Wind power in New York
Encyclopedia
Wind power in New York includes facilities at Maple Ridge Wind Farm
, the largest wind farm
in the state of New York
, with 195 Vestas
model V82 1.65 megawatt (MW) wind turbines. Collectively, the turbines have a rated or nameplate capacity
of 320 MW. Maple Ridge Wind Farm became fully operational in January 2006.
Three other large wind farms — the Altona, Chateaugay and Wethersfield Wind Parks — were completed in Upstate New York
in February 2009. The projects have an installed capacity of 97.5, 106.5, and 124 MW respectively. All three use General Electric
1.5SLE wind turbine
s, which are rated at a capacity of 1.5 MW each. The projects were developed by Noble Environmental Power, while Careba Mott MacDonald served as the electrical and structural design engineer. Noble Environmental Power will sell the power from the wind farms into the New York power market. It will also sell renewable energy
credits to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
.
An important resource for the list of operational and projected wind power projects in New York may be found on the website of the New York Independent System Operator or NYISO.
The capacity factor
of wind farms in New York is about 30 percent. However, the effective capacity — the fraction of rated power generated during summer afternoons, the period of peak demand — is estimated to be 10 percent.
With a strong tradition of home rule
and no state requirements or guidelines for locating facilities, the siting of large facilities in New York state has generated some controversy, along with myriad, diverse municipal efforts to zone or ban wind farms. Such conditions helped to produce in summer 2009 a Code of Conduct promulgated by the state's attorney general Andrew Cuomo
and embraced ultimately by wind developers responsible for a majority of the state's facilities. An expansion of the state's net metering
laws in 2008 may help to grow the market for small scale residential, agricultural or commercial installations. In 2009, utilities in the state such as the New York Power Authority
and Long Island Power Authority
were exploring the possibility of large-scale offshore facilities, either in the ocean or in the Great Lakes facilities.
Maple Ridge Wind Farm
Maple Ridge Wind Farm is the largest wind farm in the state of New York in the United States, with 195 Vestas model V82 1.65 MW wind turbines. Each turbine tower is tall. Each turbine has blades long, which added to the hub diameter gives a rotor diameter of...
, the largest wind farm
Wind farm
A wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
in the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, with 195 Vestas
Vestas
Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines. It is the largest in the world, but due to very rapid growth of its competitors, its market share decreased from 28% in 2007 to 12.5% in 2009...
model V82 1.65 megawatt (MW) wind turbines. Collectively, the turbines have a rated or nameplate capacity
Nameplate capacity
Nameplate capacity, also known as the rated capacity, nominal capacity, installed capacity or maximum effect, refers to the intended technical full–load sustained output of a facility such as a power plant, a chemical plant, fuel plant, metal refinery, mine, and many others.For dispatchable power,...
of 320 MW. Maple Ridge Wind Farm became fully operational in January 2006.
Three other large wind farms — the Altona, Chateaugay and Wethersfield Wind Parks — were completed in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
in February 2009. The projects have an installed capacity of 97.5, 106.5, and 124 MW respectively. All three use General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
1.5SLE wind turbine
Wind turbine
A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy from the wind into mechanical energy. If the mechanical energy is used to produce electricity, the device may be called a wind generator or wind charger. If the mechanical energy is used to drive machinery, such as for grinding grain or...
s, which are rated at a capacity of 1.5 MW each. The projects were developed by Noble Environmental Power, while Careba Mott MacDonald served as the electrical and structural design engineer. Noble Environmental Power will sell the power from the wind farms into the New York power market. It will also sell renewable energy
Renewable energy
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable . About 16% of global final energy consumption comes from renewables, with 10% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3.4% from...
credits to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority , established in 1975, is a public benefit corporation, located in Albany, New York, with regional offices in NYC, Buffalo, and West Valley....
.
An important resource for the list of operational and projected wind power projects in New York may be found on the website of the New York Independent System Operator or NYISO.
The capacity factor
Capacity factor
The net capacity factor or load factor of a power plant is the ratio of the actual output of a power plant over a period of time and its potential output if it had operated at full nameplate capacity the entire time...
of wind farms in New York is about 30 percent. However, the effective capacity — the fraction of rated power generated during summer afternoons, the period of peak demand — is estimated to be 10 percent.
With a strong tradition of home rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
and no state requirements or guidelines for locating facilities, the siting of large facilities in New York state has generated some controversy, along with myriad, diverse municipal efforts to zone or ban wind farms. Such conditions helped to produce in summer 2009 a Code of Conduct promulgated by the state's attorney general Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Cuomo
Andrew Mark Cuomo is the 56th and current Governor of New York, having assumed office on January 1, 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the 64th New York State Attorney General, and was the 11th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development...
and embraced ultimately by wind developers responsible for a majority of the state's facilities. An expansion of the state's net metering
Net metering
Net metering is an electricity policy for consumers who own renewable energy facilities or V2G electric vehicles. "Net", in this context, is used in the sense of meaning "what remains after deductions" — in this case, the deduction of any energy outflows from metered energy inflows...
laws in 2008 may help to grow the market for small scale residential, agricultural or commercial installations. In 2009, utilities in the state such as the New York Power Authority
New York Power Authority
The New York Power Authority , officially the Power Authority of the State of New York , is a New York State public benefit corporation and the largest state-owned power organization in the United States. NYPA provides some of the lowest-cost electricity in New York State, operating 17 generating...
and Long Island Power Authority
Long Island Power Authority
The Long Island Power Authority or LIPA [ "lie-pah" ], a municipal subdivision of the State of New York, was created under the Long Island Power Act of 1985 to acquire the Long Island Lighting Company 's assets and securities...
were exploring the possibility of large-scale offshore facilities, either in the ocean or in the Great Lakes facilities.
See also
External links
- The Wind Power Law Blog focuses on wind energy legal developments, especially regarding land use and zoning law, real estate transactions, environmental concerns, and judicial and regulatory actions. This blog emphasizes wind power developments in New York state, but also addresses issues of broader interest.
- Hope Farm Information on Wind Power - Page on securing incentives, building, and monitoring power generated by small scale wind on Upstate NY farm.