Craven County Wind Energy

Craven County:
Next Target?
John Droz, jr.
Physicist & Environmental Advocate
Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association
3/18/14 (rev 3/19/14)

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Craven County = Next Target?
This is a presentation given at a CCTA (Coastal Carolina Taxpayers’ Association) meeting in New Bern, NC
March 18, 2014, to 75± attendees.
This is an overview discussion about some key aspects of industrial wind energy, and what happened with a
proposed project (Mill Pond) in neighboring Carteret County. This is a complicated matter, so I have tried to
strike a balance between being too technical and too simplified. The more information about our electricity
options, see EnergyPresentation.Info.
The underlying message is that our energy decisions should be made on the basis of sound SCIENCE — not
on what special-interest lobbyists say.
Please also carefully checkout my energy website: WiseEnergy.org, which has hundreds of economic and
environmental studies regarding industrial wind energy. The “NC” menu at WiseEnergy.org is a page that has
other useful supporting information specifically about the proposed Mill Pond project.
My hope is that after Craven County legislators get more informed — and do some Critical Thinking — that
they will be in a much better position to update their current wind energy ordinance.
In my live presentation there was commentary that accompanied each slide, and that is not included here.
If there are questions about this material after you carefully go through this and the referenced links, I will be
glad to personally respond to any emails you send me: “aaprjohn@northnet.org”.
Please see References and Credits, my brief “resume,” the copyright notice, disclaimer, contact information: all
at the end of EnergyPresentation.Info. [Note that I will indicate updates on the material by a revision date
on the first slide.] If you like what you see, please pass it on to other open-minded people, plus your federal,
state, and local representatives.
— ENJOY!
john droz, jr.

Craven County
Carteret County
Proposed
Mill Pond
Project
?

In all planning regulations…
The net social good
produced from an activity,
needs to be accurately weighed against
any local liabilities

What’s The Point Of A Wind Ordinance?
“To protect the health and welfare
of our citizens, local businesses,
our environment, and the military.”

Newport Public Forum: 11/26/13

A Lot More About What
You’ll See Tonight,
is Online at:
WiseEnergy.org

This is the “NC” page of “WiseEnergy.org”

The Soundbite:
Wind Energy = High Cost, Low Benefits

What would you think if the government said:
“We think that Windy’s fast food is healthy,
so to encourage more people to eat it, we will —
1 - Give W’s a 30% cash rebate of the cost of any store, +
2 - Pay W’s an extra 50¢ for every hamburg they sell, +
3 - Allow W’s to charge an inflated price for their food, +
4 - Give W’s preferential treatment over their competitors, +
5 - Ignore environmental or health regulations W’s violates, +
6 - Mandate that all citizens buy 10% of their meals at W’s.”
— Food For Thought —

Using “back of the envelope” calculations
it works out that the Mill Pond developers
will be making a proﬁt of something like:
$50 Million a year!

Who Am I?
Brief History
Several Problems
Some Solutions
Questions & Answers

“A good speech should be like a woman's skirt:
long enough to cover the subject,
and short enough to create interest.”
— Winston Churchill

My Three Hats Here:
#1 - Physicist
#2 - Economist
#3 - Environmentalist

A NY State Environmental Success

My basic position is that —
1) we do have environmental and energy issues, and
2) these matters should be solved scientifically.

It’s Lobbyists vs Science
—and Science is Losing

“Shut up, you moron! Do as you’ve been told.
It’s for your own good!”
Wait a minute
— something
feels wrong
here!

See much more at
WiseEnergy.org
All of the Above
All of the Sensible
An intelligent, Science-based energy policy slogan:

Written by a Utility
Company CEO —
a few copies are
available today

Part 2:
a) NC Energy History
[in a Nutshell]

Senate Bill 3
Mostly Wind Energy
ALL on the Coast

Part 2:
b) Some Marketing History

The basic
objective
of any con.

How were snake oil salesmen
able to take advantage of good people?
1 - By telling them what they wanted to hear, and
2 - By counting on the fact that few people take the
time to properly check things out!

We look back and say
how could these people be so gullible?
But is it any different today?

There is
no penalty
for making
unscientific
claims.

“Houston-based company, Torch Renewable
Energy LLC, expects its proposed wind and
solar energy facility to bring lots of benefits
to both Newport and Carteret County,
without any negative impacts.”
— Carteret News Times: 11/15/13
chutz·pah noun ˈhu̇t-spə, ˈḵu̇t-, -(ˌ)spä
Shameless Audacity
Example of CHUTZPAH-------------------

The solution to almost any con is simple:
1 - don’t believe everything you
hear from sales people, and
2 - thoroughly check things out!

Part 3:
Several Problems —
a) Quick Background

Twelve Turbines in a Rural Community
© john droz, jr.

By this I mean that:
1) wind energy is not a technically sound solution to provide
us power, or to meaningfully reduce global warming, and
Wind Power Fails to Deliver the Goods
2) wind energy is not an economically viable source of energy
on its own, and
3) wind energy is not environmentally responsible.

Science is a PROCESS that Works Like This:
When a new idea is proposed as a potential solution to a problem,
it is up to the advocates to PROVE its efficacy
(not the other way around).

In the case of Wind Energy,
this has never been done!
The Process is an analysis which is:
1) comprehensive,
2) objective,
3) transparent, and
4) empirical.

TECHNICAL
(e.g. reliability,
dispatchability,
transmission,
other Grid
limitations)
ECONOMIC
(e.g. taxpayer cost,
ratepayer costs,
agricultural impact,
property values,
net jobs, etc.)
ENVIRONMENTAL
(e.g. CO2 savings,
noise, flicker,
birds & bats,
other health effects,
raw material extraction
and processing, etc.)
Sound Scientific Solutions —
a comprehensive assessment that covers
ALL important concerns:

Part 3:
b) A Teensie Technical Tidbit

No amount of wind energy
will replace a coal facility
(or reduce its use)

How many Golf Carts would it take to equal
the Capability, Performance & Cost of 1 Truck?
X ? =

There is NO SUCH THING
as wind energy by itself!

Wind Energy MUST HAVE
a fast-responding, augmenting
source of power available 24/7/365.
NO other conventional source of
electricity has this requirement!

For a variety of
technical and economic reasons,
this fast-responding, augmenting
source of power is usually GAS.

ALL statements about the
consequences of this wind project
(calculations of cost,
impact on air quality, etc.)
MUST address the
WIND + GAS Package.

“Integrating the variable
capacity of wind energy
undermines the time-
tested, science driven
technology plan
required of all utilities.
And that just isn’t right.”
Another technical issue with Wind Energy

“Families would have to get
used to only using power
when it was available,
rather than constantly.”
When National Grid’s CEO was challenged
about integrating wind energy, he said:
An even more
disturbing assessment
from a
utility executive.

The developer & wind supporters’ omission
of these (and other) technical realities
is a serious misrepresentation.

Part 3:
c)Eying Environmental Effects

Some citizens say that they support
similar wind projects because they are “Green.”

Is Wind Energy Really Green?
Let’s take a quick look at
just one part of a modern turbine...

Many Wind
Turbines use
2000± Pounds
of Rare Earth
Elements
per rated MW.
So what?

The processing of
Rare Earth Elements
involves dozens of steps,
of caustic chemical baths,
or blast furnace separations.
Each of these results
in a waste stream
of severely polluted
air, water, and residue.

The processing of the
Rare Earth Elements,
for just one 100 MW wind project...
1) destroys 20,000± square meters of vegetation,
2) generates 6,000,000± cubic meters of highly toxic air pollution,
4) produces 600,000,000± pounds of contaminated tailing sands, &
5) results in 280,000± pounds of radioactive waste.
3) poisons 29,000,000± gallons of wastewater,

Yes, that’s right:
processing the REEs
used by just one 100 MW wind project’s turbines
results in 280,000± pounds of radioactive waste!

A 100 MW wind project will also
create an enormous amount of CO2...
64,000,000± pounds: from the turbines manufacture,
12,000,000± pounds: from the concrete bases,
80,000,000± pounds of CO2: TOTAL.
4,000,000± pounds: from misc assembly and delivery.

There are other
adverse environmental
consequences as well...

Eagle Rule Weakens Current Protections and Sanctions Eagle Deaths

Will clear-cutting 100+ acres of forest, benefit wildlife?

This is the type of clear-cutting that can be expected.

How will turbine fires impact the surrounding forest?

Health Effects of Low Frequency Noise Can Cause Death

So, is Wind Energy
Really Green?
An objective look
says NO!

After carefully looking into this,
reconsider the following marketing claims:
1 - Is Wind Energy really “renewable”?
2 - Is Wind Energy really “sustainable”?
3 - Does Wind Energy really give us energy
“independence”?
The inescapable answer is NO!

“The current rush for large scale wind developments, connected by a
hugely centralized grid system shows a poverty of imagination and
thinking rooted in the early 20th Century. If attention continues to be
focused on increasing renewable energy targets, without any
requirement to demonstrate what each development will achieve in
greenhouse gas emissions reductions (including all aspects of the
generation and transmission), we face a worst case scenario, where
we achieve renewable energy targets through inappropriate
developments and at great cost to important environments — only to
discover that our greenhouse gas emissions are up, along with our
energy consumption, and our energy supply is not secure.”
As time goes on, more true environmentalists are speaking out —
— The John Muir Trust

Part 3:
d) Economics Explained

E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G
about the economics here
is problematic!

Does wind energy provide economical electricity ?
NO, not compared to conventional sources.
Look at the real economics from three perspectives —
a) Total Costs = higher than conventional sources.
b) Ratepayer Costs = higher than conventional sources.
c) Taxpayer Subsidies = higher than all conventional sources,
combined!

“In the simplest of terms,
special interest groups
and wind developers are
asking you to pay more
for a less reliable product.
And that just isn’t right.”
Some utilities are now starting to speak out.
Here is a statewide ad run by Idaho Power:

“It doesn’t matter how clean it is,
if it’s not affordable or reliable.”
President & COO of Duke’s US Electric business, says:

But what about local economics?

What are the NET jobs and economic benefits to NC?
Answer: There will be job and economic losses.
(See next slides!)

Here is a comprehensive study about how wind development affects Tourism...

Here are the study’s conclusions about how wind development affects Tourism...

Here are the latest Craven County Tourism Jobs data...
1040 jobs x 4%
= 42± jobs lost /year
Over the 20± year life
of the wind project:
= 840 job years lost
(just related to tourism,
in Craven County)

Some Craven County Annual Job Impacts Due To a Wind Project
This does NOT include additional job losses due to:
— the higher cost of electricity,
— military impacts due to mission disruptions, etc.

Here are the latest Craven County Tourism Income data...
$119 million x 4% =
$5± million lost / year.
Over the 20± year life
of the wind project:
= $100± million lost
(just related to tourism,
in Craven County)

Here is a government study about one financial impact from wind development...

Here are their conclusions of the crop loss due to killed bats in Craven County...

The bat costs do
not take into
account other
consequences of
losing bats —
like more human
health problems
due to an increase
of mosquitoes...

Some Craven County Annual Economic Wind Project Impacts
This does NOT include additional financial losses due to:
— Tax reductions from nearby property devaluations,
— Health effects from turbines,
— Health effects from insect proliferation,
— Higher cost of electricity, etc.
= a $154± million
loss over the
20 yr project life!

Craven County Wind Project Impact
Net Annual Job Loss = 35±
Net Annual Economic Loss = $8± Million

Part 3:
e) Military Interference

NC Energy Policy
and the
NC MILITARY:
on a
Collision
Course

Military/Civilian Issue #1:
Physical Obstructions
=Less Reliable Aircraft Operation

Aircraft Radar Interference
=Less Reliable Aircraft Control

There are two different Radar uses:
1 - Aircraft Control
2 - Nexrad Weather

NOAA Defined Radar Affected Areas:
“Significant Impacts Likely”
<-------- 11+ miles -------->
Radar
Mill Pond

7” = 10 miles = 16.1 km
3 km = 1.3”
•Red: No-Build Zone (3 km) = Severe impacts likely.
•Everything else on this map = Significant Impacts Likely.
Cherry Point Turbine Radar Impact Map
Cherry Point
Airfield
Mill Pond
Project
Beaufort
Airfield
5 km
3.1 m

Turbine ATC Radar Interference Causes a Flight Safety Issue
The Radio Frequency reflection off of wind turbine blades can
produce echos just like that of aircraft, causing the following:
a. False targets (showing aircraft where there are none).
b. False locations (showing an aircraft in the wrong place).
c. No targets (not showing an aircraft when one exists).
Each of these can be a life-threatening event.

“A wind facility will create areas where we can not
reliably observe or control military/civilian air traffic.”

Weather Radar Interference
=Less Reliable Aircraft Operation

Based on their investigation and experience, NOAA has identified the following:
• False storm identification due to reflection from turbines,
• Potential loss of low-level tornado/severe weather signatures because of blockage from turbines,
• False mesocyclone and tornado vortex detection due to anomalous velocity values,
• Incorrect velocity values due to contamination by turbine blade motion,
• Incorrect VAD wind profiles & velocity de-aliasing errors,
• False echoes downrange from wind farms due to multi-path effects,
• Anomalously large reflectivity values due to reflection from turbines,
• False or anomalously large radar-estimated precipitation amounts (esp Storm Total Precipitation) due
to reflection from turbines, and
• False low radar-estimated precipitation amounts due to radar beam blockage.
What Are Some Significant Weather Radar Impacts?

The introduction of
32 C.F.R. Part 211:
The most recent DoD
document on this:

A revealing hearing
about this matter:

Some Facts about NC Military & Wind Energy
1 - The DC DoD Clearinghouse has assumed all
authority for approving wind installations.
2 - Because of this political directive, ALL NC
military personnel have been commanded to
stand down regarding any NC wind projects.
3 - Internal figures we have seen are that DoD
has been submitted 1000’s of applications,
and zero have been rejected.

The only basis for DoD to reject a wind project:
A high and unfixable national security risk
These are not allowable reasons for DoD to
reject a wind project (see 32 C.F.R. Part 211):
Decrease in aircraft safety
Increase in risk to lives of military personnel
Lowering of CP’s operational readiness
Reduction of CP’s mission fulfillment
Tens of millions of $ needed to mitigate
That CP might be closed or transferred
Any other reason...

Possible Wind Project Military “Mitigations”
1 - The developer makes a superficial change
(e.g. moving some turbines a short distance),
2 - The developer makes a small financial donation
(e.g. $1 M towards a $50 M taxpayer expenditure),
3 - Cherry Point accepts a diluted mission,
4 - Cherry Point offloads some of its mission
to other facilities, or
5 - Cherry Point closes, or moves to another location.

Does H484 Assure Military Protections?
NO!
1 - It evokes the DoD Clearinghouse process.
2 - It depends on active military speaking out.
3 - It relies too much on the developer.
4 - It does not include other meaningful protections.
5 - It sets an unnecessarily high bar to be met.
6 - Ultimately it’s all left in the hands of DENR.

Our Best Solution
to Protect NC Military Bases
Combining retired military, with proper environmental rules and
health standards will provide the optimum defense of NC bases.

Part 3:
f) A Visual Perspective

Crystal Coast Plaza
Highway 70

So a More Objective Assessment
of Industrial Wind Energy Concludes that:
Technically — it’s a net loser
Environmentally — it’s a net loser
Economically — it’s a net loser
Employment — it’s a net loser
Militarily — it’s a net loser

How Can It Be Proper Siting When:
Some nearby families will have heath effects?
Proximate homes will lose value?
Eagles and raptors will be killed?
Many bats will die, resulting in multiple losses?
Hundreds of acres of trees will be cut down?
Local employment will decrease by 100±/year?
There will be a $10M+ annual economic loss?
Our weather forecast quality will be reduced?
Aircraft will be at a greater risk for collision?
Cherry Point will be a higher risk BRAC casualty?

The Objective is to Provide
Meaningful PROTECTIONS for:
Citizens,
Local Businesses,
the Environment,
and the Military.

Protections for the health and safety of local families.
Protections for residents near any proposed wind project,
to be allowed the quiet enjoyment use of their property.
Protections for the home values of hard-working citizens.
Protections for existing Craven County businesses.
Protections for Craven taxpayers and ratepayers.
Protections for the birds, bats and wildlife in your community.
Protections for your natural resources. And,
Protections for our military brethren, who put their life on the line
to defend the very rights that are endangered here.
What Are these Protections?

What’s the Most Effective Way
to Provide Such Protections?
1 - Property Value Guarantee
2 - Adequate Setbacks
3 - Proper Acoustical Limit
4 - Environmental Assurances
5 - Decommissioning Rules
------------------------------------------------------------
An Escrow Account is also recommended

Citizen/Environment/Military Protection Rating
* In each of these cases the County or Town law is given credit for what is specified
in the state law, which is underlying.
The scale for each item is that a 10 equals optimum protections.
An Optimum Law would have a rating of 100% (with a Total score of 70).

Citizen/Environment/Military Protections
* In each of these cases the County or Town law is given credit for what is specified
in the state law, which is underlying.

1 - The objective of a Tall Structure Ordinance is NOT to
exclude industrial wind energy — rather it is to provide
quality protections for local citizens, local businesses,
the environment, and the military.
2 - Industrial wind energy has no legal entitlement to make
a profit at the expense of harming our citizens, our
economy, our environment, or our military.
3 - If an industrial wind energy business can not operate in
your community without consequentially harming your
citizens, your economy, your environment, or our military
— then they should not be given a permit to operate!
The Big Picture

1 - Improve the Craven County wind law.
2 - Fix SB3 & H484 in the next NC legislative session.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 - Persuade DENR to abide by their Mission Statement.
4 - Improve the DoD Wind Energy Clearinghouse process.
5 - Contact NCUC, asking that they follow their statutory
requirements in reviewing any wind project.
6 - Contact the NCUC Public Staff to aggressively do their job
as consumer advocates before the NCUC.
Plan of Action

for Giving This Matter
Some Critical Thought!
THANK YOU

I’ll Try To Answer
Any Questions You Have
— or email me:
aaprjohn@northnet.org

Craven County Wind Energy

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