Wind Energy Stakeholder DebateIn-Class Activity

Overview

Students take on different roles of those involved with siting a wind farm

Players range from environmentalists, to opposing neighborhood residents, to economists, to government agency officials

Each student/group of students takes on a different role and is given a brief synopsis of their role

Students speak to City Council, proposing either building or not building the wind farm based on their assigned role

The teacher or selected students act as City Council and decides who the winner of the debate is

Objectives

  Students will learn that putting up a wind plant is not a

simple process, and it affects many people Students will be introduced to the many different

players in the wind energy development process Students will become more familiar with the

challenges presented when planning to put up a wind development

Activity Preparation Assign students roles:

Groups of students or individual students will take on each side of the debate

Equal number of teams for pros and cons

Determine who is on City Council: they will determine the winning side at the end of the debate

Read and understand assigned role: Each student will review the fact sheet that corresponds to

their role They are to base their arguments in the debate on these facts Students will attempt to appeal to City Council by arguing

their side of the debate

Issues surrounding wind farm developmentPros Zero pollutant emissions

Environmentally-friendly

Renewable energy

Declining costs

Economic benefits for local and national economy

Clean air means healthier air

Cons Wildlife impacts Impacts on existing fossil

fuel industry Costs Noise Aesthetics Hazardous weather

conditions

Proposal for Wind Farm

Family Farm Wind Co. is a wind energy company that has applied for a conditional-use permit to build a 1,000 acre wind farm just outside of town. The wind farm will consist of 62 industrial wind turbines and will provide electricity to 2,500 customers.

City Council is holding a Community Forum to discuss the proposed development, and everyone in town in invited.

Your job: to make City Council side with your arguments. Use the facts on your handout and argue according to the

opinions of your assigned role

Rules!•You may use information found on handout or other background knowledge, but must present facts!

•You may only speak to City Council when called on

•You may refute other side’s claims as soon as that side finishes speaking

•You should work together with teammates to appeal to council members

•Bribing is not discouraged (it must be in the form of campaign contributions of course)

Ready, Set, Debate!

Breaking News!

U.S. Congress has just passed legislation that would increase tax cuts on wind energy! Land owners that provide leases to wind energy companies

could earn an extra $1000/year Wind energy companies will earn an extra 2 cents/KWH Cities that host wind farms can earn extra tax revenue that

can be used as funding for city programs or city-owned renewable energy initiatives

YOU CAN CHANGE SIDES if you feel this tax cut is important to your role! What would you do in this situation?

Breaking News!

The wind developer discovered endangered bat populations in a location near the proposed wind farm This population might be affected by the installation of

wind turbines near their territory The wind turbines could be moved farther from the bats’

homes, or could be turned off at low wind speeds when the bats are likely to be flying around the site

YOU CAN CHANGE SIDES if you feel this tax cut is important to your role! What would you do in this situation?

End of Debate: Winners DecidedCity Council Members will now vote on a verdict. Will the wind farm be built or not?

What have we learned?

Is deciding to build a wind farm an easy task? How does the decision to build or not build a wind farm

affect the citizens of the town as well as industry? How can we come to a decision that will please the

majority? What will you take away from this activity?

This Debate Is Happening Right Now Not Too Far From YOU A wind farm has been proposed on Perrin Ranch, 13

miles north of Williams. The Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently

spend two days of debate deciding to approve the project.

A conditional use permit must be approved by Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commission and the County Board of Supervisors.

Community Meetings are currently going on to determine the proposed wind farm’s future.