Fermeuse Wind Power Project: Frequently Asked Questions

>> INTRODUCTION TO WIND POWER

>> INTRODUCTION TO WIND TURBINES

>> HEALTH AND SAFETY CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH WIND FARMS

>> NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CONCERNS OF WIND FARMS

>> THE FERMEUSE WIND POWER PROJECT

• What is a wind farm?

Wind farms bring together groups of wind turbines to produce enough electricity to power thousands of homes. The world's largest wind farm, located in Texas, consists of 421 turbines producing 735 Megawatts (MW) of electricity, which is enough energy to power approximately 205,800 homes. 

• Are there wind farms in Canada?

There about 85 wind farms in operation in Canada, and many more now under development.  Wind farms in Canada have a capacity of 2,246 MW – enough to power 671,000 homes or equivalent to about 1 percent of Canada’s total electricity demand.

• Does wind energy produce jobs?

Wind energy projects create jobs in project development, manufacturing, construction, operations and maintenance. As of 2006, there were more than 100,000 people employed in the wind energy industry in Denmark, Germany and Spain. Currently in Canada, the construction phase of a wind farm development carries the most employment opportunities. There are also permanent jobs created in the operation and maintenance of wind farms.

• Is wind power reliable?

Yes.  The wind turbines that you see today are the result of decades of research and development. Thanks to these efforts, modern turbines are highly efficient. The science of wind turbine placement has advanced a great deal. The output of a wind farm can be predicted accurately well before a shovel hits the ground.

• Is wind energy expensive?

Wind energy is globally considered a source of clean and renewable energy that can now compete in cost with many conventional sources, such as natural gas and hydropower.  Wind energy related costs are expected to decline while the costs of other technologies (e.g., coal / gas) are expected to increase.

• Are wind turbines visually unpleasant?

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Studies regularly show that most people find turbines visually appealing and interesting. On average, 80 percent of the public supports wind energy, less than 10 percent are against it, and the remainder is undecided. Surveys conducted near existing wind farms have consistently found that most people are in favour of wind energy.

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• What is the output of the wind turbines (how much energy do they generate)? How many households can they service?

1 MW of wind energy is sufficient to service approximately 280 homes. The most common size of wind turbine is 1.5 MW, which provides sufficient energy to service approximately 420 homes.

• How tall are wind turbines?

Wind turbines typically have a hub height of 80 m and each blade is approximately 40 m length.

• What is used to make wind turbine foundations?

Turbine foundations are made from steel reinforced concrete.

• What is used to make wind turbine towers?

Turbine towers are made from steel.

• What is used to make wind turbine blades?

Wind turbine blades are made from fiberglass with ground wires to serve as lightning protection.

• What happens to the wind park when it is out of operation?

Wind turbines are removed from the ground.  The land is rehabilitated and brought back to its previous condition.  Where possible, all wind turbine materials are reused or recycled.

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• What is the significance of shadow flicker around wind farms?

Shadow flicker is commonly understood to be a rare effect of the sun shining on the blades of a wind turbine causing a shadow that may be cast at certain times of the day in certain seasons. In developing its wind farms, SkyPower studies the impact of any potential shadow flicker as part of its environmental assessment.

In terms of shadow flicker, analysis undertaken on similar sites in Ontario and elsewhere have shown that shadow flicker at dwellings can occur, but for a very small percentage of the time (in the order of 0,5 percent of daytime hours). Additionally, no dwelling is less than 500 m from a turbine, thereby reducing the shadow intensity at the point of reception. It is important to note that the distinctiveness of the shadow is greatly blurred with distance: the farther the turbine is from the receptor, the more out of focus the shadow flicker becomes. Additionally, for shadow flicker to occur the rotor has to be perpendicular to the "sun-receptor line of sight" and there has to be a clear line of sight between the turbine and the receptor (i.e. no obstruction from other houses, structures, forested patches, etc.).

• Is it true that low frequency sound causes health problems?

Peer-reviewed studies indicate that sound levels produced by turbines are similar to ambient levels in the natural environment.  Sound levels produced by turbines are below levels known to have an impact on human health.

At this time, there is little scientific basis to support allegations of negative impacts on human health or the environment.

• Do people living near a turbine get sick because of the vibrations?

The levels of vibration from wind turbines are so small that only the most sophisticated instrumentation and data processing can reveal their presence.

• Are wind turbines noisy?

The Ontario Ministry of Environment has strict noise standards and these standards are applicable to wind turbines.  Noise modeling undertaken for wind farms has shown that some noise will occur from the turbines.  Most of this is aerodynamic noise from the blades rather than from the mechanical equipment.  During high winds, when the turbines will generate the greatest noise, the background noise is high due to the sound of the wind in the area.  The high winds are anticipated during winter months when residents are indoors with the windows and doors closed due to the cold weather.

With new technology, wind turbines are much quieter than they were twenty years ago.  The rotation of the blades was changed to significantly reduce the whooshing sound, and better insulation is used on the mechanical components.

• How often do wind turbines collapse or catch on fire?

Fires in wind turbines or wind turbine collapses are extremely rare.  Indeed, there is virtually no record of fires or collapses in wind turbines.  In the extremely unlikely event that a fire or collapse occurs, SkyPower’s priority is community safety and not the welfare of our equipment.

• What happens if a turbine blade breaks?

Historically, there have been very few problems with wind turbine blade breakage.  Prior to breakage of the blade it is likely that a crack would form.  Monitoring equipment inside wind turbines alert maintenance professionals of cracks and once cracks are identified, the wind turbine is shut down to prevent breakage.   The blades weigh approximately 3 tonnes and, in the unlikely event of a breakage during operation, a broken blade would not travel a far distance but would fall to the ground due to gravity.  With a 250m setback distance, it is very unlikely that they would reach a residence.

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• Is it true that wind farms kill birds and bats?

Wind turbines can potentially have impacts on birds and bats through collisions and habitat disruption. The impact is much less than that of buildings, house cats or the climatic changes that are impacting many bird habitats.

A study reviewing the impact of wind farms on birds in the U.S. found that generally only two birds per turbine per year ever die in collisions with wind turbines.  This is far less than the millions of deaths per year associated with birds crashing into buildings and windows or colliding with other objects.

Construction activities of wind farms are conducted outside of migration seasons, so there is little to no impact on birds and bats expected at that time. During operations of similar wind projects, birds have been shown to adapt to the presence of turbines.

Similarly, bat studies are conducted for wind farms to ensure that there is minimal impact of wind turbines on bat populations.

• Do the wind turbines contaminate the soil?

All fluids used for SkyPower wind farms are non-PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl) type, and PCB contamination will not be a concern.  During construction of wind farms, any spill of hydrocarbons or other fluids that may occur will be contained with appropriate spill cleanup materials (stored on-site).  Spill cleanup materials and any contaminated soil are removed to a suitable disposal facility.

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• When will the windmills start operation?

The Fermeuse Wind Power Project began operating in June 2009.

• How much power will it generate?

The Fermeuse Wind Power Project will generate 27 megawatts, which will service over 7,500 homes.

• Will the power produced from the Project be sold to the Newfoundland Power/Newfoundland Hydro grid?

Yes, the power produced from Fermeuse Wind Power Project will be sold to Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.

• Why Fermeuse?

Fermeuse was selected for many reasons. Newfoundland has a strong wind resource, among the best places in the world. With many suitable wind generation locations, the area easily provides a substantial proportion of wind demand. Further, demand for electrical power in Newfoundland is expected to grow at a rate of about one percent annually. In addition, the community of Fermeuse has been extremely supportive of the project. From inception to the almost near completion, council and the whole community in general has accepted the project with open arms.

• Were there any unique problems during construction?

Very few problems occurred during the construction of the Fermeuse Wind Power Project. Some construction activities were delayed occasionally as a result of the wet, rainy summer of 2008; however, these occurrences are expected and considered prior to construction.

• How high are they?

The blades are 45 m in length and the diameter (or swept area) is 90 m. The height of the tower is 80 m and the total height of the wind turbine generator is approximately 125m.

• How much maintenance is involved with the farm?

A variety of skill sets are required to ensure the effective operation of a wind farm. The activities that have to be performed on a regular basis throughout the project’s life include monitoring and analyzing performance, conducting environmental surveys and performing preventive maintenance and repairs on the turbines and other components of the facility.

• How many people will it employ?

As of December 2008, approximately 50 people were employed with 80 per cent of the hires coming from the local area.

 

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