Archive for the 'Wind' Category
Galloping Gertie Wind Harvest
Using aeroelastic flutter, the same effect that resulted in the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge (aka Galloping Gertie), Shawn Frayne has created a wind harvest device that is small, cheap to produce, and simple. The 2:05 video below has details of the breakthrough.
Tip of the Hat: Popular Mechanics 2 comments
Triple Play: Sou Hills Project
In August, 2007, MeV acquired a lease and development rights on ~1700 acres (~700 hectares) of land in Nevada’s East Dixie Valley. This area is a Known Geothermal Resources Area (KGRA) with a functioning plant, Ormat’s Dixie Valley 60MW facility, in the near vicinity. Given the parcel’s location in the Sou Hills, we now refer to this parcel as the Sou Hills Prospect. One other key aspect to the Sou Hills Prospect is its proximity to electricity transmission. A distribution line is located within 400m of the southern end of the parcel which connects to a 230kv transmission line owned and operated by Sierra Pacific Power Company. MeV has made one preliminary visit to the Sou Hills Prospect which is recorded here.
As with any geothermal prospect, exploration is paramount. Before the end of the year, MeV plans to complete aerial, self-potential, soil chemical, and magnetic surveys of the prospect. In addition, MeV plans a 2m shallow temperature survey with at least 100 measurement points (which can and will be adjusted in the field to accommodate the localization of any anomolies.) After collecting and analyzing this data, MeV may drill temperature gradient wells in locations suggested by the analysis of the prior surveys.
In addition to geothermal resource, MeV also observes that this location lies in the desert and is the recipient of copious amounts of sunshine year around. Given that benefit, solar surveys to characterize resource applicability for solar thermal electricity production will also be performed. Finally, there may be wind resource in the area and as such a wind resource analysis will be performed. This will help determine the feasibility of a “double” or “triple” play allowing multi-dimensional harvest of renewable resource below the surface level with geothermal, at surface level with solar thermal, and above surface level with wind all on the same physical property.
(Sou Hills Prospect in Rectangle Area >5 kwh/m2)
(Sou Hills Prospect in Rectangular Area – Detail in cutout below)
In concert, the wind, solar, and geothermal resources can share the same operations and transmission infrastructure. Solar thermal and geothermal can share the same physical generation resources. As solar resources become unavailable (darkness) wind resources in this area tend to increase and peak during night time hours. Of course, geothermal resources are not subject to sunlight and wind conditions and provide a constant baseload power output from the renewable energy park. Presently, the size and feasibility of this approach are unknown and will not be known until the resource assessment has been completed. However, the conditions are right for this approach to work in this specific property and perhaps others located around the world.
As results of resource surveys become available, we will share those results and the progress of our project in general. Comments are off for this post
Caithness exits renewable energy business
As referenced earlier today, ArcLight Capital and Caithness Energy LLC have entered into a deal where ArcLight will take an interest in 824MW of power generation in geothermal, solar thermal, and wind projects.
Upon reviewing the remaining Caithness Energy LLC portfolio the company is left with one undisclosed hydro power project and the remainder of its portfolio is now fossil fuel based with the largest component being natural gas (one diesel and one coal project exist as well.)
With the transfer of the geothermal, solar thermal, and wind assets and their operation to ArcLight, Caithness has effectively exited the renewable energy business after 25 years. Once operating agreements with eneXco and Seapower West lapse in the wind projects, it is likely ArcLight will take over operation of those projects as well.
With renewable energy’s move toward the mainstream, it’s interesting that Caithness would take this opportunity to exit. Perhaps it is because of the current hot market the management team looked for a high dollar value exit, on asset value alone, this is a billion dollar deal. Does the Caithness management team believe that the sector valuation has peaked?
The flip side of that is ArcLight’s asset acquisition positions them to enter the renewable power business in a big way. The Caithness assets join CPV Wind Ventures in the portfolio. ArcLight has vast experience in the power industry and has extensive interest in coal and gas fired power plants, along with transmission and pipeline operations.
Caithness gets capital boost
COSO Geothermal Field
ArcLight Capital has invested an undisclosed amount in Caithness Energy, LLC in exchange for interest in 18 different renewable energy projects in the geothermal, wind, and solar thermal areas totally more than 800MW. In addition to securing an interest, ArcLight will assume operations and maintenance responsibilities for 10 of the 18 projects. Caithness benefits from this transaction by attracting capital to help complete their 350MW Long Island project. Subject to regulatory approval, the anticipated close of the deal should occur in the 3rd quarter of 2007.
The specific projects included in the deal are:
- Geothermal: Coso (240 MW), Dixie Valley (66 MW) and Beowawe (18 MW)
- Wind: Cameron Ridge (60 MW), Pacific Crest (47 MW), San Gorgonio (43 MW), Foote Creek II-IV (43 MW), Texas Big Spring (34 MW), Ridgetop (31 MW), Peetz (30 MW), Oak Creek (23 MW), 251 (18 MW), VG Repower (7 MW), and Chandler (2 MW)
- Solar: SEGS VIII (80 MW), SEGS IX (80 MW)
The full press release is available from the ArcLight Capital website.
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Quiet Revolution
Yet another turbine design is the vertical 5m variety offered by Quiet Revolution in the UK. This turbine is rated at 6kw and cuts in around 4m/sec and out at 16m/sec. The company claims there is very little noise or vibration from this turbine design and that avian death is not likely. The company has plans for a 2.5m and a 12m design in the near future.
