Wind power in Ohio explained

Wind power in Ohio has a long history. As of 2016, Ohio had 545 megawatts (MW) of utility-scale wind power installations, responsible for generating 1.1% of the state's electricity.[1] Over 1000 MW more were under construction or pending approval.[2] Some installations have become tourist attractions. There has been a sudden increase in generating capacity, as the total wind power capacity in the state was just 9.7 MW in 2010.[3] By 2019, there were 738 MW of capacity, which generated 1.71% of Ohio's electricity.[4]

Ohio's first large wind farm, Timber Road II near Payne in northwest Ohio, opened on October 6, 2011.[5] [6] It was surpassed in June 2012 by the 304 MW Blue Creek Wind Farm.[7]

History

Wind power in Ohio has a long (albeit discontinuous) history.

Brush's windmill dynamo

Charles F. Brush designed one of world's earliest electricity-generating windmills in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1887–1888.[8] His engineering company built the "windmilldynamo" at his home. It operated from 1886 until 1900.[9] The Brush wind turbine had a rotor 56 feet (17 m) in diameter and was mounted on a 60-foot (18 m) tower, making it similar in size to some of the first commercial wind farm turbines of the 1980s. However, the machine was only rated at 12 kW; it turned relatively slowly since it had 144 blades. Brush used the connected dynamo either to charge a bank of batteries or to operate up to 100 incandescent light bulbs, three arc lamps, and various motors in his laboratory. The machine fell into disuse after 1900 when electricity became available from Cleveland's central stations, and was abandoned in 1908.[10]

NASA Lewis MOD series

From 1974 to 1981, NASA's Glenn Research Center (then the Lewis Research Center) in Brook Park, Ohio, led the U.S. Wind Energy Program for large horizontal-axis wind turbines, designing a series of 13 experimental large horizontal-axis wind turbines. In conjunction with the United States Department of Energy, NASA developed and tested megawatt-class wind turbines. The program's goal was to develop the technology, and then turn it over to private industry. While none of the program's wind turbine designs saw mass commercialization, the tests generated valuable data and pioneered modern design concepts such as tubular towers and computer control of blade pitch and rotor yaw.

Most of the MOD-series wind turbines went to sites outside of Ohio, but the first unit, the MOD-0 operated at NASA's Plum Brook facility near Sandusky from 1975 to 1988.[11] Initially, the wind turbine had a lattice tower, a 38.1m diameter two-bladed rotor mounted downwind from the tower, and a capacity of 100 kW. Lockheed Corporation manufactured aluminum rotor blades. The discovery of severe stress resulting from the rotor blades passing through the tower's wind shadow led to several redesigns. In 1979, NASA rebuilt the MOD-0 with an upwind rotor mounted on a teetering hub, with a steel spar reinforcing the blades. In 1982, a tubular tower replaced the lattice tower. Finally, in 1985 NASA tested a single-bladed rotor with a teetering hub.[11] In 1981, two NASA Glenn engineers, Larry Viterna and Bob Corrigan, used the adjustable-pitch blade feature of the MOD-0 to invent an analytical method for calculating wind turbine output in high winds, which has since become widely used in the wind power industry as the Viterna method.[12] [13]

Wind Turbine Regulation

In 2014, the Ohio General Assembly passed HB 483. This codified a wind turbine setback of 1125feet from the property line for significant wind farms.[14] The change in wind turbine setbacks has discouraged investment of new wind farm development in the State of Ohio.[15]

Installed capacity and wind resources

The following table compares the growth in wind power installed nameplate capacity in megawatts (MW) for Ohio and the entire United States from 2002 through 2019.[16] [4]

One large undeveloped resource of wind in Ohio is Lake Erie.[17] [18] [19] [20] Its shallow depth and shelter from hurricanes provide advantages in terms of both ease of construction as well as safety of the investment. Although land based wind farms frequently have lower siting costs, offshore wind farms usually have better wind, as open water lacks obstructions such as forests, buildings, and hills.

On February 11, 2010, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory released the first comprehensive update of the wind energy potential by state since 1993, showing that Ohio had potential to install 55 GW of onshore wind power nameplate capacity, generating 152 TWh annually.[21] For comparison, Ohio consumed 160.176 TWh of electricity in 2005;[22] the entire U.S. wind power industry was producing at an annual rate of approximately 50 TWh at the end of 2008; and Three Gorges Dam (the world's largest electricity-generating station) produced an average of 80 TWh/yr in 2008 and 2009.

Wind farms

In 2008, Ohio had one utility-scale wind farm, one single large turbine wind power installation, and two more in development.

American Municipal Power Inc Wind Farm

The AMP Wind Farm located at the following coordinates: west of Bowling Green in Wood County is Ohio's first utility-scale wind farm. It consists of four Vestas V80-1.8MW wind turbines giving a combined nameplate capacity of 7.2 MW.[3] [23] The first two units came online in 2003, and the second two in 2004, next to the Wood County landfill. In 2015 the wind turbines were paid off.[24] Because the turbines are early models, the operators have had difficulty sourcing replacement parts.[25] The US$10 million wind farm's wind turbines are highly visible for miles in all directions, and have become a tourist attraction, regularly hosting busloads of school children. A solar-powered kiosk on the site gives data to visitors about the project, the current wind speed, and real-time power generation.[26]

Great Lakes Science Center

The Great Lakes Science Center installed a reconditioned Vestas V27-225 kW wind turbine in 2006, outside its museum building on Cleveland's North Coast Harbor between Cleveland Browns Stadium and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The North Coast entertainment complex receives 1.5 million visitors per year, and the wind turbine appears regularly on local news broadcasts and Cleveland Browns NFL broadcasts, making it one of the world's most-viewed wind turbines.[27]

The wind turbine originally operated on a wind farm in Denmark, which resold the wind turbine while repowering to newer, larger wind turbines.[27] [28] The ground around the wind turbine features an art display entitled Shadow and Light.[29] The display includes walkways that align with the wind turbine's shadow at solar noon and two hours, eleven minutes after solar noon, respectively. On the vernal and autumnal equinoxes, the wind turbine's shadow also aligns with the walkways by length.[29] Thus the wind turbine functions as a large gnomon in an incomplete sundial. The display includes boxes of light bulbs encased in concrete on one side of a plaza around the wind turbine's base, representing the amount of electricity consumed by the average American household in a year.

One Energy Wind for Industry projects

Findlay, Ohio, based on-site distributed-generation wind energy company One Energy has developed and constructed nine Wind for Industry projects to date with three projects in construction as of October 2018. Wind for Industry describes wind energy projects in which utility-scale wind turbines are installed on-site and interconnected on a facility's side of their utility meter (a process known as distributed generation or behind-the-meter wind, which sometimes follows net metering[30]). These projects are designed to achieve a significant reduction of an industrial facility's electrical consumption from the grid. One Energy's on-site generation list includes:

Wind for Industry projects!Name!Location!Power!Note
Cooper Farms’ Wind VWVan Wert, Ohio4.5 MWOperating since 2011[31]
Haviland WindHaviland, Ohio4.5 MWOperating since 2012[32]
Ball Corporation's Zephyr Wind Project Findlay, Ohio4.5 MWOperating since 2015
Whirlpool Corporation's Findlay Wind FarmFindlay, Ohio3.0 MWOperating since 2015[33]
Marathon Petroleum's Harpster WindHarpster, Ohio1.5 MWOperating since 2016[34]
Whirlpool Corporation's Marion Wind ProjectMarion, Ohio4.5 MWOperating since 2017[35]
Whirlpool Corporation's Ottawa Wind ProjectOttawa, Ohio1.5 MWOperating since 2018[36]
Valfilm Corporation's Findlay Wind FarmFindlay, Ohio3.0 MWOperating since 2018[37]
Whirlpool Corporation's Greenville Wind FarmGreenville, Ohio4.5 MWPowering a KitchenAid facility. Operating since 2018[38]
Autoliv-Nissin Brake Systems Findlay Wind ProjectFindlay, Ohio1.5 MWIn Construction 2018[39]

Wind generation

Ohio Wind Generation (GWh, Million kWh)
YearTotalJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
200515 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2
200614 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2
200716 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 2 2
200816 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 3
200914 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 1 2 2
201013 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1
2011198 1 1 1 2 1 1 12 13 26 28 50 62
2012986 113 94 117 111 50 68 42 36 52 119 72 112
20131,146 140 107 114 111 102 59 49 36 55 93 143 137
20141,154 168 96 119 136 96 63 56 36 36 100 145 103
20151,202 127 109 107 120 95 80 47 45 56 128 140 148
20161,246 162 140 127 113 87 74 48 40 57 98 123 177
20171,589 163 171 172 154 141 125 62 54 65 143 162 177
20181,751 225 163 186 148 135 90 67 75 102 179 183 198
20192,044 245 190 209 212 165 154 92 85 96 179 178 239
20202,287 221 212 203 198 209 167 96 88 147 196 279 271
20212,598 189 221 284 221 194 202 117 105 240 205 293 327
20223,151 312 354 364 325 280 187 149 110 140 287 347 296
2023965 279 338 348

Source:[40]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ohio Wind Energy. U.S. Wind Energy State Facts. American Wind Energy Association. 27 December 2017.
  2. http://www.naruc.org/international/Documents/Ohio%20Power%20Siting%20Board%20Process.pdf Ohio Power Siting Board Process
  3. Web site: U.S. Wind Energy Projects - Ohio . 2008-11-19 . . 2008-12-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081118075048/https://www.awea.org/projects/Projects.aspx?s=Ohio . November 18, 2008 .
  4. https://windexchange.energy.gov/states/oh Wind Energy in Ohio
  5. Web site: Horizon Wind Energy Invests Approximately $175 Million in Paulding County, Ohio. EDP Renewables. NA. www.prnewswire.com. 26 April 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303190910/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/horizon-wind-energy-invests-approximately-175-million-in-paulding-county-ohio-118427009.html. 3 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Timber Road II Wind Farm Commissioning Marks a First for Ohio - CleanTechnica. 2011-10-06. cleantechnica.com. 26 April 2018.
  7. Web site: Blue Creek Wind Farm, Ohio. Power Technology Energy News and Market Analysis. en-GB. 2019-04-30.
  8. 1890-12-20 . Mr. Brush's Windmill Dynamo . . 63 . 25 . 54 .
  9. Web site: A Wind Energy Pioneer: Charles F. Brush . Danish Wind Industry Association . 2007-05-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20070226081941/http://www.windpower.org/en/pictures/brush.htm . 2007-02-26.
  10. Encyclopedia: 2007. History of Wind Energy. Encyclopedia of Energy. Elsevier. 6. 421–422. 978-1-60119-433-6.
  11. Web site: Winds Of Change, Stories of a dawning Wind Power Industry, American Federal Projects 1975–1985 . Nordisk AeroForm ApS . 2008-12-10 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20080716022625/http://www.windsofchange.dk/WOC-usastat.php . 2008-07-16.
  12. Web site: NASA Wind Energy Research Reaps Rewards . Jan . Wittry . 2008-09-06 . 2008-12-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090117202028/http://www.federallabs.org/news/top-stories/articles/?pt=top-stories%2Farticles%2F0906-08.jsp . 2009-01-17.
  13. Web site: Viterna . L.A. . Janetzke . D.C. . 1982-09-01 . Theoretical and experimental power from large horizontal-axis wind turbines . . . 19820025954 . 2008-12-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606032049/http://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=560082&id=4&qs=N=4294871842 . 2011-06-06.
  14. Web site: Am. Sub. H.B. 483. Ohio General Assembly. 2014. October 13, 2017. 163. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171014083412/https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/documents/gaDocuments/analyses130/h0483-ps-130.pdf. October 14, 2017.
  15. News: Ohio wind law crippling wind development, $4.2 billion boost to Ohio economy. Funk. John. The Plain Dealer. May 24, 2017. October 13, 2017. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20171008091917/http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2017/05/ohio_wind_law_crippling_wind_d.html. October 8, 2017.
  16. Web site: U.S. Installed and Potential Wind Power Capacity and Generation. United States Department of Energy. 2019. July 21, 2019. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190626023932/https://windexchange.energy.gov/maps-data/321. June 26, 2019.
  17. Web site: A Great Potential: The Great Lakes as a Regional Renewable Energy Source . https://web.archive.org/web/20090325012758/http://greengold.org/wind/documents/107.pdf . 2009-03-25 . David . Bradley . 2004-02-06 . 2008-10-04.
  18. Web site: Great Lakes eyed for offshore wind farms . . 2008-10-31 . 2008-11-14 .
  19. Web site: Momentum Grows for Great Lakes Offshore Wind . 2008-10-31 . 2008-11-15 . NewEnergyNews . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110101135942/http://newenergynews.blogspot.com/2008/10/momentum-for-great-lakes-offshore-wind.html . 2011-01-01.
  20. Web site: Lake Erie Wind Resource Report, Cleveland Water Crib Monitoring Site, Two-Year Report Executive Summary . Green Energy Ohio . 2008-01-10 . 2008-11-27 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20081217063550/http://www.development.cuyahogacounty.us/pdf_development/en-US/ExeSum_WindResrc_CleveWtrCribMntr_Reprt.pdf . 2008-12-17.
  21. Web site: XLS . Estimates of Windy Land Area and Wind Energy Potential by State for Areas >= 30% Capacity Factor at 80m . . 2010-02-25 . 2010-02-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110310062427/http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/filter_detail.asp?itemid=2542 . 2011-03-10.
  22. Web site: Electric Power and Renewable Energy in Ohio . . 2010-02-25 . 2008-06-25 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20091208211747/http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/states/electricity.cfm/state=oh . 2009-12-08.
  23. Web site: AMP-Ohio/Green Mountain Energy Wind Farm, USA . World wind power database . 2008-12-15 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110724104212/http://www.thewindpower.net/wind-farm-3108-amp-ohio-green-mountain-energy-wind-farm-vestas-nd.php . 2011-07-24.
  24. News: McLaughlin . Jan Larson . BG’s iconic wind turbines becoming costly dinosaurs – but city not giving up on wind – BG Independent News . 23 August 2022 . BG Independent Media . August 2, 2020.
  25. News: McLaughlin . Jan Larson . Once state of the art, BG wind turbines are still struggling to crank out power – BG Independent News . 23 August 2022 . BG Independent Media . August 22, 2022.
  26. Web site: Ohio gov blows hard with wind-powered energy . 2008-01-12 . Environment Ohio . 2008-12-15 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110726032837/http://www.environmentohio.org/in-the-news/energy/energy/-ohio-gov-blows-hard-with-wind-powered-energy . 2011-07-26.
  27. Web site: Great wind on the Great Lakes . Renewable Energy World . 2008-07-31 . Harvey . Wasserman . 2008-12-15.
  28. Web site: Wind Turbine Project Q & A . . 2008-10-28 . 2006-05-17 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090425001844/http://www.glsc.org/press/press.php?id=34 . 2009-04-25. Link is broken as of 2008-12-15.
  29. Web site: Renewable Energy Exhibits . . 2008-12-18 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20090520000616/http://www.glsc.org/energy/renewable.php . 2009-05-20.
  30. Web site: Distributed Wind Department of Energy. www.energy.gov. en. 2018-06-01.
  31. News: Everett . John . 2013 . Cooper Farms . Green Energy Ohio News Magazine .
  32. Web site: Haviland (USA) . https://www.thewindpower.net/scripts/fpdf181/windfarm.php?id=21647 . 17 July 2018 . 17 July 2018 . The Wind Power: Wind Energy Market Intelligence.
  33. News: March 2015 . Whirlpool and Ball plan $18M wind farm . Toledo Business Journal . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180628233413/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-3657247911.html . 2018-06-28.
  34. Web site: Harpster Wind (USA) . https://www.thewindpower.net/scripts/fpdf181/windfarm.php?id=23726 . 17 July 2018 . 17 July 2018 . The Wind Power: Wind Energy Market Intelligence.
  35. News: 6 December 2016 . Whirlpool Corporation Breaks Ground on Latest Ohio Wind Power Generation Project at its Marion Manufacturing Facility . Whirlpool Corporation . 10 July 2018.
  36. News: Sharpe . Joseph . 7 December 2017 . Whirlpool Corporation in Ottawa Going Wind Power . 3BL Media . 10 July 2018.
  37. News: Wilin . Lou . 13 June 2017 . Valfilm plans wind turbines . The Findlay Courier . 10 July 2018.
  38. News: Whirlpool Corporation . 15 November 2017 . Whirlpool Corporation Announces Plans for Wind Turbines at Greenville Manufacturing Facility . Cision PR Newswire . 10 July 2018.
  39. News: 28 March 2018 . One Energy to build Findlay's eighth wind turbine . The Findlay Courier . 10 July 2018.
  40. Web site: Electricity Data Browser . U.S. Department of Energy . March 28, 2018 . August 10, 2021 .