2. Energy Future
Increasing energy demand and supply
dependencies
Critical environmental concerns due to
unsustainable use of fossil fuels
Imperative to adopt clean and renewable
energy
U.S. Dept. of Energy : 20%Wind Energy by
2030 scenario
3. Goals
Identify potential on-shore locations for wind
farm sites inVirginia
Use GIS for the site selection process
Create a series of maps to visualize the
analysis outcome and recommend sites (if
any) meeting selection criteria
6. Methodology
Wind resource potential at 50 meters
Wind power class: 1 (poor) – 7 (superb)
Constraints – land use, population centers
All land with wind energy resource may not be
suitable for wind farm development
Issues in populated areas - safety, public
opposition, insufficient land
Factors – transportation access,
transmission lines
Roads for construction, operations, and
maintenance
Leverage existing energy infrastructure
7. Data Layers
Data Source
Wind Resource Potential National Renewable Energy Laboratory &
TrueWind (shapefile generated from original
raster data with 200m resolution; 2003)
Conservation Lands (NPS, AT, USFS,
USFWS, VA-DCR, VA-DOF, VA-DGIF,
Local, Private,The Nature Conservancy)
Military Lands (Dept. of Defense)
Virginia Department of Conservation and
Recreation (2008)
Appalachian Trail Conservancy (2002)
Population ESRI, Census Bureau (multiple sources; 2004),
Appalachian Trail (2002-03)
Roads Bureau ofTransportation Statistics (2008)
Transmission Lines gecomm.com,VirginiaTech Dept. of Mines,
Minerals, and Energy
All data used in the project is publicly available and free.
8. Data Preparation
Convert layers to GCS - NorthAmerican Datum 1983; PCS - UTM
Zone 17N
Clip wind resource layer toVirginia
Set up conservation lands, 10-mile AT buffer, and military areas
Calculate 2003 population density (per sq. mile)
Set up major roads – interstates, major roads, and other
important arteries
Transmission lines – digitize high capacity transmission lines
fromGeocomm.com shapefile and schematic fromVirginia
Energy Patterns andTrends
Import, manage, and analyze data in a personal geo-database,
after preliminary processing of shapefiles
Create metadata for new or modified layers (e.g., transmission
lines) (overall, good metadata available with all other layers)
9. Site Selection Process
Wind power classes 3-7 suitable for utility wind
(exclude areas with wind class 1-2)
Exclude conservation lands
Exclude counties with population density > 500
Select areas within 5 miles of roads
Select areas within 10 miles of transmission
lines.
10. Virginia Wind Resource Potential
Roanoke
Norfolk
Fairfax
Danville
Richmond
Manassas
Lynchburg
Arlington
Winchester
Harrisonburg
Virginia Beach
Christiansburg
Charlottesville
76°W
76°W
77°W
77°W
78°W
78°W
79°W
79°W
80°W
80°W
81°W
81°W
82°W
82°W
83°W
83°W
39°N
39°N
38°N
38°N
37°N
37°N
50 meters Wind Resource Map
:0 40 80 12020
Miles
Wind Power Classification
0 - 200
200 - 300
300 - 400
400 - 500
500 - 600
600 - 800
> 600
Wind Power
Density at 50m
W/m2
Poor
Marginal
Fair
Good
Excellent
Outstanding
Superb
Resource
Potential
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Wind
Power
Class
Source: National Renewable
Energy Laboratory
Author: Nimish Sheth, 2009
11. 76°W
76°W
77°W
77°W
78°W
78°W
79°W
79°W
80°W
80°W
81°W
81°W
82°W
82°W
83°W
83°W
39°N
39°N
38°N
38°N
37°N
37°N
Conservation and Military Lands
:0 40 80 12020
Miles
Wind Power Class 3-7
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
VA Dept. of Game &
Inland Fisheries
Dept. of Defense
Local
The Nature Conservancy
Private
10 mile buffer
Appalachian Trail
National Park Service
U.S. Forest Service
VA Dept. of Forestry
VA Dept. of Conservation
& Recreation
Land Use Constraints
Source:Virginia Department of
Conservation & Recreation,
AppalachianTrailConservancy
Author: Nimish Sheth, 2009
12. Away from Population Centers
Roanoke
Norfolk
Fairfax
Danville
Richmond
Manassas
Lynchburg
Arlington
Winchester
Harrisonburg
Virginia Beach
Christiansburg
Charlottesville
76°0'0"W
76°0'0"W
77°0'0"W
77°0'0"W
78°0'0"W
78°0'0"W
79°0'0"W
79°0'0"W
80°0'0"W
80°0'0"W
81°0'0"W
81°0'0"W
82°0'0"W
82°0'0"W
83°0'0"W
83°0'0"W
39°0'0"N
39°0'0"N
38°0'0"N
38°0'0"N
37°0'0"N
37°0'0"N
Population Density (2003 population per square mile by county)
:0 40 80 12020
Miles
Wind Power Class 3 - 7
Population Density
(per sq. mile)
500 and less
501 - 1,000
1,001 - 2,000
2,001 - 4,000
4,001 and greater
Population
(major cities)
! 25,001 - 50,000
! 50,001 - 100,000
! 100,001 - 250,000
! 250,001 and greater
!
25,000 and less
Source: ESRI, U.S.Census Bureau,
AppalachianTrailConservancy
Author: Nimish Sheth, 2009
