About Us Hawaii's Wind Current Use History Issues Events Archive Links	Hawaii Wind Working Group    >    Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities
	Technical Issues Interconnection Regulating reserve Intermittency Capacity factor Forecasting Energy transmission Energy storage Hybrid systems	Non-Technical Issues Aesthetics Noise Avian (bird) impacts Culturally sensitive areas Construction Avoided fossil fuel use Rural economic impacts Education

Interconnection

Wind turbines which are connected to the electric grid are said to be "interconnected" with the utility grid. A presentation by Tom Simmons, Vice President of Power Supply of Hawaiian Electric Company, was made to the Hawaii Wind Working Group on April 8, 2002. Interconnection issues were also discussed at a "Workshop on Interconnecting Distributed Generation" held in December, 2001. For more information, see the links page and the archive page.

Regulating Reserve

"Regulating reserve" is generation capacity kept on-line so that electricity generation can be immediately increased to match sudden increases in load or loss of power generation. This issue was discussed in a presentation by Dan Giovanni at the meeting of the Hawaii Wind Working Group on April 8, 2002. For more information, see the links page and the archive page.

Intermittency

Intermittent or "as-available" energy sources, such as wind energy, are different from "baseload" or "firm" power in that they can't be counted on to produce a certain number of megawatts immediately, on demand, whenever the electricity is needed. Energy storage (such as wind-pumped hydro or wind-hydrogen) can address the intermittent nature of wind energy by storing the excess energy produced in periods of low load and strong winds, and then using the stored energy to produce electricity in times of high load and weak winds. Or, wind energy systems can be combined with other electricity generation technologies (such as internal combustion engines) so that even if the wind isn't blowing, electricity can be produced by the internal combustion engine portion of the system. Sophisticated forecasting techniques, coupled with good historical "resource" data (i.e. weather data, in the case of wind), can allow a certain amount of 24-hour predictability and reduce the amount of excess regulating reserve kept on-line for immediate variations in windfarm output. For more information, see the links page and the archive page.

Capacity Factor

Forecasting

Energy Transmission

Energy Storage

Hybrid Systems

Aesthetics

Perceptions are colored by values. It's not just money value, it's also about "good versus bad" types of value judgements. Something that is desirable and seen as good and clean, can be acceptable; whereas, something that is seen as undesireable may generate negative comments and protest, even if it is not as large physically. This is another reason to include the community early in the process, and to work with them to address their concerns, and to be sensitive to their values. It may take a while, and it may mean changing some things about the project or even relocating some of it. It's all part of being a "good" project. At the Board of Land and Natural Resources hearing regarding the 20 MW Zond project at Kaheawa, Maui, not one single testifier testified in opposition to the project. Homeowners associations, native Hawaiian groups, businesspeople, environmentalists - everybody who was there - said they "liked" the project and wouldn't mind seeing the turbines, because they represent something clean and good.

Noise

Avian

Steps must be taken to protect Hawaii's endangered birds. In the case of the Kaheawa project, both the nene and pueo were considered, and the project will not disturb their habitats. Funding will be set aside each year to support a nene hatchling. Over the 20-year life of the project, twenty nenes will have been supported from hatching to fledgling, so there will be more nenesthan if the project had not been there. For more information, see the links page and the archive page.

Culturally Sensitive Areas

The first step in preserving culturally important sites and artifacts is to find out the Hawaiian name of a place, and to work with the kupuna (elders) in the area. Involve the community. Don't make the plans first and then tell people; involve them in the project from the beginning. Work together.

Construction Impacts

Avoided Fossil Fuel Use

Rural Economic Impacts

Education

This page is: wwg/issues.html.

This Page was last modified on 04/15/2002.