Broyhill Wind Project4 March 2008 Presentation

Topics to cover

• REI background• Broyhill Wind Project• Visual analysis

– Photo simulation– Shadow analysis

• Sound analysis• Other topics• Discussion

Renewable Energy Initiative

Mission StatementReduce the environmental impact of Appalachian State University by replacing the university’s existing sources of energy with cleaner forms of renewable energy technology on campus and serve as a resource for students and faculty by identifying and investing in the most appropriate renewable energy projects.

Last Year’s Vote on the REI Fee

• Student referendum for additional fee of $5/student/semester

• 1,352 votes– more than the presidential issue (1070)

• 93% of voters (1258) voted yes! • Compared with 2004 vote

– 500 more votes this year– 82% mandate in 2004

Completed REI projects

• Biodiesel Collaborative Solar Thermal

• ASU & AppalCART Biodiesel Tank

• Biodiesel Collaborative Photovoltaic Array

Current REI projects

• Raley Hall Photovoltaic Array

• Plemmons Student Union Solar Thermal System

• Plemmons Kiosk• Education Building Solar• No examples of wind energy

Broyhill is the windiest place at ASU

Wind Power density map

Annual Average wind speed map

Other benefits Broyhill site

• School property• Close to infrastructure

– Short run to utility interconnect– No additional roads needed

• Showcase ASU– Environmental leader– Student activity– Serves as an attraction

Where

• Next to water tank– Highest place has the best wind– Extend water tank fence

• Well within ASU property– Satisfies setbacks– ASU regulations not Boone or Watauga

Site dimensions

Size of proposed REI Wind Turbine

• Dictated by annual budget: $135,000• Can afford about 100kW

– Diameter of 20m (66ft)– Tower height of 35m (115ft)– Total height of 45m (148ft)

• Monopole, 3-blade, upwind modern– Modeled as Vestas V-20 on 35m tower– Annual output of 150,000 to 200,000kWh, enough for 10 to 15 homes

Photo Simulations• WindPRO, actual photos

– snowy March 1st

– sunny March 2nd

• ArcGIS, actual data, CG world

– wind turbine = 45m– trees = 60ft– The Broyhill Inn & Conference Center = 40ft– water tank = 30ft– other building = 20ft, regardless of their actual height

Bodenheimer Dr.

Broyhill dining room

Animations in ArcGIS

What will it sound like?• Same noise level as a “quiet office”

– Rear carport– Outside dining room window

• Will not be above ambient sound levels– loading dock– Upper dining room patio

Sound Analysis

• Decibel chart• Ambient sound measurements on:

– March 2nd, windy day– March 3rd, calm day with birds chirping

• WindPRO analysis

Ambient noise level

Pink dB from 1st March, windy day –see rightBlue dB from 2nd March, calm day

Ambient Noise ResultsdB

Common reference

Calm day Windy day V-20 noiseEquivalent Location

more walk by idling SUV

60 Noisey office Loading dock Loading dock @ tower base

55 Upper patio Upper patio @ 35mMiddle of paved service road

50 Quiet officewindow AC in northwest cornerservice area picknic table

front carportservice area picknic tablerear parking lot

@ 85mOutside dining room window

45transformer boxlower patiorear carport

@ 140m Front carport

less

transformer boxlower patiorear carportfront carport

WindPRO calculations on noise level and distances from turbine

dB [ft] [m]55 56 1750 200 6145 404 12340 623 19035 945 288

Shadow AnalysisAstronomical worst case

– Always sunny, and therefore always a shadow– Always windy, so the blades are moving

– Always blowing inline with the turbine and the observer; making the blades perpendicular to the observer, and giving the largest possible shadow area

This way not this

Rear carport

Dining room window

Dining room shadow

• An awning– Need to shade when sun is at first shadow on

winter solstice –the worst case• Azimuth of 167• Elevation of 29

– Broyhill faces 86– Apply trigonometry

• 5.5ft overhang provides full shading for 10ft tall window

Chancellor’s house

Other items• Radio

– No. Asynchronous, brushless motors do not cause the same RF interference

– Turbines as antenna towers• Construction

– Relatively small crane• Birds

• Typically not an issue– Monopole does not allow for roosting– Broyhill not a known migratory path for endangered

birds

Animations in ArcGIS

Questions&

Discussion

THANK YOU

Output

Comparison of output