Planning A Wind Energy Project? New WINDExchange Resources Can Help
Local jobs. Increased tax revenues. Income for landowners. Clean, homegrown energy.
These are just a few of the many benefits wind energy projects offer the communities in which they are located.
But when it comes to deciding if a wind project is right for them, communities can find it challenging to weigh potential benefits against the time and cost it takes to approve, build, operate, and maintain the project.
To help local decision makers determine whether a wind project is right for their community, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) WINDExchange initiative released two information resources: a report titled “Land-Based Wind Energy Siting” and a web-based Land-Based Economic Development Guide.
Created by experts at DOE’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory, these comprehensive, easy-to-read resources provide useful information to support a greater understanding of the siting considerations and economic opportunities associated with wind energy. These resources highlight the elements communities should consider when pursuing a wind energy project — from conception and construction of the project site to how the community coexists with the wind project once it’s operating.
Wind energy project development and operations are multistep processes that can span decades. Two new WINDExchange resources illuminate and clarify these processes, helping leaders determine whether a wind project is right for their community. Image courtesy of DOE.
Overcoming Siting-Related Concerns
The “Land-Based Wind Energy Siting” report focuses on land-based wind energy from the community perspective. It examines how communities address a host of issues through ordinances — from limitations on sound, to how safety lighting required by the Federal Aviation Administration might impact the nighttime skies, and more. This information can help communities define parameters that ensure their wind energy developments are tailored to address specific community needs and concerns.
For example, the construction of a new wind power plant might raise concerns among nearby landowners who worry that the project will impact their property values. The guide summarizes research that shows the minimal impact wind energy development has had on nearby property values.
Community members may express concern that a proposed wind energy project will impact farming, ranching, or recreational activities. “Land-Based Wind Energy Siting” provides helpful context to ease their concerns. Thanks to regulations that require adequate spacing between wind turbines and between turbines and landscape features, 95%–99% of the land can still be used for other purposes.
Because of regulations around wind turbine spacing and infrastructure depth, utility-scale wind energy projects are highly compatible with agricultural and recreational land uses. Photo by Dennis Schroeder, NREL.
Understanding Economic Benefits
The Land-Based Economic Development Guide — a web-based tool — helps community decision makers and others better understand the economic benefits of a proposed wind energy project.
This online resource explores how wind energy projects can be important sources of revenue for the communities that host them. For example, workers at wind energy projects tend to spend their earnings in the communities where they live and work. Construction workers spend money at restaurants, grocery stores, and retailers, which can increase community sales tax revenue. Project developers rent housing for workers and buy construction materials at hardware stores. Once the project is up and running, operation and maintenance workers live in nearby communities and contribute to the local tax base.
The guide covers five main topics that are essential to understanding the potential economic benefits of wind energy:
- Wind energy basics: Key information about wind energy technology and trends
- Local government revenues: Taxes and revenue structures
- Community development: How revenues are used within the community
- Landowner and development considerations: Lease payments and rural impacts
- Business and the local workforce: How to prepare for construction and operations.
“Land-Based Wind Energy Siting” and the Land-Based Economic Development Guide were funded by DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office.
Explore the guides and the growing collection of WINDExchange resources.
Article courtesy of Energy.gov
Florida’s State Parks are stepping up their environmental and operational game, introducing a large fleet of powerful electric bikes to support park ranger patrols.
The Florida State Parks Foundation, under its sustainability-focused Greener Initiative, recently announced the expansion of e‑bike units across the state’s parks system. The fleet of Velotric Nomad e-bikes, each equipped with 750‑watt motors and with a claimed 65‑mile range, can offer a substantial 500‑lb payload capacity. They also feature 4″ wide fat tires optimized for riding on rough paths or off-road trails, making them ideal for park ranger patrols.
These e‑bikes are now being distributed to multiple locations throughout Florida, including Fort Clinch, Olustee Battlefield Historic, Rainbow Springs, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center, and Suwannee River State Park.
According to Julia Gill Woodward, CEO of the Foundation, the overwhelming success of the first wave of e‑bikes prompted swift expansion. “The Greener Initiative has done incredible things to reduce our environmental footprint,” she noted, adding that it’s “even more amazing when Greener projects align with resources that support our rangers.”
These additions bring the statewide fleet to 50 e‑bikes, funded via sales from the “Explore Our State Parks” specialty license plate. Starting in 2023, the Greener Initiative has rolled out a variety of efforts to make Florida’s parks cleaner and more efficient, including slashing emissions, cutting down on waste, lowering energy consumption, and enhancing the overall experience for visitors.
Electrek’s Take
I love this, and it’s a great example of how e-bikes are perfect for so many different patrol uses among park rangers, police officers, security companies, and other types of official fleet usage.
We’re seeing this more and more, and the reason is obvious: It works. E-bikes are a lot cheaper than alternatives like UTVs, golf carts, or “real” vehicles like cars and trucks. They require significantly less maintenance, and they’re a lot more fun too.
I just hope they mount some extra water bottle holders. I often ride in Florida, and in the summer, I can drink a gallon a day… on an electric bike!
Via: WCJB
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Lucid’s most adventurous vehicle has just arrived. The Lucid Gravity can drive 450 miles on a single charge, comfortably fits seven, and is faster than the average sports car. Lucid promises the new X concept takes the electric family hauler to a new level.
Meet the Lucid Gravity X adventure-ready EV SUV
Lucid has been hyping the new model as “a bold new concept of electric exploration,” describing it as its most adventurous vehicle to date.
At Monterey Car Week on Friday, we finally got our first look at Lucid’s stunning new Gravity X concept. Based on the Lucid Gravity Grand Touring, which features an impressive up to 450 miles of EPA-estimated range, AWD, and a 0 to 60 mph sprint in just 3.4 secs, the X is designed to take you even further.
As Lucid put it, the X “advances this exceptional foundation, exploring what it would be like to push the limits further.
The concept features a new look, lifted ride height, and added off-road elements for all on and off-road adventures. Lucid fine-tuned the front and rear ends to improve approach and departure angles. It also slapped all-terrain tires, protective skid plates, and tow hooks on it, just in case.
Like we first saw in the teaser, the X concept is equipped with an integrated crossbar with LED lights and a roof box.
Lucid says every detail on the new concept was intentional, from the Astral Drift satin paint to the topographical references to Big Spur and Death Valley on the hood.
The interior features upgrades, including premium leather seats, high-performance floor mats, and a microsuede steering wheel.
According to Lucid, the Gravity X, pronounced Gravity Cross, is “ready to go anywhere. Take on everything. And compromise nothing.”
Although it’s just a concept for now, the X gives us a glimpse into a future off-road Gravity trim. As we mentioned earlier this week, Lucid could be preparing to introduce a rugged new variant to compete with Rivian’s California Dune Edition R1S and R1T models.
What do you think of the rugged Gravity X Concept? Should Lucid bring it to life? It wouldn’t be surprising to see a new variant hit the market soon.
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This week on Electrek’s Wheel-E podcast, we discuss the most popular news stories from the world of electric bikes and other nontraditional electric vehicles. This time, that includes new e-bikes from Heybike, the Priority Skyline launch, Segway’s new 50 MPH electric scooter, a Bafang hub motor with automatic shifting, and more.
The Wheel-E podcast returns every two weeks on Electrek’s YouTube channel, Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We also have a Patreon if you want to help us to avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the Wheel-E podcast today:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 9:00 a.m. ET (or the video after 10:00 a.m. ET):
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