6. New York Times, 17 January 1974
“Wind power is in a class by itself as the greatest terrestrial medium for
harvesting, harnessing and conserving solar energy. The water and air waves
circulating around our planet are unsurpassed energy accumulators whose
captured energy may be used to generate electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic
power systems.”
Buckminster Fuller
New York Times, 17, January, 1974
7. 20,000 MW Installed Capacity
• Producing enough electricity to serve 5.3 million
American homes or power a fleet of more than 1
million plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Source: AWEA / Photography: Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA/PPL Corp.
9. Major Challenges:
“Investment in the nation’s transmission system so the power generated
is delivered to urban centers that need the increasing supply.
Continued reduction in wind capital cost and improvement in turbine
performance through technology advancement and improved
manufacturing capabilities.”
DOE 20% Wind Energy by 2030
May 2008
27. Risk Management Strategies
• Predictive and Preventive Maintenance Program
• Corrective Maintenance Response Program
• Diagnosis / Failure Detection System
• Turbine Locking System
• Fire Extinguishing System
28. Liability Chart
Negligible Liability.
Considerably less than the cost of the wind energy investment.
Limited Liability.
Up to the cost of the wind energy investment.
Unlimited Liability.
From the cost of the wind energy investment to unlimited liability.
47. Lebost Wind Turbine
“This report details the results of an experimental field test/evaluation of a 20-foot
diameter Lebost turbine.
One conclusion of the study is that the turbine lends itself rather well to urban
applications, as well as other applications.”
“Lebost wind turbine experimental program”
New York Univ., NY (USA). Dept. of Applied Science May 1, 1980
Photograph: Jon Naar
48. Travis Price &
The Wind Farmers of East 11th Street, NYC
Photograph: Jon Naar / The New York Times
Photograph: D. Gorton/The New York Times, 1977
50. “The energy commission essentially said to Con Ed,
‘You’ve got to buy their power’,” Mr. Norris said. “That was huge.”
By Josh Weil
Published: August 3, 2008
The New York Times
Photograph: Jon Naar
51. “But the turbine never worked well enough to provide power for the entire building,
which, by 1977 or so, was home to 25 or 30 people. Either wind speeds were too
low to generate to get a charge from Con Ed, the windmill provided insufficient
power.
Still, until 1985, when a blade was blown off during a hurricane, the windmill
produced enough power to light communal areas and heat water. For the next two
decades or so, its remnants jutted into the sky until, sometime in the last few years,
the tower was dismantled. sufficient power or turbulence from gusts produced a
deafening noise from the windmill and caused the building to shake. Moreover,
during the major blackout in 1977, unable to get a charge from Con Ed the windmill
provided insufficient power.”
By Josh Weil
Published: August 3, 2008
The New York Times
Photograph: Jon Naar
52. The 00’s Energy & Environmental Crisis /
Global Warming and Energy Security
72. My Conclusions:
1. Capital Cost of small wind turbines must reduce dramatically if
they are to provide good economic returns.
2. Technical challenges exist but none that can not be
conquered. Good design and risk management strategies are
a must.
3. Real energy benefits can be achieved by mass installations in
combination with resource management schemes.
4. Overboard fancy engineering / building integration costs can
kill the benefits of BIWT.