UI IE 4550 - IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST - HOW AND WHY TO PERMIT FOR SMALL WIND SYSTEMS

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In the Public InterestHow and Why to Permit for Small Wind SystemsA Guide for State and Local GovernmentsAmerican Wind Energy Association September 2008A Guide for State and Local GovernmentsI N THE P UBLIC I NTEREST:HOW AND W HY TO P ERMITFORS MALLWIND S YSTEMSThe greatest challenges to small-scale renewable energy are nottechnical, but rather financial, political, and regulatory. Confusing,inconsistent or even absent permitting processes discourage thevery people a forward-thinking community would want to enable:those with the motivation and resources to generate their ownclean electricity. Small wind turbines allow homeowners, farmers, small businessowners, and public facilities to generate their own clean, safe, and reliable energy for on-site use. Though thousands of townsand counties already do, many have not yet included small windsystems in their zoning codes to allow their use. The reason isoften no more than a lack of familiarity with the technology,resulting in overabundant care to avoid setting a controversialprecedent. This often renders the permitting process the singlemost daunting obstacle for would-be consumers and preventsthe installation - and associated public benefits - of thousands of small wind systems. The good news is this is easy to fix. Making the permitting processaffordable, streamlined, and accountable is in the best interest ofthe consumer, environment, and community. This guide explainswhy, and identifies best practices for local governments to balancethe interests of property owners and the community.Ron StimmelSeptember 2008American Wind Energy [email protected](202) 383-2546"We ought to have a law that allowshomeowners and small business peopleto put up photovoltaicgenerators and smallwindmills and any other new sources ofwidely distributedgeneration that they can come up with." - Al Gore, March 19, 2007CNN Glenn Beck Show "Bad zoning not onlyscares away potentialcustomers, but alsodealers - the local small businesses thatdistribute, install,and maintain small wind systems." - Mike Bergey, Bergey WindPower Co."Planners can encourageefficient energy use,diversification of energysupply, and emissionsreductions through theirinfluence over the builtand natural environments - including both whereand how we build, andwhere and how wepreserve open spaces." - American PlanningAssociation. Planning and ClimateChange: Mitigation andClean Energy Strategies.www.planning.org/energy/index.htmAmerican Wind Energy Associationwww.awea.org/smallwindCONTENTSIntroductionWhat Are Small Wind Turbines? ...................................................... 2How Are They Used?...................................................................... 3What Can Neighbors and the Community Expect? .............................. 3Responsibilities of Turbine Owners ................................................... 3The "Power" of Good ZoningPrecedent: Commonplace or “Bleeding Edge"? .................................. 4Why Zone for Small Wind Systems? ................................................. 4The Importance of HeightWhy Do They Need To Be Tall? ........................................................ 6Issues1. Setback Distances and Height ................................................... 82. Lot Size ................................................................................. 93. Aesthetics ............................................................................ 104. Sound .................................................................................. 115. Property Values ..................................................................... 136. Insurance ............................................................................. 137. Abandonment ....................................................................... 138. Multiple Turbines ................................................................... 149. Urban and Building-Integrated Installations .............................. 1410. Potential of Structural or Electrical Failure ................................. 1511. Soil Studies .......................................................................... 16Non-Issues/"Red Herrings"i. Shadow "Flicker" .................................................................... 17ii. Fences/Attractive Nuisance ...................................................... 18iii. Birds .................................................................................... 19iv. "Icing" .................................................................................. 19v. Electrical Signal Interference ................................................... 20vi. Lightning Strikes .................................................................... 20vii. Stray Voltage ........................................................................ 21Making It Happen: Best Practices and a Model OrdinancePermitted use? Accessory use? or Conditional use? ........................... 22Recommendations For State and Local Governments ........................................ 23Specifically for Local Governments ....................................... 24Specifically for State Governments ...................................... 25Permitting Process: Time & Cost .......................................... 26Conclusion ......................................................................................... 27Contributing and Additional Resources ............................................... 28Appendix: AWEA Model Zoning Ordinance .......................................... 30What Are Small Wind Turbines?A small wind turbine is a device thatproduces electricity from wind. Movingair causes the turbine to rotate, whichgenerates clean, emissions-free energythat can be used to power a home,farm, school, or small business.1Though most small wind turbines looklike a miniaturized, "back yard" versionof the large, utility-scale, three-bladedturbines, the industry encompasses over200 different models and they can varywidely in appearance. A small windturbine is technologically advanced butmechanically simple, with only two orthree moving parts. Most feature threeblades of 2-15 feet in length, a generatorlocated at the hub, and a tail. The turbineis mounted on a steel tower 35-140 feethigh, which is designed as a freestandingmonopole (like a street light), a latticetower (like a radio tower), or a guyedmonopole (like a street light withsupport cables


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UI IE 4550 - IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST - HOW AND WHY TO PERMIT FOR SMALL WIND SYSTEMS

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