Interior power gets a little greener with Delta wind turbine
Published Sunday, October 12, 2008
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Stumble It!FAIRBANKS — The Interior’s electricity provider is adding some clean, green power to the grid.
A 62-foot propeller spins steadily off a 120-foot tower, rising well above the trees near Delta Junction.
The turbine feeds 100 kilowatts of green power into Golden Valley Electric Association’s system, courtesy of Alaska Environmental Power. The wind resource helps to offset electricity produced with oil and helps meet a growing public desire for energy generated by renewable resources.
Mike Craft, who formed Alaska Environmental Power with two partners, said he hopes the small project will “break the stigma of renewable energy,” offering proof to placate fears about how unpredictable wind power might adversely affect the grid.
If those effects are minimal, Craft has bigger plans ahead.
“Alaska Environmental Power, we’re committed to a 10-year plan of establishing, at the very least, a 15-megawatt facility in the Interior,” he said.
He said he is driven by the high costs of fossil fuels and a desire to ease environmental damages caused, in large part, by the way fossil fuels are used.
“I see two greens here,” Craft said. “One green in the environmental impact, and that’s a no-brainer. The second green is the economics of energy. If we as a state can come together and put online renewable energy, we’ve freed up all those hydrocarbons to sell to someone else.”
That means the next generation will pay essentially the same prices we do today for inflation-proof energy, he said.
The project also marks what could be looked back on as a turning point in renewables in the state. Alaska Environmental Power is the first independent green power producer to have a power purchase agreement with GVEA.
Dreams of wind-driven propellers started long ago.
“My brother (Paul Craft) and I had been dabbling in energy things for years,” Craft said. “We cooked hydrogen in my basement; we were trying to crack hydrogen from water using ice, all kinds of different things.”
Housebound while recuperating from knee surgery, he said he had “this kind of vision” about wind farms.
Two and a half years later, he has a fully functioning turbine spinning out 100 kW to GVEA lines.
Delta Junction was a good location for several reasons, Craft said. For one, he already owned 320 acres with good wind potential. The property is outside borough limits, eliminating land use and covenant restrictions, and is large enough to support his plans for a 20-tower farm.
“I’m a pragmatic businessman. I like to know where the power lines are, where the roads are and develop those inexpensive sites first,” he said. “Delta just kept coming to the top of the list in every respect.”
He put a tower with wind gauges at the site and collected data. Favorable results sent him searching for a turbine.
Northern Power Systems’ Northwind model was a solid fit — small enough to fall within his budget, yet already proven in some rural Alaska communities.
Craft and sons Zachery, 24, and Josh, 27, along with others, spent the summer clearing the terrain and erecting the tower. Two weeks ago, they wrapped up a final hurdle, signing a power purchase agreement with GVEA for up to two megawatts, good for 20 years.
Alaska Environmental Power is paid an “avoided cost,” which essentially is the amount it costs the utility to generate the same kW using other resources. That means GVEA customers don’t pay less or more for the wind-powered kW, GVEA president and CEO Brian Newton said.
“Right now, it’s a decent deal,” Craft said.
But he’s already looking to the future. He applied for a $5 million grant from the state’s renewable energy fund, which would jump-start expansion of the Delta Junction farm to 20 turbines and 2 MW of power.
To this point, the work has been privately funded. The state money could mean more green power, faster.
“It’s going to expedite the whole process,” Craft said. “It’s going to shave five years off this entire project.”
Even the 20-turbine, 2 MW farm is a “stepping stone” to bigger things, Craft said. He has the site and wind data for a 15 MW facility and is talking with GVEA about possible financing. Nothing will be certain, though, until they explore what effects the 2 MW setup could have.
Newton is cautiously optimistic about adding wind to the grid.
On one hand, he said he knows customers want some green power fueling their homes.
But on the other hand, wind is not always steady, Newton pointed out. As a smaller system, GVEA is more vulnerable to what he calls “horror stories” from areas that have worked wind into the grid — fluctuating power levels, blinking lights as gales wind down into whispers.
“The wind doesn’t blow steady all the time,” Newton said. “We’re taking it slowly, figuring out what that wind energy is going to do. Do people see flickers? We don’t know.”
He acknowledged adding the power from Craft’s lone turbine is a good way to get a grip on potential effects.
But, he said, Craft is talking about adding another 19 units, for a total of 2 MW, and that could up the ante.
GVEA will collect data with the single turbine and extrapolate the information to identify what safeguards might be necessary to wind-proof the power grid, he said.
Worst case? GVEA could have to run a generator nonstop to remove the volatility wind brings, and that wouldn’t come cheap, Newton said.
Wind is somewhat notorious for failing to blow hard during peak power usage times. Yet, power suppliers lack a commercially viable way to store wind’s energy. The resource’s unreliability typically necessitates a backup, such as a power plant, but those super-structures can be costly to throttle up or tune down.
Newton said Craft’s single turbine likely will not cause system-wide problems, but 19 more down the road certainly could.
Community Discussion
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25+ yrs with wind power, around 35 yrs off the grid, you may learn fast that diversification may help with spike concerns. That of location of the turbines, as well as adding other forms of green energy and yes have backup power (diversify). Stating this just in case due to professed lack of experience, but auto cutoffs are needed for grid ties (listen up folks who want to do their own), so if the power lines go down power is not fed into them so those working on those lines can do so without power running into them.
There is another 3rd green not mentioned here (besides the envy of those who will be watching and don't have turbines), that the $ not spent of carbon based fuels, wont be leaving the area but staying at home and going back into the local economy.
Dont knock the envy one either, last winters blizzards knocked out power in my area, my neighbors who did not have backups where without power. Me? My batteries were full, so I diverted the power, I used the bitter winds of the blizzard, to heat my place.
Just an Ol Alaskan sourdough's way of doing things. Oh and this message is typed on a wind and solar powered laptop. I waited for the world to change, it didn't work, so (Alaskan style) I did it myself.
Using a blizzard to heat my place? Somehow I think my grandpa would be proud.
My $ not going to huge corporations, instead I can afford to buy things from my neighbors? I know they are proud already.
Why is there not some $$$ figures in this artical, or is it like Ethonal,, it cost more to produce that the engegy in produces???
Sounds like another GRANT "nonprofit" show me the money grab... Just a thought...
Well done, Tree. This sounds like a decent way of stepping off of the grid and into real freedom.
I thought GVEA had a wind turbine down in Delta Junction in 1985.
Anyone else remember that experiment?
3 years completely off grid here. Solar panels and wind generators. Used only $30 worth of fuel for a generator to charge my batteries last winter. My friends still call me to ask if my power is out also when GVEA goes down. No more power outages for me or a $250 per month electric bill. Even with the snow coming down right now my solar panels are putting out 1/4 of their rated output which is enough to top my batteries off from last night. Writing this on my solar powered lap top with a wireless connection to a cell tower.
I applaud a1shiva and Tree but I'm more curious on the cost to have such a system? Also, the complexity of these systems (for those without the working knowledge) would keep folks like me from attempting to install such a system myself. Not many will come to this "remote location" north of Cantwell and south of Healy to do an install without an added healthy expense. With the systems you each have, what is involved in making the switch so one can flip the switch?
Teklanika since your online, go to google and do searches, go to ebay and look around at wind generators and solar panels til you get a feel for prices so you know when your spotting a good deal or not.
I have different kinds of wind generators, on 10' x 1.5" steel pipes on my RV roof! I have a low windspeed one so I get more hours of power, as well as one that has a charge controller to prevent overcharging (disconnect the others if I'm not home) I started SMALL and keep adding on. I'd rather have 10 small ones than one big on (Air403's btw make a lot of "noise" so mount those were you want the bears to stay away) I'm starting to make my own wind generators from microwave ovens people throw away in the dumpster, it make take some time to learn some of this, but it will serve/save you the rest of your life!
The USA used to proudly talk about independence, freedom, self reliance, that came from "we the people". Its "we the people" who need to regain power over our own lives. Not much corporate lobby money, in individuals, living self reliant lives (food warm shelter transportation), but, the stronger "we the people" are, the stronger our country becomes. I got tired of paying them to drill for resources that belong equally to my children, and their children, and refused to keep stealing from them. Dont wait for our leaders, govern ourselves.
Take control over our own lives, (town, city or remote) the more power-full "you" become, the more powerful America becomes (again).
Here's a company which claims to be able to produce wind generators installed at a dollar per watt. Not bad if it's true.
http://www.broadstarwindsystems.com
It would perhaps be effective except for two key points. In it he stated he built outside of a borough to avoid any constraints. In Delta he built outside the city limits for these reasons. Unfortunately, where the proposed wind farm is located the winds are highly inconsistent and some days doesn't move the turbine at all. Nearer the town and toward the mountains is far more consistent wind. Simply put a good idea but hastily acted upon without a thorough research on the winds. (Only about a year's research and hopes of lots of federal and state monies). Yes, Delta had a wind turbine down by Black Rapids. The winds were so powerful they twisted the blades in a matter of days. Another one is positioned on Coal Mine Road - a spot deemed the best in the area for wind turbines. Not sure who put that one in but it was done with minimal impact. The ground is not disturbed, no disruption of vegetation. Excellent job in an excellent spot. Delta - inconsistent winds and turbulent ones at best.
There actually are ways to store excess generating capacity, be it wind, solar or conventional. The most applicable that comes to mind is that of a reservoir. During times when energy exceeds demand, the additional is used to pump water uphill to fill a reservoir. When demand exceeds capacity, the water is allowed to flow back downhill from the reservoir and through a turbine. The beauty of this setup is that such storage could be sited in multiple locations that don't have to be anywhere near a power plant. For simplicity let's say one near Delta, one in Healy and one in the Fairbanks area (perhaps even something like the Ft. Knox pit when they're done with it.) If anything happens to the transmission lines (Juneau anyone?), or local generating facilities, each community with a 'pond' can just open the tap while repairs are made.
Flywheels work to story energy as well. Nonetheless, the best thing to do is a wind study - about a years worth of data. It can be tied to weather stations which historically record winds in areas. Nothing beats some good research.
If we quit burning oil and start producing our own energy, doesn't that mean the terrorist have won?
Mr. Craft did the job!!!
Thank you for you service to Alaska.
I watched them build this in the late 1960s.
They started out with one 2 bladed unit which looked like an egg beater.
And 40 years later:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehachapi_P...
From wikipedia --- see the pix ---
"In a recent move, Southern California Edison plans to secure 1,500 megawatts (MW) or more of power generated from new projects to be built in the Tehachapi area. The 2006 contract, which more than doubles SCE’s wind energy portfolio, envisions more than 50 square miles of wind parks in the Tehachapi region, which is triple the size of any existing U.S. wind farm"
No it means we win because we stop sending our money over there.
If we stop burning oil, and save it, better than interest in the bank its value keeps going up, if saved for then next generations.
Even the oil companies ask the electric companies here, why they dont develop alternatives. The cook inlet has one of the most powerful tides in the world, we are not even touching on that. Alaska has wind. I've just started this site http://www.alaskawindgenerators.com and will put up a form until then tree@alaskawindgenerators.com
I'm not in it for $ I'm in it to help. Because I believe in my country and those who live here. And will work on the site more as time allows.....
My push is not for large wind turbines, there (as above) are resources for those and they will happen, but my focus, is on the individual meeting 'their own' needs, self reliance, can make our country strong again, that's what I'm after, leaving this place better than I found it, for my kids (my payback).
GVEA has been nagged since the mid 70s to develop wind. They choose to back coal in order to make work jobs for the coal industry.
The state has 10 billion the bank, lets see how much of it goes to "services" or to hydro, wind, geothermal, etc. to cut the cost of living in Alaska.
Closest I've found so far is her "Alaska Climate Change Sub-Cabinet" She (Palin) set up Sept 14th 2007
http://gov.state.ak.us/admin-orders/238....
Not sure but her stand on climate change etc seems rhetorical not substantial (see section 11 in the above link re:aggressive actions)
http://www.grizzlybay.org/SarahPalinInfo...
Would have more in depth info but more attention seems to be on more gas development, not much by way of using the "abundant" renewable resources at Alaska's fingertips..... (not enough $ for 'her' to motivate her?) I switched to making my own power long before gas went up.
I got tired of waiting for out "leaders" to lead us.
Even a wolf knows,
You cant get ahead of the herd by following it.
And not something I'm inclined to do, when I see a cliff ahead of it and our leaders keep saying to keep going the same way, and it will all be okay........ No thanks!
I found greener pastures :D
Maybe not for THEM (oil lobbyist $), but for and AMERICAN.
Wanting the rest of the world, to prosper the same way I am.
They are not going to lead us unless they change direction......
They, dont seem to be doing that,
so I did it myself (I'm an Alaskan after all, that's "our" way)
This article "Mike Craft, who formed Alaska Environmental Power with two partners, said he hopes the small project will “break the stigma of renewable energy,"
Is an INDIVIDUAL, taking initiative to bring CHANGE, I don't see this coming from our government, the oil companies don't seem to be steering us this direction, so who is? "We, The People".
We once led this country.
We brought it to power, before we sold it out.
We need to take it back, and save this country, and this world, its not up to "them", its up to "us", each one of us.
We are what needs to change.
I've done it and still, improving on it.
My neighbors standard of living improves, as does my own.
Its not about "them"
Its about "US"
We, The People.
Changing the world, by changing our lives, for the long haul, and for the better for all. And our children can inherit our wind generators and solar panels, as can theirs, and you leave them, in power, and with a better world rich in resources, not depleted of them with a mess to clean up, without benefit of those resources.
But still one of the best motives, is the $ that goes in your pocket, not those who already have enough of Americas money.
Its not about "them"
Its about "US"
We, The People.
Changing the world, by changing our lives.
I am a supporter of global warming and appreciate this spell that started 18,000 years ago. After, all it makes living in Fairbanks and the upper 2/3 of the United States possible.
It is NOT a good idea to send 700 billion to people who would kill us if they could.
Geothermal, hydro, wind and are mature technologies. Tidal is moving forward in the UK.
Solar electric would work around here if there was fewer cloudy days.
Of the batch geothermal and hydro are steady and predictable sources of power.
Geothermal is particularly attractive because it can be quickly installed.
A HVDC power line to the slope is an another quickie.
Large scale hydro takes years to get on line.
There are some places where the wind blows contentiously in the 25-30 mph range. One is near Delta Junction
For the most part it is simply calling a contractor and saying "build me a ???? power plant here".
Here in Fairbanks, you can use a refrigeration unit to extract heat from your yard to heat your house. And, for each buck's worth of electricity you buy; you get 6 bucks worth of heat. Not bad buy 1,000 btu and get 6,000 btu free.
Burning oil, coal, blubber, polar bear oil, soilet green, corn, barley, wood etc.. you never get more then 90%. 10% or more percent is lost in the process.
Thanks, Tree. I like the low and neighbor friendly versions of such systems. I would love to be free of the "grid". I have read where solar panels and systems can cost up to $10k (just to get started) but wind is more frequent than the sun around these parts. I appreciate your comments and it sounds like what you have is what I need!
Thanks again!
Solar Electric is very expensive because of cost run up from the price of oil.
Concentrated solar cell units may be cheaper if you can find them. They require A/Z sun tracking .
There some running in the 38% efficiency normally they are 13%. Around Fairbanks you need to figure out how to remove the snow and frost. :(
DOE has funded some experiments that suggest it may be possible to have 80% efficiency. If it works they would be quite inexpensive at the retail level. A distributed generation system where each roof top supplies the grid.
Shop around, some (I keep adding on remember) solar panels I'm using now give me around 85 watts full sun, I paid around $250 for around 25 years ago. That's $10 a year (so far, and still goin strong!) Wind up here is good for winter, solar during the summer, but anything else you can come up with, add it into the mix, the more "different sources" you can tap into the more reliable/consistent your input is and the easier on your batteries.
But with all the above, you dont need to dish out a lot of $ to "get started" if $10k is 'just to get started' I think you should keep looking (but you be the judge!). Also something that is pricey but worth it is a tracking system. when those panels are straight on to the sun you get max output, if you get 4 hrs sun that can make a "huge" difference if pointed at at an angle, or the sun (easily 50% more power).
Pay attention to how many $ per watt on solar wind or hydro.
Also, the math on wind is if you double blade diameter you increase power potential 4 times. But the trade off is larger units if they go out of balance the centrifugal force is enough to tear them to shreds (expensive shreds flying pretty fast) but have someone like a tire shop help you balance your blades even if they claim already to be balanced for you! And if you mount on your house (not recommended just for precaution) use rubber on your mounts to cut down on alternator vibration(a hum).
The AirX and Air 403's make a lot of noise even if you switch blades to the hornet type. And Air403's (I have 2 of them) do NOT put out much power. Recommended for remote cabin you visit once a month maybe but my brother lives on a ship and uses a sling shot when a boat has one of those on it and parks next to him at dock. They look cool, they look state of the art, but not recommended for serious power (Mattel vs Briggs & Straighten).
If you have a built in charge controller (Like the Air403 has), it shuts down power to your batteries to prevent overcharge, meaning, in the highest winds your "not getting anything", I recommend dump load controllers instead to divert it to something useful, like heaters ;)
re the PV units.
As long as you don't exceed the units temperature ratings you can add mirrors!
The contracting type collectors run as much as 900 sun power. Adding a mirror boost would probably destroy the unit.
My personal observation re standard PV units, 2 sun power seems to work ok because of the cool air temperatures prevent over heating. Tracking is the key to achieving the best results.
Another way, mount your PV unit vertically on a south wall and use a sun tracking helieostat to keep the sun focused on your collector as it moves across the sky.
If you have a south facing lot, cleared so the sun hits the snow and is bounced on to your collector you get a 80% snow freebe!
These tricks increase a fixed direction standard PV system efficiency from 10% to 20%. A tracking system ups your daily collection considerably.
They will also work on "thermal" collectors.
Re wind power in Fairbanks. It is spotty and very location selective.
The nice part is: the wind blows at night, when cloudy, and at -50.
The largest commerical wind generators produce 2-5 mkw. at a cost of 75 cents per kw. In some places they are competitive with coal!
Word of caution on the solar concentration, thats how I got the panels mentioned above. I got them second hand, after an experiment (large scale) in the 70's and the cells got discolored and brought down the output. Many are laminated to surfaces (the face of the cell) so cleaning them off after that is next to impossible. Ones that are NOT mounted so the cell face is laminated should do better (and stay cooler) but dont raise the temps on them (summer+mirrors) enough to melt the solder.
If I get time I'm going to resume work to a gizmo, that uses the cold winter temps... like a water wheel only similar to, but uses something like propane tanks(not recommended for obvious reasons) hooked up opposite each other, with 1/2 the wheel below ground/snow level the other half exposed.
We all know what happens when you have 2 propane tanks one inside the other outside and connected, the one outside (in winter) stays full while the one inside is empty, same principle, but the idea is to USE the bitter cold, to generate electricity/heat. Off topic so, I best get back to the grind stone... :)
re propane tanks.
Myth Busters gave the ferris wheel design with the tanks dipping in hot water a try.
They could NOT get it to work.
They had the tanks connected 12 to 6 o'clock etc ie 180 deg apposed.
I think it would work using 6 o'clock to 1 o'clock because the heated 6 o'clock tank would pump propane from it's bottom to the off center 1 o'clock tank. Causing the wheel to turn and drive a generator.
I suspect the rpm is very low if it works at all.
You never know what looks like a perfect design when tried turns out the be a super belly flop on cement.
-------
Re solar.. cloudy for the last 4 days.
This summer it was cloudy for 3 solid weeks in a row.
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