Is There
Wind Energy
in Florida?
How can we tell?
Frank R. Leslie, B.S.E.E,
M.S. Space Technology
November 10, 2002
Introduction to Florida Wind Energy
•
Energy Sources
– Renewable; won’t run
out
– Nonrenewable; will
run out
• Fossil Fuels
– Coal, Petroleum,
Natural Gas
• Nuclear (very long
depletion period)
• Hubbert’s Peak of oil
consumption
• Environmental Impacts
•
– Pollution: Air, water,
land, noise
– Wildlife; people
(NIMBYs)
Economics: Cost
assessment
Revised 021110
www.worldenergy.org
The Hubbert Curve Predicts Fossil
Fuel Decline
•
•
Dr. M. King Hubbert,
geophysicist,
published his
prediction that the
US oil peak would
be reached in 1970.
Later, others
predicted the World
oil peak would
occur in the first
decade of the 21st
Century.
Past the production
peak, oil prices will
increase as
extraction becomes
more difficult and
the price is bid up.
Revised 021102
www.hubbertpeak.com/midpoint.htm
Renewable Energy Overview
• Renewable energy comes to Earth
faster than it is used
• Types of Renewable energy
– Solar: Light, heat, wind, waves, plant
growth (biomass)
– Gravitational: Tides
(almost renewable)
• Sustainable energy is used more
slowly than it becomes available
– For example, a small hydropower
system might use only part of the
available water upstream
Revised 021110
Energy Source Usage
• United States
– Transportation,
Residential, Industrial
US 2000
Yourenergyfuture.org
• Florida
• FPL electrical districts
• Daily load peaking (time of
day)
http://www.caiso.com/SystemStatus.html
http://www.nyiso.com
Revised 021109
Energy Considerations for 2050
•
•
•
•
Fossil-fuel energy
will deplete in the
future; took
millions of years
to create that
much fuel
US oil production
peaked about
1974; world
energy will peak
about 2004-9
Renewable
energy will
eventually
become
mandatory, and
our lifestyles may
change
Transition to
renewable energy
must occur well
before a crisis
occurs
Revised 021102
US 2000
Yourenergyfuture.org
Wind Origin and Nature
• The sun heats the Earth
unequally, causing air
pressure differences
• Air moves from high to
low pressures, but
veers due to the
Coriolis Effect (to the
right in Northern
Hemisphere; as in Atlantic
hurricanes)
• Range of speeds: Calm
to Mt. Washington, NH
231 miles per hour
April, 1934 record
• Character: steady,
gusty, day/night cyclic –
a statistical nature
Revised 021110
Wind Energy Effects
• Varies significantly with location
• Mountains often channel wind and
increase speed
• Plains or water allow unhindered
sweep of wind with low friction
• Power is proportional to the cube of
the speed
– Eight times as much power at twice
the wind speed
• Existing applications/uses
– Power and water pumping
Revised 021110
U.S. Wind Atlas
• Wind map of US
shows wind power
density by colors
• Pacific Northwest
National Labs, WA,
created maps
– Experts on nuclear
plume drift
prediction
– Published maps for
each state
• Newer technology
can create maps
from topography
Revised 021110
Florida Wind Map from Pacific Northwest
National Laboratories (PNNL) Atlas
• PNNL rated
wind energy
“marginal”
(200 to 300
W/m2) along
the coasts
• Interior of
state
“negligible”
• Based upon
limited airport
historical data
• Limited other
wind studies
found; some
masters’
theses
Revised 021110
Wind Map Development & Creation
• Wind maps display areas of strength or
intensity as colors or contour lines
• Weather history is used to get long-term
records of speed and direction (direction
not critical to turbines)
• Airports have weather history, but they are
far apart (data gaps)
• Anemometers can measure local winds
• Computer modeling produces estimates of
winds at other locations (some models
better than others)
Revised 021110
Wind Prospecting
• Find best wind turbine locations
• Anemometers measure wind speed
• Totalizers measure miles of wind
blown past
• Tree “flagging” or distortion of
growth pattern shows high winds
• Balloons and kites show turbulence
with flagging streamers
• Soil erosion may indicate high wind
speed
• Direction of wind approach may
affect speed (trees, buildings)
• Higher turbines are above
turbulence and any blocked wind
Revised 021110
Nature of Sea Breeze
• Humid air sweeps
inland as land heats
more than ocean and
air then rises to
develop clouds
• Afternoon
thunderstorms begin
as saturated air forms
cumulonimbus clouds
• Electrical static
charge develops as
drops form and are
swept upwards by the
wind
• Lightning and heavy
rains usually follow
• Air returns overhead
to descend at sea
Revised 021110
•
•
•
Sea breeze of 10 to 15
mph peak caused by sun
typically lasts 9 a.m. to 5
p.m.
Gusts are much stronger
and have more power,
but they last less than a
minute
Wind direction changes
as sea breeze progresses
Sea Breeze Phenomenology
• Sea breeze effect begins as land is heated by
sun more than water
• Temperature difference of land and sea causes
wind flow inland in daytime; out to sea at night
• Afternoon storms result from humid sea air
rising in Central Florida
• North Carolina to Texas coastal areas may
have similar energy
Ref.: cimss.ssec.wisc.edu
Revised 021110
Ref.: www.icess.ucsb.edu/esrg
Wind Turbine Overview
• Vertical Axis Turbines
– Two thin semicircular blades
– Savonius rotor best at water
pumping
– Blade forces reverse with each
turn; fail to endure due to stresses
– Darrieus rotor explored by Sandia
Labs and recently removed
• Horizontal Axis Turbines
–
–
–
–
Revised 021110
Two or three-bladed rotor
Successful in practice
Largest 110 meter diameter rotor
3.4 MW peak power
www.iwr.de/wind
Typical Wind Turbine Equipment
Temporary homemade wind turbine
on roof of Link Bldg. Samples
available wind energy. Datalogger
records patterns of winds. The
weather station in the background
records wind speed & direction,
temperatures, rainfall, etc.
Wind turbines are fairly simple
machines built for long life and
reliability. The blades of large
turbines revolve about 8-12
times per minute.
Complex as a bus?
Revised 021110
Wind Turbine Siting (Location Selection)
• Terrain shapes and changes wind flow
• Turbine groups may interfere with wind
into downwind turbines
– Must be separated by several diameters
• Operation & Maintenance for lubing,
inspection, bolt tightening, etc. requires
crew access roads
• Transmission lines (electrical) carry
energy to load use areas
• Major US areas in CA, WA, NM, TX, OR, MT,
SD, ND, KS, MN, IA, PA, WV, VT, others
Revised 021110
Florida Tech Wind Research
• Civil engineering effects on buildings
& emergency vehicles --- WHIRL
Laboratory, Dr. Pinelli
• Aeronautical --- airfoils, Dr.
Subramanian
• DMES (Department of Marine and
Environmental Systems) --- Sea
Breeze Wind and Solar Study, Dr.
Steven Lazarus & Mr. Frank Leslie
• Greater emphasis on applied
research developing at Florida Tech
Revised 021109
DMES Wind/Solar DOE/FSEC Study
• Dr. Steven Lazarus and Mr. Frank
Leslie are researching wind and
solar energy and the sea breeze
effect
• Goal: Determine if there is
sufficient wind/solar energy in
Florida to economically offset midday fossil-fuel utility energy?
• Objectives: Record wind and solar
data and evaluate available energy
under sea breeze and storm frontal
passage conditions
Revised 021110
Sea Breeze Wind and Solar Study
• Obtaining small wind turbines, controllers,
and photovoltaic modules from grant
funding and generous equipment donations
• Establish permanent campus station and
create two portable field stations
• Student field research studies with data
gathering, processing, and reporting
• Developing Renewable Energy Lab to
further research
• Developing Renewable Energy Course to
educate students in energy choices and
technology
Revised 021109
Project Instrumentation
•
•
•
•
•
Wind turbines (two 400 W & one 1000W)
Photovoltaic modules
Anemometers
Dataloggers
Pyranometers
– Solar intensity
Revised 021110
Data Assessment Process
• Correlate wind and solar
energy over “long” period (~1
to 5 years)
• Find power variations with
respect to location
– On ocean shore or offshore
on ship
– West side of Indian River
Lagoon (city/county parks;
Lagoon House?)
– Inland to perhaps 15 miles
• Develop automated data
processing and display to deal
with large data files
• Determine available wind/solar
energy and costs; economics
compared with existing
sources
Revised 021110
Tentative Conclusions
(always evolving)
• Coastal sea breeze winds may reduce peak
load requirements on fossil fuel utilities,
reducing pollution and demand load
charges
• Sea breeze wind speeds are low, thus
there is limited power available
• PV helps during sunny, clear skies
• Some renewable energy is available during
afternoon utility peak loads
• Additional research will establish the
economics and practicality
• Automated data processing and Internet
interface for data will be useful to wind
researchers
Revised 021110
Career Choices in Wind Science and Engineering
Science
Meteorologist
Geographic Info
Systems (GIS)
Computer Scientist
Statistician
Environmental Scientist
Psychologist
Mathematician
Economist
Geologist
Other
- Artist
- Architect
- Attorney
- Planner
- Materials Specialist
- Legislative Advisors &
Lobbyists
Revised 021110
Engineering
Aeronautical Engineer
Electrical Engineer
Power & Comm
Mechanical Engineer
Civil Engineer
System Engineer
Integration Engineer
Datalogger
Programmer
Internet Interfaces
Computer Displays
Reliability Engineer
Quality Control
Engineer
Technical
Turbine Maintainer
Utilities Worker
Airfoils Designer
Generator Winder
Turbine Installer
Surveyor
Drafter
Electrician
Mechanic
Rigger
Crane Operator
Tech Writer
Data Manager
Illustrator
From Florida Tech, DMES, Frank Leslie, 2002
References: Books
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Gipe, Paul. Wind Energy for Home & Business. White
River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green Pub. Co., 1993. 0930031-64-4, TJ820.G57, 621.4’5
Manwell, J.F., J.G. McGowan, and A. L. Rogers. Wind
Energy Explained. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, 577
pp., 2002. ISBN 0-471-49972-2.
Patel, Mukund R. Wind and Solar Power Systems. Boca
Raton: CRC Press, 1999, 351 pp. ISBN 0-8493-1605-7,
TK1541.P38 1999, 621.31’2136
Johnson, Gary L. Wind Energy Systems. Englewood Cliffs:
Prentice-Hall, Inc., 360pp., 1985. ISBN 0-13-957754-8;
TK1541.J64; 621.4’5.
Sørensen, Bent. Renewable Energy, Second Edition. San
Diego: Academic Press, 2000, 911 pp. ISBN 0-12-6561524.
Brower, Michael. Cool Energy. Cambridge MA: The MIT
Press, 1992. 0-262-02349-0, TJ807.9.U6B76,
333.79’4’0973.
Duffie, John and William A. Beckman. Solar Engineering
of Thermal Processes. NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 920
pp., 1991
Revised 021110
References: Websites, etc.
awea-windnet@yahoogroups.com. Wind Energy elist
awea-wind-home@yahoogroups.com. Wind energy home powersite elist
geothermal.marin.org/ on geothermal energy
mailto:energyresources@egroups.com
rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/maps/chap2/2-01m.html PNNL wind energy map of
CONUS windenergyexperimenter@yahoogroups.com. Elist for wind energy
experimenters
www.dieoff.org. Site devoted to the decline of energy and effects upon population
www.ferc.gov/ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
www.hawaii.gov/dbedt/ert/otec_hi.html#anchor349152 on OTEC systems
telosnet.com/wind/20th.html
www.google.com/search?q=%22renewable+energy+course%22
solstice.crest.org/
dataweb.usbr.gov/html/powerplant_selection.html
http://www.windpower.dk/tour/wres/shear.htm#rough
Revised 021110