Wind farms and other alternative energy technologies “are very encouraging to see,” Chad Martin told about 75 attendees, including some Marian University students and residents of Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Kentucky and Ohio, at a March 2 Renewable Energy Workshop at Oldenburg Franciscan Center.
Farmer George Schewe, Dillsboro, who made his own wind turbine, pointed out, “Right now it's cool and green. In 10 years it's going to be normal.”
“If we're going to reach 20 percent of our electrical generation by 2030 by wind power, we're going to have to have" more research about large wind gusts, said Martin, a Purdue University renewable energy extension specialist who farms in Carroll County.
Because Golden, Colo., boasts 90-mile-per-hour straight line winds, the National Renewable Energy Lab there sponsored a wind energy education pilot program that drew researchers from Purdue, Colorado State, Montana State and Wyoming universities. “If we're going to generate a lot of electricity on wind farms, we need to make sure those turbines can withstand the pressures of wind.”
He reported, “We have a gold mine of wind potential in the Plains states,” but no way now to transport electricity created there to urban centers.
Illinois, where Martin used to live, was a very early adopter in the wind farm development area. The knowledge he learned there was brought to Purdue. Texas and California also are leaders in that technology.
The first wind farm in the state was installed in Benton County, according to the specialist. In 2008, when Indiana went from zero to 1,036 megawatts of installed capacity, it became the fastest wind growing state in the country, dropping to No. 3 last year.
“Not every place in the U.S. is suited for wind farms,” he said. Nevada and southeastern states don't have any. So far in Indiana they can be found north of I-70 in Benton, White, Howard and Clinton counties. Southeastern Indiana has a wind power classification of 1 – not very strong.
A wind turbine on a horizontal axis is the most tested technology. One with a vertical axis is more unique and doesn't require a high pole.
The biggest are known as gentle giants because of their slow rotations. Each blade of a large turbine can be 112 feet with a span greater than the size of a jet. A large turbine can measure 450 feet from base to blade. Some are so immense their components can’t squeeze under bridges and overpasses. One that weighs 163 tons, requiring a foundation over 20 feet deep, can supply at least 350 homes with power “if the wind is blowing well.”
There are four sizes:
• 1 kilowatt to power a water pumping system for 120 head of cattle, 30-foot tower, produces 2,000 kilowatt-hours per year, offsets about 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide production.
• 3 kilowatts to supplement regular power supply, 23-foot tower, produces 5,000 kilowatt-hours annually, offsets 3.8 tons of carbon dioxide annually.
• 10 kilowatts to offset all utility power, 100-foot tower, produces 15,000 kilowatt-hours annually, offsets 14 tons of carbon dioxide.
• 50 kilowatts to sell excess electricity back to the utility, 90-foot tower, produces 120,000 kilowatt-hours annually, offsets 91 tons of carbon dioxide.
A candidate for a turbine must have good wind, a home or business located on 1 acre or more of land and an average monthly electricity bill greater than $50 for a 5-kW system or $100 for a 10-kW system.
Space is needed because the blade’s bottom should be placed taller than two times the height of the building and 20 times the height away.
When deciding if purchasing one or more wind turbines makes sense, the specialist advised looking at energy costs more than up-front turbine costs.
Government incentives make now a good time to think about wind energy. In addition to a federal tax credit, the Indiana Office of Energy Development offers a 50-50 match grant, according to Martin.
Wind farms boost economic development, he observed. “Land lease revenue has been substantial.” Companies will pay landowners $3,000 to $5,000 per turbine per megawatt, which takes about an acre out of production. Some gain about $12,000 each year.
About 80 full-time jobs are created during the construction phase of a 100-megawatt wind farm. In White County, Martin has seen “a flurry of activity. These people are being put to work.” For each turbine, 2.5 tons of rebar and concrete must be installed.
After construction is finished, six workers are needed to maintain 100 turbines. “Those are opportunities in rural areas.” The Ivy Tech Community College Lafayette campus offers a two-year degree in turbine maintenance.
Martin has had his hands in other alternative energy endeavors. “Biofuels have been an important part of our development in Indiana over the past few years,” he said. The day after the workshop, the expert was heading to the Purdue University Discovery Park Energy Center to study how to turn forestry waste products into power.
