Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Environmental Quality
 
Board
Department of Environmental Quality
 
chapter
Small Renewable Wind Energy Projects Permit by Rule [9 VAC 15 ‑ 40]
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12/17/18  3:28 pm
Commenter: Steve Neas

Definitions-Small Wind Energy; Ch 40 Section 10 Definitions
 

Wind energy like solar is very dilute. To catgorize wind or solar by installed capacity is misrepresentative. Because wind energy is very dilute, large amount of property is required to develop very little unreliable energy.For instance, Apex Clean Energy confirmed to me that they typically clear cut  5 acres around one 3MW 500' tall industrial wind turbine. Using that information, a 150 MW facility that is allowed under PRB would clearcut 450 acres. Does anyone at DEQ think a project requiring 450 acres clear cut is small? Compound that with the difference between 'installed' capacity and 'actual' energy produced and the concept is more outragious. PJM, the owner of the grid in this area, rates wind energy at 13% of installed capacity. In other words, they expect to receive 13% of the installed capacity. So, for the 150MW facility that uses 450 acres of labd, one could expect 19.5 MW of energy. The only thing small is is the very little amount of energy produced for  significant distruption to the environment. Change the definition of "Small wind energy" to 150 MW and not to require more than 50 acres of land. 

CommentID: 68908