New Windmills Near Delta Fuel State's Global Warming Fight

Friday, February 02, 2007
BIRDS LANDING, SOLANO COUNTY
BIRDS LANDING, SOLANO COUNTY
New Windmills Near Delta Fuel State's Global Warming Fight
- David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer



California's latest source of clean energy started spinning slowly in the wind above the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta last spring.

One hundred white windmills, their blades stretching 122 feet, line the hilltops west of Rio Vista. Installed over the last year, they can generate up to 150 megawatts of electricity, enough to light 112,500 homes.

The Shiloh Wind Power Plant, which was unveiled to reporters and utility executives Wednesday, represents a new generation of technology for wind power. Each of its turbines can generate the same amount of electricity as 15 older windmills, some of which still dot the same grassy hills.

Shiloh also embodies California's mounting efforts to curb global warming.

It is one of the first wind farms to begin operations since California began ordering the state's utilities to use more renewable energy in 2002. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. buys half of Shiloh's electricity. The rest goes to Palo Alto's municipal utility and the Modesto Irrigation District.

"It's exactly the type of project that's going to be helping California meet its global warming pollution-reduction goals," said Audrey Chang, staff scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council. "This is what clean energy looks like."

The project also demonstrates some of wind power's limitations.

It is spread across 6,800 acres, vastly more than a traditional power plant would require. At roughly $220 million, it also cost more to build than a plant burning natural gas or coal.

But as Shiloh's developers note, its fuel is free, avoiding the wild swings in price that have afflicted natural gas. The turbines pump no carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide or sulfur dioxide into the air. And the land still belongs to property owners who will continue using it to grow hay and graze sheep.

"Over the years with wind power, I think it's gotten to the point where you can have your cake and eat it too," said Barrett Stambler, vice president of PPM Energy. Based in Portland, Ore., the company owns, or has under construction, wind-power projects capable of producing 2,000 megawatts of electricity.

Shiloh's towers overlook the Sacramento River as it flows west from Rio Vista and widens into Suisun Bay. PPM chose the spot because of the strong westerly winds that typically blow in from the bay. For Wednesday's unveiling, however, only a faint breeze moved a few windmills.
New Electricity is Blowing in Solano's Winds
New Electricity is Blowing in Solano's Winds
By Janis Mara/Oakland Tribune
TheReporter.Com



A group gathers Wednesday at the dedication of the Shiloh Power Plant's wind turbines erected just outside of Rio Vista. (D. Ross Cameron/The Oakland Tribune)

The whirling blades of 100 giant wind turbines sent a jolt of electricity into California's power grid Wednesday as a group gathered in Rio Vista to dedicate the Shiloh Wind Power Plant.

Portland, Ore.-based PPM Energy's plant, which has been coming online gradually during the last year, is the first renewable project in the Pacific Gas and Electric Co. service area since the state's 2002 adoption of the Renewable Portfolio Standard, PG&E officials said.

The plant will help California meet the recently updated goal of getting 20 percent of its power from renewable sources such as wind energy and solar power by 2010. And it will help keep lights burning, water flowing and businesses transacting in the Bay Area and across the state, PG&E said.

Representatives of PPM Energy, PG&E, City of Palo Alto Utilities, Modesto Irrigation District, the press - and a few sheep and horses - were on hand at the Rio Vista wind farm Wednesday for the dedication.

The 30-story high turbines aren't your Don Quixote run-of-the-windmills. Combined, they can generate 150 megawatts of power at full capacity, enough juice to provide electrical power to more than 100,000 PG&E residential customers, according to Jon Tremayne of PG&E.

The event follows the passage of some of the most sweeping legislation in the country mandating new energy resources and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Among other things, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in late September signed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, which put mandatory caps in place reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Cal-ifornia by 25 percent by 2020.

The Shiloh plant will help the state stay within those limits on greenhouse gas emissions. "The plant will help offset 380 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year," said Blaine Sundwall of PPM Energy, which is part of U.K.-based Scottish Power.

California led the nation in installed wind energy for 25 years, but Texas recently claimed that distinction.

"This helps put us back on track" to recapturing No. 1 status, said Allen Short, general manger of the Modesto Irrigation District.

California has four main wind resource areas: Altamont Pass; Tehachapi Pass; San Gorgonio Pass; and this new, rapidly growing wind resources area near Rio Vista in Solano County, according to Case van Dam, a professor at the University of California, Davis. Juno Beach, Fla.-based FPL Energy also has wind turbines at the Rio Vista site.

There have been concerns over birds getting killed by the blades of the turbines in Altamont Pass. Sundwall said PPM Energy has addressed this problem with technology.

"Our towers are tubular, not latticed," Sundwall said. "Birds nest in the latticed towers and we theorize that makes them more likely to get hit by the blades as they fly in and out." He said the speed of the revolutions at this plant has been slowed to 11 to 20 revolutions per minute on the theory that the birds can see the blades better.

Wind energy plants use turbines to generate electricity. Such plants generate no emissions, unlike fossil fuel power plants. Coal-fired plants emit tons of pollutants and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide and mercury.

Though wind energy is better for the environment, it is more expensive. It costs about 6.2 or 6.3 cents per kilowatt hour, compared with current nuclear energy sources or coal, which each run around 2 or 3 cents a kilowatt hour, experts say.

Posted by Michael at 9:44 AM
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Solano County, 90 modern wind turbines churn out 162 megawatts of electricity for utilities in Sacramento and central California.


California looks to alternative power in greenhouse gas battle

SHAWN MCCARTHY, The Globe

BIRD'S LANDING, CALIF. -- On the parched crop and ranch land of the Montezuma Hills in Solano County, 90 modern wind turbines churn out 162 megawatts of electricity for utilities in Sacramento and central California.

Shirley Paolini, a chatty tavern owner at the Bird's Landing crossroads, admires the quiet efficiency of the turbines, which tower over her on a hill just beyond her back door. She even knows which of the 60-metre-tall beasts utters a low moan as it turns to face the prevailing wind.

For Ms. Paolini, the High Winds energy project is not an unwanted intrusion but a welcome sign of progress. For its utility customers, the wind farm that produces enough electricity for 75,000 homes is part of a portfolio of renewable energy supplies that must rapidly expand to meet California's climate change targets.

The state's electric power utilities -- both investor-owned and municipal systems -- have long been on the front line of California's battle to clean up its smog problem.

The Globe and Mail

As a result of aggressive energy efficiency targets, per capita use of electricity has remained flat for the past 30 years in the state, while it grew by 50 per cent across the United States.

Now, the utilities face a new challenge with the passage of legislation that requires California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020.

To help accomplish that, the power companies -- which produce 20 per cent of the state's greenhouse gas emissions -- will have to find new ways to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

Nuclear energy is not an option -- the state long ago banned the construction of new nuclear plants until permanent storage is found for radioactive waste. Instead, the power companies will crank up spending on energy efficiency programs, the cost of which they are permitted to recoup through rate schedules. Higher rates, goes the mantra, does not equate fatter bills if consumption is reduced.

Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which serves northern California, will spend $2-billion (U.S.) to install "smart meters," digital devices that record minute-by-minute usage. PG&E has recently won permission from the state regulator to implement "time of use" billing, with higher rates for peak hours in order to encourage consumers to turn off their air conditioners at peak hours, or do their laundry at night.

Lower peak-hour consumption would reduce PG&E's costs and its emission of greenhouse gases because the utility relies on expensive natural gas-fired plants for peak power.

The utilities must also ensure that 20 per cent of their power supply comes from renewable sources by 2010 -- a requirement that dwarfs any Canadian utility's commitment.

PG&E chief executive officer Thomas King said his utility is already at 13 per cent, and has contracts that will boost the renewable portfolio to 18 per cent by the end of 2007. Mr. King said wind, solar and geothermal are all increasingly competitive with fossil fuels -- especially given the government-imposed costs associated with carbon dioxide emissions. PG&E is even looking at harnessing the tides that sweep into San Francisco Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge.
Posted by Michael at 9:32 PM



_______________________________________________________________
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Solano Deals in Advanced Addiction: Wind Energy
Solano Deals in Advanced Addiction: Wind Energy
By Nathan Halverson

FAIRFIELD - At his State of the Union address Jan. 31, President Bush reiterated what columnists have penned for years: America is addicted to oil.

To help cure the country's addiction, Bush announced the Advanced Energy Initiative - a 22 percent increase in funding for clean-energy research such as wind power.

Solano County farmer Ian Anderson has only to look out his window at the giant wind turbines being erected to know wind energy is no pipe dream.

Anderson is a fourth-generation farmer in the hills near Bird's Landing.

He has 18 mammoth-sized wind turbines being erected on his 950-acre farm as part of the Shiloh I Wind Plant project, which is being built by Oregon-based PPM Energy.

"It's a very productive use of the land," Anderson said. "The land produces wool, meat and crops. And now it's also producing energy."

Solano joins the wind revolution

The Shiloh project will produce 150 megawatts of energy when running at full capacity.

That's enough energy to power about 45,000 households. The project is expected to be completed in March, according to PPM Energy.

Wind power is one of the most prominent sustainable energy sources in the country. It comes from an inexhaustible source: The wind. And maintenance on the turbines is limited to about 40 hours per year. The turbines have a lifespan of about 30 years. So once erected, they produce energy with few extra needs.

On Feb. 7, Solano County announced it was analyzing the environmental impacts of building additional wind turbines in Montezuma Hills. The new project, known as Shiloh II Wind Plant project, would add 114 wind turbines able to produce 171 megawatts, or another 51,300 households worth of energy. Palm Springs-based enXco Inc. would build Shiloh II if approved by the county.

Currently, California produces about 2,000 megawatts of wind energy.

So Solano County will account for more than 10 percent of the state's capacity if both Shiloh projects are completed.

Solano County is a great place for wind power, said Jan Johnson, a spokeswoman for PPM Energy.

"It's location between population centers, Sacramento and San Francisco, makes it a good choice for customers," Johnson said. "And there's plenty of wind."

The Shiloh I project has already sold all of its capacity to energy companies such as PG&E, she said.

The United States produces about 6,740 megawatts of wind energy. It's the third greatest producer in the world behind Germany and Spain, which produce 16,500 and 8,000 megawatts, respectively.

Helping the farmer

Wind power also provides additional revenue to help sustain farmers. Many land owners are finding they will make more money leasing their land for wind turbines than they make from farming or ranching.

"The income from the wind generator is greater than the income from the crops," Anderson said. "It was not a hard decision to sign on."

Overall, installing wind turbines requires less than 2 percent of the farm's land, according to the county. Farmers still make money from agriculture and livestock, and even more money from the wind turbines on top of that.

The land owners lease their land to the company building the turbines. In return, they get about 4 percent or 5 percent of the revenue. Typically, each farmer negotiates his or her own contract with the energy company, and signs a confidentiality clause preventing them from discussing the terms.

Anderson said he thinks it might be better if farmers could negotiate collectively because most farmers have limited experience in wind energy deals.

Other benefits and drawbacks

Besides income, wind turbines provide farmers and ranchers an ancillary benefit: Relief from developers.

"The farmers like it because once you get these wind mills in here it pretty much stops development," said Bill Blacklock, who has three turbines being built on his property in Montezuma Hills.

Some people don't like the looks of the turbines, Blacklock added.

"One of my neighbors said, 'I don't like the things, but if I were in your shoes I'd do the same thing,' " he said.

Blacklock created a Web site chronicling the construction of the turbines on his property. It can be accessed at www.bblacklock.dotphoto.com.

So far, construction work has been minimally invasive.

"They've been real good about correcting any problems," he said. "They've done an outstanding job."

The only significant problem with the construction was increased road traffic and problems with livestock getting out of gates that were left open, Blacklock and Anderson said.

From Anderson's standpoint, the drawbacks to having the wind turbines were few. It is now difficult, if not impossible to use airplanes to spray his crop, he said. The construction also has upset the livestock a bit.

"But the downsides don't come close to the positives," Anderson said.

Reach Nathan Halverson at 425-4646 ext. 257 or nhalverson@dailyrepublic.net.

Wind Turbine Facts

Total height: 388.8 feet (equivalent to a 38-story building)
Blade diameter: 252 feet
Blade rotation: 10 to 20 rpm.
Generator: Rotates at 1440 rpm.
Lubricants: It holds 80 gallons of synthetic oil
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Wind provides winning source for Solano County
Article Launched: 9/22/2006 06:41 AM

Spinning Energy
Wind provides winning source

By Erin Pursell/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com
Solano County has everything it needs to harness the power of wind.

The gusts that skim the rolling Montezuma Hills near Rio Vista provide ample breeze to spin the 90 massive wind turbines that comprise one of the largest wind farms in California.

But that is just one of many key elements needed for a successful operation.

"You need available land, access to and availability on the high-voltage transmission system and you need a customer," said Steve Stengel, corporate communications manager for FPL Energy, the largest alternative energy producer of its kind in the United States. "What you have in Solano is all of those elements that come together."

That, coupled with California's need for additional and more diverse energy resources, makes the county an ideal place for developing this kind of energy, he added.

The size of FPL Energy's 6,000-acre farm, which is leased from eight different landowners, may sound daunting. But if you were to take all the roads and machinery that are scattered across the land and condense them into the actual amount of space they occupy, the farm would encompass only 60 acres, according to Stengel.

"The actual footprint we make is very small," he said.

The farm may leave little mark on the agricultural hills, but its 1.8-megawatt machines collectively produce enough electricity to power more than 40,000 California homes.

And keeping in step with statewide survey results it released earlier this week that indicate Californian's overwhelmingly positive attitude toward wind energy, FPL has its sights on growth.

"If things go well, we could begin an expansion in late 2007," Stengel said.

The project, which is now in the permitting stage, would increase the farm's capacity by 37 megawatts, creating enough power to supply an additional 10,000 homes.

The lengthy process calls for extensive environmental review including everything from avian monitoring to plant and animal surveys to analysis of the visual impacts of the equipment.

"There are a lot of environmental concerns," said Joan Stewart, who handles permits and environmental issues for FPL.

Rio Vista, however, has been able to skirt concerns over land use because agricultural areas are very compat-ible with these types of projects, she said.

The herds of cattle and sheep that share their grazing land don't seem to mind the methodical spinning of the windmill-like machines.

"It's not uncommon for cattle to graze up to the base of the turbine," Stengel laughed.

The turbines, which are about 350 feet tall from the ground to the tip of a fully extended blade, begin their revolutions when gusts reach 9 mph, and shut down at 54 mph.

FPL is just one of several wind energy producers that are utilizing the 43,000 acres zoned specifically for that use in the Montezuma Hills wind resource area alone. And only half of the reserved acreage has been developed.

"This is going to be a huge hub for wind energy," said Roger Young, production lead for FPL's Rio Vista farm.

County leaders are committed to remaining a part of one of the fastest growing regions in the country as far as wind farms go, and will enjoy the economic benefits with each additional wind turbine.

"It's a major part of our economic development strategy," Supervisor Mike Reagan said. "We're a major player now."

Erin Pursell can be reached at county@thereporter.com.







Friday, September 22, 2006
Spinning Energy
Spinning Energy
Wind Provides Winning Source
By Erin Pursell/Staff Writer
TheReporter.Com

Wind turbines (above) reach 350-feet into the sky from the Montezuma Hills, west of Rio Vista. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)

Solano County has everything it needs to harness the power of wind.
The gusts that skim the rolling Montezuma Hills near Rio Vista provide ample breeze to spin the 90 massive wind turbines that comprise one of the largest wind farms in California.

But that is just one of many key elements needed for a successful operation.

"You need available land, access to and availability on the high-voltage transmission system and you need a customer," said Steve Stengel, corporate communications manager for FPL Energy, the largest alternative energy producer of its kind in the United States. "What you have in Solano is all of those elements that come together."

That, coupled with California's need for additional and more diverse energy resources, makes the county an ideal place for developing this kind of energy, he added.






FPL Energy corporate communications manager Steve Stengel (far left) and production lead Roger Young talk about the company's wind farm. (Rick Roach/The Reporter)

The size of FPL Energy's 6,000-acre farm, which is leased from eight different landowners, may sound daunting. But if you were to take all the roads and machinery that are scattered across the land and condense them into the actual amount of space they occupy, the farm would encompass only 60 acres, according to Stengel.

"The actual footprint we make is very small," he said.

The farm may leave little mark on the agricultural hills, but its 1.8-megawatt machines collectively produce enough electricity to power more than 40,000 California homes.

And keeping in step with statewide survey results it released earlier this week that indicate Californian's overwhelmingly positive attitude toward wind energy, FPL has its sights on growth.

"If things go well, we could begin an expansion in late 2007," Stengel said.

The project, which is now in the permitting stage, would increase the farm's capacity by 37 megawatts, creating enough power to supply an additional 10,000 homes.

The lengthy process calls for extensive environmental review including everything from avian monitoring to plant and animal surveys to analysis of the visual impacts of the equipment.

"There are a lot of environmental concerns," said Joan Stewart, who handles permits and environmental issues for FPL.

Rio Vista, however, has been able to skirt concerns over land use because agricultural areas are very compat-ible with these types of projects, she said.

The herds of cattle and sheep that share their grazing land don't seem to mind the methodical spinning of the windmill-like machines.

"It's not uncommon for cattle to graze up to the base of the turbine," Stengel laughed.

The turbines, which are about 350 feet tall from the ground to the tip of a fully extended blade, begin their revolutions when gusts reach 9 mph, and shut down at 54 mph.

FPL is just one of several wind energy producers that are utilizing the 43,000 acres zoned specifically for that use in the Montezuma Hills wind resource area alone. And only half of the reserved acreage has been developed.

"This is going to be a huge hub for wind energy," said Roger Young, production lead for FPL's Rio Vista farm.

County leaders are committed to remaining a part of one of the fastest growing regions in the country as far as wind farms go, and will enjoy the economic benefits with each additional wind turbine.

"It's a major part of our economic development strategy," Supervisor Mike Reagan said. "We're a major player now."

Erin Pursell can be reached at county@thereporter.com.