & 2.5 wide, depths 3 -20 m• Largest commercially operating turbines installed to date• Largest consented offshore site to date

Source: McAdam

Courtesy: Georgia Tech SEI

Scroby Sands

Scroby SandsCountry: United KingdomLocation: East Anglian Coast, 3km east of Great YarmouthTotal Capacity: 60 MWNumber of Turbines: 30Distance to Shore: 2.5 kmDepth: 4-8 mCapital Costs: about 110 million EuroStatus: BuiltConstruction Date: 2003Manufacturer: VestasTotal Capacity: 2 MWTurbine-type: V80 - 80m diameter/ 60m hubheightMean Windspeed: 7.5 m/s Windfarm Developer: E.ON UK

Courtesy: Georgia Tech SEI

Horns Rev

Horns RevCountry: DenmarkLocation: West CoastTotal Capacity: 160 MWNumber of Turbines: 80Distance to Shore: 14-20 kmDepth: 6-12 mCapital Costs: 270 million EuroStatus: Operational Construction Date: 2002 Manufacturer: VestasTotal Capacity: 2 MWTurbine-type: V80 - 80m diameter / 70m hubheightMean Windspeed: 9.7 m/sAnnual Energy output: 600 GWhWindfarm Developer: Elsam http://www.hornsrev.dk/Engelsk/default_ie.htm