Planning A Small Scale Wind Electric System In East Central Iowa
- Conference
- Location
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Honolulu, Hawaii
- Publication Date
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June 24, 2007
- Start Date
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June 24, 2007
- End Date
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June 27, 2007
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Energy Conversion and Conservation
- Page Count
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13
- Page Numbers
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12.1157.1 - 12.1157.13
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--2202
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/2202
- Download Count
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353
Paper Authors
Michael E. Hay University of Northern Iowa
Michael Hay completed his masters degree in Industrial Technology at the University of Northern Iowa. Mr. Hay holds a BT in Industrial Technology/Mechanical Design from the University of Northern Iowa and an MA in Industrial Technology from the University of Northern Iowa. Mr. Hay has over 25 years of experience in various Engineering positions and is listed on six US patents. His graduate research was in planning small-scale wind-electric systems. He has worked on several other renewable energy and electric vehicle projects as well.
Recayi 'Reg' Pecen
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
Planning a Small-Scale Wind-Electric System in East-Central Iowa
Abstract
The success of a wind-electric generating system depends on several factors. These would include: the available sites, choice of a site from those possibilities, well defined goals, efforts to make it work, adequate planning, matching the right equipment to each other and to the site and its’ own unique characteristics, and an execution plan. A project concerning a small-scale wind- electric system is no different in those respects. This paper describes detailed steps taken in determining if a given site is appropriate for further development and the subsequent planning of a small-scale wind-electric system in East-Central Iowa. The wind is characterized and quantified. Equipment is described, but not analyzed. Electrical demand for the site is evaluated. The wind, the equipment and the demand are considered together to create a rough plan for a system that will satisfy a significant proportion of the sites’ total demand. From these pieces, the proportion of each month’s demand is estimated. This work constitutes a feasible case study for wind energy resource management in four-year institutions.
I. Introduction
57% of the electricity in the United States is generated by pulverized based coal-fired power plants. In the generation of one-kilowatt hour of electricity by burning coal, 1000 grams of CO2, 7 grams of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulates, more than 200 grams of ash and waste and trace amounts of several different metals are released. In 1996 CO2 levels were around 354,000 parts per billion (ppb), contrasted to 290,000 ppb 100 years ago. The generation of electricity by fossil fuels is not, of course, the only cause of record levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but it does represent a large share.
Generating electricity from the wind could replace coal for a much larger portion than is currently being realized. Unlike coal or nuclear sources, wind power can be generated at many different scales of size. In the case of small-scale generation – it can be produced near to its’ point of use, thus reducing transmission line losses.
The success of a wind-electric generating system depends on several factors. These would include: the available sites, choice of a site from those possibilities, well defined goals, efforts to make it work, adequate planning, matching the right equipment to each other and to the site and its’ own unique characteristics, and execution of the plan. A project concerning a small-scale wind-electric system is no different in those respects. This paper describes detailed steps taken in determining if a given site is appropriate for further development and the subsequent planning of a small-scale wind-electric system in East-Central Iowa.
The wind is characterized and quantified. Equipment is described, but not analyzed. Electrical demand for the site is evaluated. The wind, the equipment and the demand are considered together to create a rough plan for a system that will satisfy a significant proportion of the sites’ total demand. From these pieces, the proportion of each months demand can be estimated.
Hay, M. E., & Pecen, R. R. (2007, June), Planning A Small Scale Wind Electric System In East Central Iowa Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2202
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