Wind power impacts presentation by University of Rhode Island researchers Teresa Crean and Dr. Gopu Potty. For more information on the project, visit: http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/resp/

1. Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership
(RESP)
Stakeholder Meeting #5
Thursday, January 12, 2012
6:00 – 9:00 PM
URI Coastal Institute, Bay Campus, Hazards Room
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

2. Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership
(RESP)
Rhode Islanders will have access to relevant
information so they may make informed, fact‐
based decisions about renewable energy
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

3. Land‐Based Wind Energy
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

4. Solar & Hydropower Energy
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

5. RESP Outcomes
Research characterizing Rhode Island’s land‐based
renewable energy resources and evaluating its potential
effects on communities and the environment
Mapping products and siting decision support tools
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
A public dialogue fostering and engaging a well‐informed &
well‐represented constituency
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

6. Project Phases
PHASE I: Issue Identification and Assessment (September – November 2011)
GOAL: Meet with stakeholders to identify issues of concern regarding the siting
and management of land‐based renewable energy. Identify existing research and
data. Understand past renewable energy efforts.
PHASE II: Information Synthesis and Communication (December 2011 – January 2012)
GOAL: Provide technical responses to the issues of concern identified by the
stakeholders during Phase I. Communicate to stakeholders the findings and
opportunities for continued engagement.
PHASE III: Develop Final Products (February – March 2012)
GOAL: Complete research products and develop specific siting and management
guidelines for land‐based renewable energy.
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

7. Visual Impacts
Subjective Issue
How do we quantify aesthetic/visual impacts and
establish evaluation criteria?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

8. Turbine at Portsmouth Abbey, porsmouthabbey.org.
Turbine at Fishermen’s Mem’l State Park.
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

9. Visual Impacts
http://www.vermonterswithvision.org/sizecomparison.html
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

10. Clean Energy States Alliance, 2011
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

11. Visual Impacts
1. Size of turbine
2. Topography
3. Movement of the rotor/blades
4. Color of turbine components
5. Lighting
6. Signage
7. Weather conditions (cloudy vs. blue sky)
8. Seasons – trees with/without foliage
9. Proximity to valued cultural/historic
landscapes and scenic areas
Portsmouth High School, RI
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

12. Wind turbine in dark clouds, South Dakota. Turbine at Fishermen’s Mem’l State Park.
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

13. Visual Impacts
Art installation in Hanover, Germany.
Lit turbine and turbine construction in Illinois, 2008.
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

14. Visual Impacts
Cultural, Historic, and Archaeological
Section 106 of National Historic Preservation Act
If project uses federal funds or requires federal
approval or permitting, SHPO must be consulted.
Define “APE” – Area of Potential Effect
Collect data on historical/culturally significant
properties within catchment area.
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

15. Portsmouth High School Turbine & Fort Butts
WATER
TOWER
WIND
TURBINE
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

16. Visual Impacts
How can municipalities apply a
logical process to determining
the aesthetic/scenic/visual
impacts of wind power
projects?
• What are the responsibilities of the
developer?
• What are the responsibilities of the
City/Town?
• How should the public be engaged?
• What are the options to consider?
• Avoid
• Minimize
• Mitigate
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

17. Visual Impacts
“A Visual Impact Process for
Wind Energy Projects, 2011”
PROCESS:
Graphic Information:
• Project Map
• Viewshed Mapping
• Public Natural & Cultural Resources
• Viewpoints
• Document Character of Area
(photos)
• Photo Simulations of Project
Key Questions:
• What are project’s visual impacts?
• Will project have unreasonable or
undue visual impacts?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

18. Visual Impacts
New York State Wind Energy Toolkit, 2009
QUESTIONS:
• To what extent is the turbine visible?
• When is the turbine visible (season, time of
day)?
• Who sees the turbine and under what
circumstances (season, light conditions, during
which activities)?
• To what extent does the visibility of the
project alter the character and quality of the
viewshed?
• What is the relationship of visual impacts to
the policies/values in the community?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

19. Visual Impacts
New York State Wind Energy Toolkit, 2009
Visual Impact Analysis
Responsibilities of the Developer:
• Inventory scenic & aesthetic resources at state & local
level
• Prepare viewshed map
• Describe usage & aesthetic values within project area
• Reveal & characterize visual & aesthetic impacts of
project
• Employ mitigation strategies to minimize adverse
impacts
Responsibilities of the Town:
• Verify that project sponsor has inventoried significant
aesthetic resources, including from other jurisdictions
• Certify that impacts have been minimized
• Require project sponsors comply with mitigation
strategies
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

20. Visual Impacts
New York State Wind Energy Toolkit, 2009
Visual Impact Analysis (con’t)
Tools to describe and characterize visual
impacts:
• Viewshed map
• Visual simulations
• Line‐of‐sight profile
Mitigation Strategies:
• Downsizing
• Relocation
• Lighting
• Non‐specular materials
• Screening
• Camouflage
• Decommissioning
• Offsets
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

21. Visual Impacts
Visualization Models:
Computer‐based &
photo simulations
• Representativeness
• Accuracy
• Visual Clarity
• Interest
• Legitimacy
AWEA Siting Handbook, 2008
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

22. Visual Impacts
Clean Energy States Alliance, 2011
Truescape Visual Reality
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

23. Visual Impacts
1. What is ‘visual impact’?
2. How are visual impacts assessed?
3. Responses to wind turbines in the
landscape?
4. What are concerns in RI related to
visual impact?
5. How have other states/countries
evaluated visual impacts of WTGs?
6. How can visual impacts be avoided
or mitigated?
7. Post installation, do impacts
change?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

24. Visual Impacts
1. Attempt to quantify a
qualitative issue
2. Establish criteria for
assessment & accurately
predict impacts
3. Articulate clear expectations
& a process that the
developers, town officials,
and citizens can understand
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

25. Visual Impacts
Shadow Flicker
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

26. Discussion: Property Value Impacts
Process for evaluating impacts:
• Define the impact area
• Property sales data
• Statistical analysis to determine whether
wind project has influenced prices at which
properties have been sold
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

27. Discussion: Property Value Impacts
ISSUES:
• Property values fluctuate due to variety of factors, including local,
regional & national economic factors
• Can be considered subjective based on opinions of buyers and
sellers
• Consider potential tax revenue from wind energy projects to offset
local tax burdens, which may make a community more desirable.
• Research thus far has shown little measurable impact.
• Land transaction data – how many years of data is reasonable for
assessing impacts?
• What are realtors saying?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

28. Property Value Impacts
“The Effect of Wind Development on
Local Property Values”, Renewable
Energy Policy Project, 2003
• 10 case studies, wind farms
>10MW,
• Property value data from
projects that came online
between 1998‐2001
• Conclusion: “…there is no
support for the claim that wind
development will harm property
values.”
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

29. Property Value Impacts
“The Impact of Wind Power Projects on
Residential Property Values in the United
States: A Multi‐Site Hedonic Analysis”, Hoen et
al, December 2009
• Reviewed available literature, 1996‐2009
• Concerns of possible impact of wind
projects on property values are reasonably
well established
• BUT, identified 7 shortcomings of existing
attempts to quantify impacts of wind
projects on residential property values
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

30. Property Value Impacts
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

31. Property Value Impacts
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

32. Property Value Impacts
“Wind Turbine Impact Study” Appraisal Group One, September 2009
• Study sponsor – Calumet County Citizens for Responsible Energy,
Wisconsin
• Literature study
• Realtor Opinion Survey
• Sales studies – compared vacant residential lot sales within the wind
turbine farm area to comparable sales located outside of the turbine
influence
“Field Guide to Wind Farms and their Effect on Property Values”, National
Association of Realtors, updated April 2011
• Summarizes current state of the wind industry
• Real estate‐related research and its critics
• Wind maps & regulations – where future projects are being considered
• Resources, both critical & supportive
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

33. Property Value Impacts
How should Rhode Island municipalities
assess property value impacts when
evaluating wind projects?
What mitigation measures would be
acceptable for projects where property
values are impacted?
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

34. RESP Online Resources
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

35. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
Siting decision support tools
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Informational resources for citizens, businesses, decision‐
makers, communities, advocates…
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

36. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

37. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
• Layers
• Basemap
• Graphs
• Tools
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

38. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
Siting decision support tools
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Informational resources for citizens, businesses, decision‐
makers, communities, advocates…
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

39. RESP Online Resources
Siting decision support tools
• Resource availability
• Acoustics, shadow flicker, EMF
• Economics
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

40. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
Siting decision support tools
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Informational resources for citizens, businesses, decision‐
makers, communities, advocates…
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

41. RESP Online Resources
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

42. RESP Online Resources
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

43. RESP Online Resources
Interactive map viewer
Siting decision support tools
A comprehensive online clearinghouse for Rhode Island
energy data and analytics
Informational resources for citizens, businesses, decision‐
makers, communities, advocates…
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

44. RESP Online Resources
Informational resources for citizens, businesses, decision‐
makers, communities, advocates…
• Programs
• Policies
• Players
• Papers
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

45. Next Steps
• Stakeholder Meeting #6 – February 2, 2012
• Proposed Topics:
• Energy Data & Analytics
• Energy Data Visualization
• Online Resources
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

46. Next Steps
Library Lectures:
• Tuesday, January 24, 2012 What's in the Wind? Meteorological
Observations for Energy Siting
• Monday, February 6, 2012 Mapping Renewable Energy in Rhode
Island
• Wednesday, February 15, 2012 Science for Siting: Engineering for
Locating Wind Turbines
• Thursday, March 8, 2012 Wind Power and Wildlife: Assessing
Potential Impacts on Birds and Bats
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership

47. Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership
(RESP)
Stakeholder Meeting #5
Thursday, January 12, 2012
6:00 – 9:00 PM
URI Coastal Institute, Bay Campus, Hazards Room
Rhode Island
Renewable Energy Siting Partnership