Wind farms are growing in many parts of Michigan as the price to generate electricity by turbines drops. Once the decision is made to move forward with wind, what happens next?
Join us as we discuss answers to the questions below:
· What are the steps followed to site a wind farm?
· How are the locations determined?
· How are the turbines selected?
· Who does the construction?
· How is financing handled?
· What are the long term maintenance issues?
2. Agenda
• From Development to Selecting a Contractor
• Design/Permitting/Contractor Coordination
• Key construction aspects
• Construction order and pictures
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3. Typical Schedule
Project Development
Permitting
Design
Procurement
Construction
Start Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
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4. Selecting a Contractor
Request for Negotiations
Proposal (Liquidated Execute
(Experience, Price,
Damages, Limits of the
Liability, Insurance,
Safety Record, Price, Force
Contract
Balance Sheet) Majeure)
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6. What Is A Wind Farm?
• A wind farm is an energy project consisting of:
– Wind Turbines
– Foundations
– Roads
– Underground Electrical Collection System
– Substation & Transmission
– SCADA System
– O&M Facility
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7. Permitting: Most Common for Wind
Projects
• National
– FAA Review
– Endangered Species Act Review
– Bald Eagle Protection Act
– Migratory Bird Protection Treaty
• State
– Historical Preservation
– Stormwater Discharge
– Highway Occupancy
– Michigan Tall Structures Act
• Local
– Conditional Use Permit
– Building/Road/Construction permits
• Most other permits avoided by careful siting
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8. Procurement: Long-Lead Time Items
Wind Turbines: 6 - 9 months Cables: 0.5-1 Year, High Theft
• Remaining Materials: Typically Within
20 Weeks, Significant Increases in
Concrete, Steel and Copper
Switchgear: 1 Year+
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9. Construction
• Can Be Quickest Part of Project
Development
• About Half Involve Lower-Visibility
Ground Work
• Wind Turbine Erection Can Take
Only A Few Days Per Turbine
• Turbines Often Do Not Run for
Weeks or Months After Erected While
Balance of Plant Completed
• Wind, Weather Can Slow
Construction
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10. Project Access Roads
• Wind Turbine Access During
Construction and Operation
• Crane Access
• Typically 40 ft Wide During
Construction
– Reduced to 16 - 20 ft Wide
During for Operations
• Final Width Graveled, Temporary
Shoulders Just Compacted
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20. Project Substation and Transmission
• Collects All Generation
• Increases Power to Transmission
Voltage
• Sends Out on Grid
– 40 kV (Thumb distribution)
– 120 kV, 345 kV (Thumb
transmission)
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21. O&M/SCADA Center
• Larger Projects Require
On-Site Operations and
Maintenance Facility
• Can Be New Buildings or
Existing Local Buildings
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24. Wind Technology
Blade Pitch System Gearbox & Generator
• Adjusts angle of the blade for • 3 stage gears increase rpm of rotor shaft (~12rpm)
braking & optimization to high rpm (~900rpm) of generator which converts
• Electric motors or hydraulics mechanical energy into electrical energy
Nacelle
Rotor Blades
• Made of glassfiber or carbon fiber
• Up to 40 meters in length
• LM Glassfibre or OEM
Alstom Ecotecnia 100
shown in picture
Tower Yaw Power Converter & Transformer
• Between 40 to 100 m in height • Converts DC to AC for the grid
• Manufactured in sections(rolled steel) • Step up turbine voltage
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25. 330’ off the ground!
Monroe Stakes 660’ Wind Turbine 330’ Transmission Tower 150’
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27. Developmental Factors – the site
Focus is different then other projects
Work Site-
Typical work site size is 80+ square acres
Collection Systems vs Field Tile-
On average 2500 repairs/park.
Documented with photos and GPS
Crop Damage-
Both during construction and the next planning
season
Property Lines-
100 years of assumed “property boundaries are
discovered.
Actual property lines always a surprise to everyone.
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