Georgia Wind Working Group Meeting: 6-22-05, 12:30 PM @ GEFA
Opening: Rita Kilpatrick gave a welcoming and overview of the meeting
1. Julia Miller: Update on State Wind Map
GEFA budgeted the money for a statewide wind map. Susan spoke with people at NREL
and they are interested in coastal wind and interested in doing a RFP on the coast, so
GEFA decided to get in on this process. NREL proposals are due on Friday June 24th.
NREL will cost share some of it and may decide to do all of the state. GEFA is not yet
under contract with someone but is hoping to have the map in the fall to share with
everyone.
Questions:
1. If it gets underway in fall, how long will the process be?
A; ideally eight weeks to six months to complete mapping after contract in August,
Average 3-4 months
2. How accessible will maps be to the public?
A: very accessible
3. Will map give seasonal averages?
A; Usually give annual averages…Usually show county boundaries, transmission lines
Comments regarding state wind map;
 You can use a finer resolution in the mountains and present results by county.
There already has been some wind mapping in GA; it’s just not validated. TVA
did focused mapping, with Lookout Mountain because it’s a very narrow
resource.
 It would be very helpful to get daily variations on the wind map b/c of sea breezes
in coastal areas.
2. Susan Stewart: update on Georgia Tech and Southern Company
Georgia Tech analyzed the wind data off the coast of Georgia, gave a proposal to
Southern Company to further the study, and will start a one-year conceptual design study
with them. Southern Company is, not required to develop wind, just a feasibility study to
look off the coast, they can’t say yet which location the study will be at.
Other developments/Comments:
 Phil Dougherty will report and let us know what’s going on with Wind Powering
America. They will update the information on GA on the WPA website, put lead
contacts, efforts underway, etc… online. Ex: GA’s working relationship with
NREL and the offshore efforts of GT and Southern Company, will be made public
online
 Everyone should see the OWEA conference online to think about creating a SE
group for wind, so the south will be more unified.
3. Mission statement: Everyone seemed okay with the current mission statement.
Phil Dougherty: Liked the mission statement. He mentioned that many WWGs were
struggling with how to give out fact-based information (pro and cons in their states of
winds) and act as an outreach program in the state at a community level and deal with
wind issues, He recommended to have discussion on whether the group will be a
promoter of good decision making, with fact-based information or just an advocate of
wind power
4. Goals of Group:
 We should encourage research at the GA universities, not all technology issues
really solved yet, such as for low-speed wind energy. Someone mentioned that
technology should not be one of our main goals, if the group doesn’t have funding
for it.
 WPA, on R&D side has NREL, who is one of key players. The Group should be a
repository of information that feeds back to NREL. Serve as breeding grounds for
ideas and coordinate needs by passing along to researchers what the real needs
are. Identify barriers to entry and success here, how to address barriers.
 On website have links to discussion about various wind barriers, factual
information on site as part of information to people
 Group in good position to put out credible information, solid info and facts, to
make the group a repository for those involved in WWG to access and make use
on their own as they see fit, whichever way they choose to go… give info to host
communities living in the areas that will have wind developments, advocacy
should be role of individual stakeholders, not the group itself
5. Matrix:
A. Integrated Wind Energy in Education and Research Programs: Develop and
disseminate Materials for Wind, pull together what we have in existence
B. Suggestions to add to matrix:
 Publicize facts, host meeting- discussion about low wind speeds, how we can be
involved, what’s going on in low wind speed area, bring together interested
parties. WWG help provide forum for people interested in it, bring someone from
NREL in to have discussion with them but this shouldn’t be one of main focuses /
Phil Dougherty has not heard of a WWG being advocates on the Wind research
side of things.
 Liz Philpot: public issues on this, address people’s “not in my backyard”
viewpoints, work with children to get them involved in wind energy, then they
will inform parents, etc…Phil: variety of audiences that you will be working with
and for, lots of variables 6-7 core constituency’s that you must provide service to,
each of them have role to play to address and solve a barrier, find tune products
you provide with them. EX: agriculture, coastal, co-ops effected, county officials
you must engage, zoning and permitting guys, will want to turn to WWG for that
kind of information.
 Move “conduct wind seminars for strategic audiences” from under milestones to
the first column deliverables, then move subgroups to milestones
6. Other Comments:
 See how TN and NC started finding out who were players on wind projects, how
do they work with wind issues on local levels. How did other WWG get their acts
together: find out who else will need to be added to group, there will be lots of
discussions. Some WWG used Wind Maps to kick-off discussions with interested
parties, then have public stakeholder WWG meeting to engage public, media,
lawmakers. Many WWG shouldn’t have own projects they are
working/promoting b/c there will always be someone who disagrees, just keep
from calling out certain projects. Don’t associate wwg with specific projects.
 After Wind Map comes out in fall, the group shouldwork to promote the map in
Media. When we have next conference call, see if Phil Dougherty and Larry
Flowers can join, and see what kickoff options will be. Have small discussion to
decide options, then present to bigger group for consideration.
 Who has economic tools to access costs of wind power: at what point is wind
efficiency viable for people to support and develop? A: To determine cost point is
very difficult b/c not looking at just GA, must be system wide, WPA has
economic models that wwg can use, so when time comes it will be available for
GA, Dwight Bailey will make those economic models available to group. Need
public domain cost analysis, b/c utilities may develop on their own but not
statewide. Georgia Power mentioned that they think wind is a little high to put in
regular energy generation mix but can put in green power program, have to put
15% of solar and wind in energy generation by year 4 of RFP. Rick Carson said
Clipperwind might want to try and sell power to Georgia power.
 Rick Carson mentioned, that Kevin from Clipperwind, should be called to do a
presentation
7. Potential Stakeholders/ people to contact:
 How do new people join this group? It works well to have a manageable size
group for stakeholders interested in coming to these types of meeting, then others
with specific interests who can go to educational seminars/ forums. Stakeholder
groups should be limited to 12-20 people
 Bob Zabadel in Knoxville, expert of Wind Power and John Kirby at ORNL.
These may be important people to contact for the wwg.
 Get someone in State Economic Dvlpmt office to come to group.
 In terms of stakeholders: one trend, the Photovoltaic people are gravitating
towards small wind, very interested in it…Thomas Tripp from TN, might be
interested in getting involved
8. Important Dates and Next Meeting Times:
 There might be an eastern wind summit in Raleigh on September 19 and 20th
 Our next meeting will potentially be in September…sometime in fall to coorelate
with the wind map, or latter part of august… send out times of a few different
weeks,
 Location for meetings: GT, tech square