Is ThereWind Energyin Florida?

How can we tell?

Frank R. Leslie, B.S.E.E,M.S. Space Technology

November 10, 2002

• Energy Sources– Renewable; won’t run

out– Nonrenewable; will run

out• Fossil Fuels

– Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas

• Nuclear (very long depletion period)

• Hubbert’s Peak of oil consumption

• Environmental Impacts– Pollution: Air, water,

land, noise– Wildlife; people

(NIMBYs)• Economics: Cost

assessment

Revised 021110

www.worldenergy.org

Introduction to Florida Wind Energy

• Dr. M. King Hubbert, geophysicist, published his prediction that the US oil peak would be reached in 1970. Later, others predicted the World oil peak would occur in the first decade of the 21st Century.

• Past the production peak, oil prices will increase as extraction becomes more difficult and the price is bid up.

The Hubbert Curve Predicts Fossil Fuel Decline

www.hubbertpeak.com/midpoint.htm

Revised 021102

Renewable Energy Overview

• Renewable energy comes to Earth faster than it is used

• Types of Renewable energy– Solar: Light, heat, wind, waves, plant

growth (biomass)– Gravitational: Tides

(almost renewable)• Sustainable energy is used more slowly

than it becomes available– For example, a small hydropower system

might use only part of the available water upstream

Revised 021110

• United States– Transportation, Residential,

Industrial• Florida• FPL electrical districts• Daily load peaking (time of

day)

Energy Source Usage

Revised 021109

US 2000Yourenergyfuture.org

http://www.nyiso.com

http://www.caiso.com/SystemStatus.html

Energy Considerations for 2050• Fossil-fuel energy

will deplete in the future; took millions of years to create that much fuel

• US oil production peaked about 1974; world energy will peak about 2004-9

• Renewable energy will eventually become mandatory, and our lifestyles may change

• Transition to renewable energy must occur well before a crisis occurs

Revised 021102

US 2000Yourenergyfuture.org

Wind Origin and Nature

Revised 021110

• The sun heats the Earth unequally, causing air pressure differences

• Air moves from high to low pressures, but veers due to the Coriolis Effect (to the right in Northern Hemisphere; as in Atlantic hurricanes)

• Range of speeds: Calm to Mt. Washington, NH 231 miles per hour April, 1934 record

• Character: steady, gusty, day/night cyclic – a statistical nature

Wind Energy Effects

• Varies significantly with location• Mountains often channel wind and

increase speed• Plains or water allow unhindered sweep

of wind with low friction• Power is proportional to the cube of the

speed– Eight times as much power at twice the

wind speed• Existing applications/uses

– Power and water pumping

Revised 021110

U.S. Wind Atlas

• Wind map of US shows wind power density by colors

• Pacific Northwest National Labs, WA, created maps– Experts on nuclear

plume drift prediction– Published maps for

each state• Newer technology can

create maps from topography

Revised 021110

Florida Wind Map from Pacific Northwest National Laboratories (PNNL) Atlas

• PNNL rated wind energy “marginal” (200 to 300 W/m2) along the coasts

• Interior of state “negligible”

• Based upon limited airport historical data

• Limited other wind studies found; some masters’ theses

Revised 021110

Wind Map Development & Creation

• Wind maps display areas of strength or intensity as colors or contour lines

• Weather history is used to get long-term records of speed and direction (direction not critical to turbines)

• Airports have weather history, but they are far apart (data gaps)

• Anemometers can measure local winds• Computer modeling produces estimates of

winds at other locations (some models better than others)

Revised 021110

• Find best wind turbine locations• Anemometers measure wind speed• Totalizers measure miles of wind blown

past• Tree “flagging” or distortion of growth

pattern shows high winds• Balloons and kites show turbulence

with flagging streamers• Soil erosion may indicate high wind

speed• Direction of wind approach may affect

speed (trees, buildings)• Higher turbines are above turbulence

and any blocked wind

Wind Prospecting

Revised 021110

Nature of Sea Breeze

• Humid air sweeps inland as land heats more than ocean and air then rises to develop clouds

• Afternoon thunderstorms begin as saturated air forms cumulonimbus clouds

• Electrical static charge develops as drops form and are swept upwards by the wind

• Lightning and heavy rains usually follow

• Air returns overhead to descend at sea

Revised 021110

• Sea breeze of 10 to 15 mph peak caused by sun typically lasts 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Gusts are much stronger and have more power, but they last less than a minute

• Wind direction changes as sea breeze progresses

• Sea breeze effect begins as land is heated by sun more than water

• Temperature difference of land and sea causes wind flow inland in daytime; out to sea at night

• Afternoon storms result from humid sea air rising in Central Florida

• North Carolina to Texas coastal areas may have similar energy

Ref.: cimss.ssec.wisc.edu

Sea Breeze Phenomenology

Revised 021110 Ref.: www.icess.ucsb.edu/esrg

Wind Turbine Overview

• Vertical Axis Turbines– Two thin semicircular blades– Savonius rotor best at water pumping– Blade forces reverse with each turn;

fail to endure due to stresses– Darrieus rotor explored by Sandia Labs

and recently removed• Horizontal Axis Turbines

– Two or three-bladed rotor– Successful in practice– Largest 110 meter diameter rotor– 3.4 MW peak power

Revised 021110

www.iwr.de/wind

Typical Wind Turbine Equipment

Temporary homemade wind turbine on roof of Link Bldg. Samples available wind energy. Datalogger records patterns of winds. The weather station in the background records wind speed & direction, temperatures, rainfall, etc.

Wind turbines are fairly simple machines built for long life and reliability. The blades of large turbines revolve about 8-12 times per minute. Complex as a bus?

Revised 021110

Wind Turbine Siting (Location Selection)

• Terrain shapes and changes wind flow• Turbine groups may interfere with wind into

downwind turbines– Must be separated by several diameters

• Operation & Maintenance for lubing, inspection, bolt tightening, etc. requires crew access roads

• Transmission lines (electrical) carry energy to load use areas

• Major US areas in CA, WA, NM, TX, OR, MT, SD, ND, KS, MN, IA, PA, WV, VT, others

Revised 021110

Florida Tech Wind Research

• Civil engineering effects on buildings & emergency vehicles --- WHIRL Laboratory, Dr. Pinelli

• Aeronautical --- airfoils, Dr. Subramanian

• DMES (Department of Marine and Environmental Systems) --- Sea Breeze Wind and Solar Study, Dr. Steven Lazarus & Mr. Frank Leslie

• Greater emphasis on applied research developing at Florida Tech

Revised 021109

DMES Wind/Solar DOE/FSEC Study

• Dr. Steven Lazarus and Mr. Frank Leslie are researching wind and solar energy and the sea breeze effect

• Goal: Determine if there is sufficient wind/solar energy in Florida to economically offset mid-day fossil-fuel utility energy?

• Objectives: Record wind and solar data and evaluate available energy under sea breeze and storm frontal passage conditions

Revised 021110

Sea Breeze Wind and Solar Study

• Obtaining small wind turbines, controllers, and photovoltaic modules from grant funding and generous equipment donations

• Establish permanent campus station and create two portable field stations

• Student field research studies with data gathering, processing, and reporting

• Developing Renewable Energy Lab to further research

• Developing Renewable Energy Course to educate students in energy choices and technology

Revised 021109

• Wind turbines (two 400 W & one 1000W)

• Photovoltaic modules• Anemometers• Dataloggers• Pyranometers

– Solar intensity

Project Instrumentation

Revised 021110

Data Assessment Process• Correlate wind and solar energy

over “long” period (~1 to 5 years)

• Find power variations with respect to location– On ocean shore or offshore on

ship– West side of Indian River

Lagoon (city/county parks; Lagoon House?)

– Inland to perhaps 15 miles• Develop automated data

processing and display to deal with large data files

• Determine available wind/solar energy and costs; economics compared with existing sources

Revised 021110

Tentative Conclusions(always evolving)

• Coastal sea breeze winds may reduce peak load requirements on fossil fuel utilities, reducing pollution and demand load charges

• Sea breeze wind speeds are low, thus there is limited power available

• PV helps during sunny, clear skies• Some renewable energy is available during

afternoon utility peak loads• Additional research will establish the

economics and practicality• Automated data processing and Internet

interface for data will be useful to wind researchers

Revised 021110

Career Choices in Wind Science and Engineering

TechnicalTurbine MaintainerUtilities WorkerAirfoils DesignerGenerator WinderTurbine InstallerSurveyorDrafterElectricianMechanicRiggerCrane OperatorTech WriterData ManagerIllustrator

Engineering

Aeronautical EngineerElectrical Engineer Power & CommMechanical EngineerCivil EngineerSystem EngineerIntegration EngineerDatalogger ProgrammerInternet InterfacesComputer DisplaysReliability EngineerQuality Control Engineer

ScienceMeteorologistGeographic Info Systems (GIS)Computer ScientistStatisticianEnvironmental ScientistPsychologistMathematicianEconomistGeologistOther- Artist- Architect- Attorney- Planner- Materials Specialist- Legislative Advisors & Lobbyists

Revised 021110From Florida Tech, DMES, Frank Leslie, 2002

References: Books

• Gipe, Paul. Wind Energy for Home & Business. White River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub. Co., 1993. 0-930031-64-4, TJ820.G57, 621.4’5

• Manwell, J.F., J.G. McGowan, and A. L. Rogers. Wind Energy Explained. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, 577 pp., 2002. ISBN 0-471-49972-2.

• Patel, Mukund R. Wind and Solar Power Systems. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1999, 351 pp. ISBN 0-8493-1605-7, TK1541.P38 1999, 621.31’2136

• Johnson, Gary L. Wind Energy Systems. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 360pp., 1985. ISBN 0-13-957754-8; TK1541.J64; 621.4’5.

• Sørensen, Bent. Renewable Energy, Second Edition. San Diego: Academic Press, 2000, 911 pp. ISBN 0-12-656152-4.

• Brower, Michael. Cool Energy. Cambridge MA: The MIT Press, 1992. 0-262-02349-0, TJ807.9.U6B76, 333.79’4’0973.

• Duffie, John and William A. Beckman. Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 920 pp., 1991

Revised 021110

References: Websites, etc.

Revised 021110

awea-windnet@yahoogroups.com. Wind Energy elistawea-wind-home@yahoogroups.com. Wind energy home powersite elistgeothermal.marin.org/ on geothermal energymailto:energyresources@egroups.com rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/maps/chap2/2-01m.html PNNL wind energy map of CONUS windenergyexperimenter@yahoogroups.com. Elist for wind energy experimenterswww.dieoff.org. Site devoted to the decline of energy and effects upon populationwww.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commissionwww.hawaii.gov/dbedt/ert/otec_hi.html#anchor349152 on OTEC systemstelosnet.com/wind/20th.htmlwww.google.com/search?q=%22renewable+energy+course%22solstice.crest.org/dataweb.usbr.gov/html/powerplant_selection.htmlhttp://www.windpower.dk/tour/wres/shear.htm#rough