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Wind Power: Keeping the Lights On
Simon MahanDirector
Southern Wind Energy Association
September 14, 2016
About
• The Southern Wind Energy
Association (SWEA) is an industry-led
initiative that promotes responsible use
and development of wind energy in
the South.
• Our vision is for wind energy to
become a leading source of energy in
the South
• SWEA’s geographic region covers
eleven Southeastern states
Overview
• Background
• Turbine Resilience
• Wind Benefits
• Opportunities
Southern Wind Farms
Buffalo Mountain Wind Farm—near Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Powers 3,400 homes a year
Amazon Wind Farm: NC—
Will be first modern large-scale project in South
Southern Wind Energy Contracts
Turbine Resilience
Multiple climate change threats• Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Floods, Lightning,
Drought• Withstand: Category 3 Hurricanes,
tornadoes
Multiple survivability strategies• Active Yaw• Feathering• Brakes• Stronger Construction• Lightning Systems
Photo: Dennis Oswald
Turbine Resilience
Tropical Storm Iselle (Hawaii, 2014) – 50 MPH• Wind farms unaffected
Super Storm Sandy (East Coast, 2012) – 80 MPH• No turbines damaged
Hurricane Irene (East Coast, 2011) – 72 MPH• 174 MW contacted, none affected
Irene (2011)
“It wasn’t necessary as it turned out, but better safe than sorry — if we’d known it was going to only be Cat 1, it would have been more fun to be generating electricity.”
Sandy
Hint.fm/wind
3,500 MW Wind Capacity Affected
Sandy - Delaware
Sandy – New Jersey
Credit: New Jersey Clean Energy Program
Sandy – New Jersey
Wind Benefits
Sea Power, 2013
Wind Benefits
Wind Benefits
Wind Benefits
Sea Power, 2013
Wind Benefits
AWEA 2015
PJM Response to Polar Vortex
Wind Energy Opportunities
• Import via SPP/MISO/PJM• High Capacity Factor (45-50%+)• Low Cost ($20s/MWh)• Variable Transmission Charges
• HVDC Transmission• High Capacity Factor (55%+)• Low Cost ($20s/MWh)• Improved Capacity (Oversubscription)• Fixed Transmission Charge
• In-State Resources• Lower Capacity Factors (30-40%+)• Higher Cost• Little/No Transmission• In-State Econ. Benefits
Wind Prices have Declined
Lazard 2015Un
sub
sid
ize
d L
eve
lize
d C
ost
of
Win
d E
ne
rgy
$/M
Wh
Unsubsidized Recent Price Trends
Lazard 2015
Wind energy is capable of being the lowest cost energy resource, even unsubsidized.
Recent Price Trends
LBNL 2016
*Natural gas fuel cost only, does not include capital, financial or O&M costs
Tax Credit Phase-out
Adapted from Mark Bolinger, "An Analysis of the Costs, Benefits, and Implications of Different Approaches to Capturing the Value of Renewable Energy Tax Incentives", Lawrence Berkeley National Lab 2014
Utilities could lose at least $217 million on 1,000 MW of wind energy by waiting a year.
2016 2017 2018 2019
Contact
Simon Mahan
Director
Southern Wind Energy Association
www.southernwind.org
