Wind farming becomes a growing industry

Wind farming becomes a growing industry
By Vanessa D. Overbeck, Staff Writer
Posted: 05/15/2009 06:27:55 PM PDT

With the economy in the dumps and energy prices on the rise, consumers are looking for more ways to cut costs and go green. People can save money and the environment by harnessing the power of the water, sun and even the wind.

"With ever increasing energy costs, this is our ticket out of these difficult times," said Joe Guasti, of Joe Guasti Construction, which has installed wind turbines throughout Southern California.

These spinning behemoths convert part of the energy contained in the wind into utility-grade electricity that can be used by homes and businesses. The Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory, a federal research lab, estimates that wind energy could eventually supply 20 percent of the nation's electricity.

The U.S. Department of Energy has announced a goal of obtaining 6 percent of the country's electricity from wind by 2020. This goal is consistent with the growth of wind energy nationwide. According to the American Wind Energy Association, in the past three years the number of these slowly spinning, giant airplane propellers has tripled. In 2008, the United States surpassed Germany as the second largest producer of wind power, generating enough energy to serve 4.9 million homes.

The largest wind farm in the United States is Florida Power & Light's Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Taylor County, Texas. The second largest U.S. wind farm is the Stateline Wind Project on the Oregon-Washington border.

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California wind farms arguably have a greater combined capacity than the Stateline farm, but they are actually collections of dozens of individual wind farms. The largest of these is the Altamont Pass Wind Farm of the Central Valley.

Another such farm in this state is in Solano County, which uses perhaps the most advanced wind power technology in the United States. From 2003 to 2006, dozens of state-of-the-art turbines were installed at the Montezuma Hills near the Sacramento River delta. Some of these 415-foot tall turbines would tower over the Statue of Liberty and each produce enough power to meet the annual needs of more than 1,000 households.

The third largest concentration of wind turbines in California is in the San Gorgonio Pass near Palm Springs with more than 3,500 turbines. Many of these were installed during the height of California's great wind rush of the early 1980s. They were placed close together, creating a forest-like assembly.According to the American Wind Energy Association, half the land mass in the United States has sufficient wind to make a small turbine commercially viable. Small turbines with a 1 to 10 kilowatt capacity, can power a single residence, a small business or farm.

In a normal residential application, a home is served both by the wind turbine and by a local utility company. If the wind is not blowing hard enough to spin the blades of the turbine, then all the power to the home is supplied by the utility company. As wind speed increases, the power drawn from the energy company decreases. When the turbine produces more power than the home needs, many utility companies will buy the surplus energy, granting energy credits to the residential consumer. And all of this is done automatically.

So what does a green-conscious consumer need to operate a wind turbine? About an acre of property, wind speeds of an annual average of at least 9.8 miles per hour and about $50,000.

The price seems steep, but federal and state tax credits can cover a significant portion of the initial investment costs. Under the new stimulus package just signed into law by President Obama, homeowners can earn a tax credit of up to 30 percent of the total installation costs of a wind turbine. Pair that with rising electricity rates, consumers are recouping their investment within five years, said Ron Stimmel, small wind advocate for the American Wind Energy Association.

Homeowners must also consider location. Turbines do not operate efficiently in turbulent, swirling gusts of wind. They require steady winds and must be mounted at least 30 feet above any possible wind barriers, such as trees, buildings and bluffs, that sit within 500 feet of the tower. Winds are faster at higher elevations and there is more energy in faster winds. Most small turbine manufacturers recommend mounting turbines at least 65 feet high and towers of 80 to 140 feet may be optimal.

Guasti pointed out that agricultural areas, including citrus groves, are great potential sites for wind turbines. The towers take up little actual space, leaving growers plenty of room to raise their crops while producing their own electricity. Small wind farms - created by communities on agricultural land or in parks - are also a growing industry. Small wind farms can power stoplights, street lamps and other public utilities.

Finally, homeowners should check their city and county governments for wind turbine requirements. This is where consumers will run into the most difficulties, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

"Planning boards can control the productivity of a turbine," said Stimmel. "The 35-foot height rule was created 100 years ago because firemen's hoses could not extend farther than that. Firefighting technology has improved, but the rule still remains on the books."

Stories from successful wind entrepreneurs suggest that most cities and counties are open to the creation of renewable energy sources, but few have paved the way for easy wind turbine installation.

Adreine Jenik of Palms in San Bernardino County reported that it took her a year to work out the paperwork snarl.

"I paid the price of being an early adopter, but my electricity bills are now zero," Jenik reported to the AWEA.

Steve Anderson of Moreno Valley in Riverside County and Daniel Scott of Acton in Los Angeles County, found city and county personnel were willing to negotiate on permit fees and worked diligently with them through the process.

Stimmel said the most success stories in California come out of San Bernardino County, particularly from the Oak Hill area.

"There are a hundred 10-kilowatt turbines in a 10-mile radius," Stimmel said.

He attributed small wind growth in the area to good education of the local residents provided by Joe Guasti Construction. Guasti's efforts resulted in wide public acceptance of the new technology, Stimmel said. Massive power outages also put the spotlight on homes that still had power from a wind turbine.

"With rising electricity rates, what started out looking like an OK investment turns into a fantastic return over time," Guasti said. "I told my first customers it would take seven to 10 years for them to earn back their investment. The reality has been a four and a half to a five year return. Now they're pushing into a three-year rate of return.

"Every time they raise the electricty rates, your rate of return increases."

Some of Guasti's work can be seen off the Interstate 10 in Cabazon and in Reche Canyon near Redlands.

One of the most difficult counties to work with in Southern California is Los Angeles County, Stimmel said. In 2001, California passed a statewide zoning ordinance for wind turbines. The ordinance required counties to either adopt the guidelines established by the new ordinance, or to create their own. Los Angeles County decided to create its own more strict rules for the installation of wind turbines. Homeowner Scott said he had to to install three 35-foot towers instead of one 80-foot tower in Acton due to L.A. County's zoning laws.

However, some cities have dramatically reduced zoning restrictions for wind turbines. San Francisco allows residents to construct a wind turbine on a lot as small as 500 feet, Guasti said.

"If cities want to go green, they have to make it happen," Guasti said. "And these turbines are very urban friendly."

Despite the initial expense of installation and the complication of zoning laws, the small wind industry is growing at an exponential rate.

"A new market report, just released last month, showed that the industry grew 78 percent last year. The year before it grew 14 percent," Stimmel said. For more information about wind turbines and wind farms visit the American Wind Energy Association at www.awea.org.

voverbeck@redlandsdailyfacts.com