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 COASTAL CURRENTS |
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| March 2009 Update |
Engineering News and Information from
Coastal Engineering Company |
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The Winds of Change
"The answer, my friend, is blowin in the wind, the answer is blowin in the wind."
-- Bob Dylan
With federal economic stimulus funding on the near horizon, renewable energy projects are on the "wish lists" of many Massachusetts communities and agencies. Moreover, community-wide proposals involving wind power are an important part of the Commonwealth's goal to increase the state's production of renewable energy sources over the coming years.
Wind energy - along with solar power and ocean energy - provides a natural power source as an alternative to fossil fuels, and is attractive because it is widely distributed, clean, produces lower greenhouse gas emissions, and is generated from a plentiful resource, which is naturally replenished (i.e., renewable).
Throughout the course of human history, the wind that forms our atmosphere has provided a power source for transportation and mechanical work. Wind energy propelled sailing ships across our oceans, and was converted into mechanical energy to pump water and grind grain. Today, the principal application of wind energy is for the generation of electricity.
The principal application of wind energy today is for the generation of electricity.
Wind energy is converted into wind power for useful purposes - such as electricity - using wind turbines. Essentially, a wind turbine is a rotating machine which converts the kinetic energy in wind into mechanical energy. The most common modern design is the three-bladed wind turbine with the rotor position maintained on the windy side of the turbine tower (upwind) and using an electrical motor mechanism. This design with an odd number of rotor blades provides stability of the turbine and minimizes forces that can lead to equipment fatigue. |
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Promoting renewable and clean energy technologies in Massachusetts
In July of 2008, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed a milestone energy bill - the Green Communities Act - designed to lessen the state's dependence on fossil fuels and encourage the use of clean technologies to make homes and businesses more energy efficient.
 Under the new law, utility companies must design customized plans for homeowners and businesses to lower energy costs, and provide rebates to pay for measures such as installing insulating windows and more efficient boilers. The law also requires the State Board of Building Regulations and Standards to adopt, as its minimum standard, the latest edition of the International Energy Conservation Code as part of the State Building Code. This will keep Massachusetts building standards at the highest international levels for energy efficiency.
In addition, the Act promotes renewable energy projects in a number of ways, by:
- requiring utilities to enter into long-term contracts with renewable energy developers to help them obtain financing to build Massachusetts-based, clean energy technology projects;
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allowing residents who own wind turbines and solar-generated power to sell their excess electricity into the grid at favorable rates, for installations of up to 2 megawatts (up from 60 kilowatts currently); and
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authorizing utility companies to own solar electric installations they put on their customers' roofs - a practice that was previously prohibited. If utilities take full advantage of this new opportunity, Massachusetts is expected to meet its goal to generate 250 megawatts of energy from solar panels by 2017. |
Making state and municipal power "greener"
A new Green Communities Program comes into effect under the new law, offering benefits to  municipalities that make a commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy efforts. The state Division of Energy Resources - which has now been expanded and elevated into the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) - will provide technical and financial assistance to municipalities through its grant and loan program. The program is expected to receive funding from a number of sources, including the state's Renewable Energy Trust. This Trust, which is administered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC), works through a variety of programs: to provide financial assistance to both individuals and businesses for installing solar panels and wind turbines at their homes and facilities; to promote emerging clean energy businesses in the Commonwealth; and to help communities incorporate green designs into their schools and install community-scale wind energy projects. |
| Helping communities develop wind energy projects
If a Massachusetts community has sufficient wind resources, the Renewable Energy Trust's Community Wind Collaborative can help that city or town explore clean, renewable wind power initiatives. The Collaborative will provide technical, logistical, and financial support to any community sponsoring a utility-scale wind energy project on municipal land. The Collaborative's 3-step community wind energy process involves:
1. site survey - to assess the potential for wind energy generation on town-owned sites;
2.feasibility study - to collect and analyze wind speed data*, and to select a development approach; and
3. financial offer - to provide grant funding and other financial support.
*Note: Before a wind turbine can be built, a temporary meteorological (Met) tower must be installed to measure wind speeds and determine whether the site qualifies for a wind turbine. Data from the tower is collected and analyzed over a 12-month period during the feasibility stage, and the tower is then removed.
The handy reference guide shown above outlines this process and is available at the CWC's website along with additional information, fact sheets, and tools to help interested communities get started. |
| Local schools leading the way
Here on Cape Cod, several community school districts and educational institutions have already undertaken renewable energy and wind turbine projects in an effort to lower their utility costs and for environmental benefits. In addition, school officials see these projects as educational tools for students, especially for those who choose to pursue careers in renewable energy.
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Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay recently added both solar and wind energy projects on its campus - installing a solar array on the cadet housing building and  constructing a 660-kilowatt wind turbine located at the western mouth of the Cape Cod Canal. The 242' turbine is expected to generate over 25% of the campus' electricity needs, reducing the school's electric bill by $300,000 per year.
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At Cape Cod Community College's campus in Barnstable, a 600-kilowatt wind turbine installation is planned, with funding for the entire installation provided by the MTC. The College will operate and maintain the turbine, and pay a discounted rate for the electricity produced.
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Nauset Regional School District is planning to design and construct a utility-scale wind turbine at its High School facility in Eastham. The proposed turbine will be located at the southeasterly edge of the 72-acre property. A project feasibility study was completed in April of 2008, and 12 months of wind data from a nearby meteorological station was analyzed to predict the long-term wind resources available at the school.
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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) in Falmouth is in the process of installing two utility-scale wind turbines (up to 1.5-megawatts each) at their Quissett campus overlooking Vineyard Sound. Construction began in the summer of 2008 and the installation is scheduled for completion in April 2009.
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At Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical School in Bourne, a preliminary site analysis determined that the site did not have sufficient wind resources for a utility-scale turbine. However, a smaller, 10-kilowatt turbine was installed in 2008 with funding through the state's Small Renewables Initiative, to complement the school's solar energy array installed in 2005. And, both of these projects are part of the school's effort to encourage renewable energy curriculums in technical shops and academic classrooms.
All of these projects funding from the Renewable Energy Trust. For a complete listing of all Trust-funded projects, click here. |
Featured Project - Forming a "Green Energy Educational Collaborative" in Templeton, MA 
The Templeton Municipal Light & Water Company and the Narragansett Regional School District joined together to form the Green Energy Educational Collaborative to sponsor this wind turbine and capture multiple benefits from the project, including renewable energy for consumers and educational activities for students (as part of the school district's curriculum).
Click here to read more about this renewable energy project on our website. | |
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